andrewclunn

Provide housing for their security's families. Exploiting their familial bonds to establish your own place as a benevolent patriarch. Make sure that production of food, fuel, or some other post-collapse good is done on your settlement, so that you can establish trade / alliances with whatever force ends up in a leadership role post collapse. I envision a post-collapse world with a bunch of rich libertarians in bunkers with no skills or reason to come out, a bunch of liberals who quickly either become the victims of or members of tribal gangs, and some rural conservatives actually repopulating and rebuilding from their small town community that pulled together people who actually knew and trusted each other (and also had practical skills).

ukip was a single issue party based on leaving the EU. If they now become a single issue party based around establishing a legal equivalent to the US' first amendment, then I dare say they'll have a resurgence.

Fascism has come about in two ways: 1) A collapse that has people calling for a strong leader to restore order, who is predisposed to paternalism, traditionalism, and sees the government as a blunt tool meant to preserve and promote their values and people. 2) When collectivist authoritarians (having already been in power) realize that market dynamics will give them greater standing and power throughout the world, and the culling of those who oppose their rule means those who remain share an easily exploited national identity, and they no longer have any interest in the pretense of caring for the weak, they adopt fascism. Fascism justifies its collectivism by viewing society as an organism, and defining the "good" as what perpetuates its growth, power, and longevity. To this end the political structure resembles theocratic monarchy, the economic system resembles corporatism, and the cultural art / media / propaganda similar to military communism. Fascist nations (by their nature) seek to conquer, subjugate, or destroy rival nations. Military alliances are prerequisite to anything resembling free trade with a Fascist state, and considering their growth nature, this is likely only a temporary state, as the Fascist state is incapable of seeing any other nation as its equal without also considering it a rival. As a form of collectivism it works (in that it can compete economically and militarily with democratic capitalist societies). It suffers from all the same issues of succession that traditional monarchies do. It would also really suck to be a racial, ethnic, or religious minority in a Fascist nation (or in a former nation that was just conquered by one). Also it seems highly unlikely that feminism or gender equality would exist in a Fascist nation, as every instance thus far has been pointedly and purposefully patriarchal by nature.

The Only Prayer I've Still Got In Me I've thought about saying this a couple of ways. You know it's been quite a long time since the last time I prayed. I didn't take off or slack off because I let life interfere. I lost the faith, and wouldn't fake believing, and suddenly my whole world was upended. Disillusionment was tough. Moral clarity faded to haze, but we both know there's no way that I could have stayed. That wouldn't have been right, forthright, or sincere. I'm fine now. I've found a place I'm okay in, which is better than if I had pretended. However, I've had some hardships these past few days. They've got me thinking about the choices I've made. My aim ain't to complain, just explain what I mean to do here. In case I'm wrong, and you can hear what I'm saying, there's something that needs to be attended. So though it's been some time since we parted ways. There's a debt I have that I've felt should be paid. I owe you both a why and good bye, something final and clear. Although, that's likely not what you would be wanting... How about we leave things open ended? ------------------------------- An Atheist's Lament I once had faith in a higher power, a being all knowing, impartial, and just, a perspective in who's judgement I could trust. Belief in this view promoted introspection co-opting my empathy to force self-reflection. Even now, after I have expunged god from my mind, I find that my heart still clings to a desire for redemption and greater meaning. There can be no atonement with no judge to forgive. Absolution is illusery to mortal perspectives. There was value in that mental heuristic, but it's dependant on belief. Take that away and it loses its teeth. Without a transcendent form of self regulation our nature is dishonesty and self-justifications. Yet our intellectuals have declared that god is no longer needed discounting views from those they see as beneath them. "I have gained by philosophy," Aristotle's words ring in my ear, "to do without being commanded what others do only from fear." Are they unaware that decades of academic study are reserved for certain classes? It's not a practical or even possible path for the masses. Societies need fear and it's either god or the whip. Be beholden to an ideal or the rod and the stick. And what high minded ideals fill the void in this new world without god? Authoritarian states and the will of the mob. We reach for abstract concepts to plug up the hole, but they're shallow substitutes for belief in a soul. The results of all our selective evolution, not intelligent design, are brains optimized to conceptualize other minds. No concept or laws can adequately replace belief in a perspective. "God" must have a face. After years of searching for truth I have found that faith is now closed to me. I can see it's necessity, but can no longer believe. So to you who think knowledge is always worth the cost. It's only after you've paid that you'll know what you've lost.

Marketing as permissive fraud. Children (and people) will imitate and model behavior they see. I'm struck by how wonderful a tool YouTube is for fully formed adults to gain insight and greater knowledge, and what an unmitigated horror show it is for parenting impressionable children. Just remember, if you achieve internet fame, then your job then becomes to pretend how wonderful it all is. That's how pyramid schemes work.

which I also make a point to use as my handle (anything I say can and will be held against me I know). Perhaps the best way to introduce myself is by sharing a poem I wrote, to give you all a sense for the workings and works of my mind: Modern Hatred This corruption we've sown has now taken root _____in a void of trust. __________What's growing there? The fight against hatred looks like hate to me. Define acceptable enemies. Prejudices of the past have been defaced, so new ones form to take their place. Outrage gone viral. Social disease. Save us from ourselves, algorithms please. Attacks of anonymous authorship. Suppressed voices decry censorship. And it's rubbing off on me: this modern sort of hatred. Where calls for unity are really calls to blame: attempts to silence and to shame. Dissenting voices we hoped to render mute, _____that we wished we'd crushed. __________Am I one of them? We "the people" united for the cause. But did no one else here think to pause and question if the cause is just? Tribe loyalty our proxy for trust. Black and blue. Who matters? Which lives? Circled wagons on all sides. What we oppose is how we're defined. The price of safety is to toe the line. And it's rubbing off on me: this modern form of hatred. Now virtue is an act to be signaled and seen. Social capital is currency. Those villains we thought we'd crushed under boots _____into ash and dust. __________Are they really gone? Right and wrong sides of history. Are there consequences we cannot foresee? Does asking that make me the enemy? Empty rhetoric and sophistry. The backlash is the truth no one can hide. Institutions, leaders, and "experts" tried. No one believes the noble lie anymore. Tabula Rasa lies broken on the floor. And it's rubbing off on me: this brand of modern hatred. When justice is only meant for peoples, does the individual become evil? The hope we had for a world of peace and truth _____left to die and rust. __________Are those two at odds? And it's rubbing off on me: this brave new modern hatred. Not everything is beautiful that's true: the darkness within me and you.