This is powerful. Naming truth is essential—but the first line of defense starts in our own homes. We can’t fight corruption out there if we’re still compromising in here. Living the resistance means embodying it daily, in our choices, values, and relationships. Thank you for the insight.
And for those who do not understand this word manipulation, I suggest watching the television show, “Mad Men.” It is a masterclass in the development of word play.
I am constantly appalled at how the disingenuous re-framing of anti-democratic actions and actual crimes as heroic is immediately accepted and adopted as truth by MSM.
Superlative writing, Mike. We need this call for clarification. I'm reading Vaclav Havel now, too. I wrote reflecting on his essay "On Evasive Thinking" a couple of weeks ago in my Substack. (Reflections on Power, Culture, and Society). Keep up the good work. I am really enjoying your writing and interpretation.
The game is manipulation and misdirection, misinformation and disinformation, divide and conquer, blaming and othering, and it's not a game at all, it's actually a War. Most people don't understand the War being waged against them or who their true enemies truly are. The supreme polarization in America is the result of decades of carefully planned corporate infiltration/capture/control and bought and bribed bipartisan 'cooperation'. Mike, do you consider yourself a democrat? Because if you do, then I'd say that you also don't understand who your true enemies are. Trump is in office only because dipshit Brandon and corrupt Kamala decided they needed to aid War Criminals (and weapons manufacturers) and abet/enable a Genocide, instead of listening to their constituents. Democracy has been dead for a while. Only a pathetic illusion remains and only a Revolution will bring back our democracy. And as unbelievable as this may sound, we could actually create an extraordinary app about all of the ways to do the Peaceful Revolution for that. There are many ways to Protest and continuing to play their 'game' is not one of the ways... www.humbledeeds.com
Yes—confront them on their abuse of language. But it’s still not a fair fight: Democrats seek to communicate and resolve, Republicans seek to obfuscate and defeat. Dems need to stick to their talking points and not accede to R’s twisted argument.
What are elections, if not contests between competing ideas of "the public good"? The idea that people like Mike Brock and Bill Kristol are able to dictate the definition of "the public good" according to their preferences, with the public having no ability to dislodge them, as the author seems to hope for, is the only authoritarianism I see here. The basis of democracy is that the public is best able to ascertain what is in its own best interests, indeed, what constitutes "the public good". While Mike Brock may condescendingly believe the public is not capable of discerning its own best interests, and it must be left to the likes of him and Bill Kristol to determine what actually constitutes "the public good", thankfully, that is not the system we live under. In the democratic system, the public is entrusted with the power to vote for what it believes to be its own best interest, and the public chose Donald Trump's idea of what constitutes "the public good". For elite law firms to recognize and defer to this is not a sign of their "surrender to authoritarianism", as the author states, but of their respect for the democratic process and the people's stated democratic wishes. It is people like the author who show their contempt and disregard for the wishes of the public in calling for "resistance" to what the people have said we want.
The only authoritarians are those who say that their idea of the public good should supersede the people's choice at the ballot box. The only Orwellians are those who say that their version of authoritarianism, in which they unilaterally define "the public good" without democratic input, is "democracy".
The voting public may or may not have voted for the “public good”. Many, maybe most did. What that it is exactly is hard to define. When someone accepts a $400 million jet or makes a billion dollars on his/her cryptocurrency while most people lose or dies any number of shady business deals this is not being done for the “public good”. And voters who vote for such a person and think they are doing so for the public good are either lying to themselves or to us or to both. Such people are voting for their own partial interests and may be deluded in doing so when they lose basic rights and privileges. Maybe ke Brock has respect for the constitution not contempt. And yet the person in the Oval Office repeatedly threatens the constitution and does not behave as if laws belong to them as they do to everyone else.
This is powerful. Naming truth is essential—but the first line of defense starts in our own homes. We can’t fight corruption out there if we’re still compromising in here. Living the resistance means embodying it daily, in our choices, values, and relationships. Thank you for the insight.
Well said. It takes courage to speak bluntly without deceitful euphemisms.
Everyone and their mother should be reading “Politics and the English Language.” George Orwell
Thank you. Reading Notes from the Circus has become my favourite daily ritual.
And for those who do not understand this word manipulation, I suggest watching the television show, “Mad Men.” It is a masterclass in the development of word play.
Just watched it, via Netflix splurge...and I totally agree with this comment.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
Perfect.
I am constantly appalled at how the disingenuous re-framing of anti-democratic actions and actual crimes as heroic is immediately accepted and adopted as truth by MSM.
Thank you. Don’t stop writing the truth.
Mike Brok you rock 🎸!! Keep it up please!
Superlative writing, Mike. We need this call for clarification. I'm reading Vaclav Havel now, too. I wrote reflecting on his essay "On Evasive Thinking" a couple of weeks ago in my Substack. (Reflections on Power, Culture, and Society). Keep up the good work. I am really enjoying your writing and interpretation.
Words matter.
The game is manipulation and misdirection, misinformation and disinformation, divide and conquer, blaming and othering, and it's not a game at all, it's actually a War. Most people don't understand the War being waged against them or who their true enemies truly are. The supreme polarization in America is the result of decades of carefully planned corporate infiltration/capture/control and bought and bribed bipartisan 'cooperation'. Mike, do you consider yourself a democrat? Because if you do, then I'd say that you also don't understand who your true enemies are. Trump is in office only because dipshit Brandon and corrupt Kamala decided they needed to aid War Criminals (and weapons manufacturers) and abet/enable a Genocide, instead of listening to their constituents. Democracy has been dead for a while. Only a pathetic illusion remains and only a Revolution will bring back our democracy. And as unbelievable as this may sound, we could actually create an extraordinary app about all of the ways to do the Peaceful Revolution for that. There are many ways to Protest and continuing to play their 'game' is not one of the ways... www.humbledeeds.com
Yes—confront them on their abuse of language. But it’s still not a fair fight: Democrats seek to communicate and resolve, Republicans seek to obfuscate and defeat. Dems need to stick to their talking points and not accede to R’s twisted argument.
Great piece!
What are elections, if not contests between competing ideas of "the public good"? The idea that people like Mike Brock and Bill Kristol are able to dictate the definition of "the public good" according to their preferences, with the public having no ability to dislodge them, as the author seems to hope for, is the only authoritarianism I see here. The basis of democracy is that the public is best able to ascertain what is in its own best interests, indeed, what constitutes "the public good". While Mike Brock may condescendingly believe the public is not capable of discerning its own best interests, and it must be left to the likes of him and Bill Kristol to determine what actually constitutes "the public good", thankfully, that is not the system we live under. In the democratic system, the public is entrusted with the power to vote for what it believes to be its own best interest, and the public chose Donald Trump's idea of what constitutes "the public good". For elite law firms to recognize and defer to this is not a sign of their "surrender to authoritarianism", as the author states, but of their respect for the democratic process and the people's stated democratic wishes. It is people like the author who show their contempt and disregard for the wishes of the public in calling for "resistance" to what the people have said we want.
The only authoritarians are those who say that their idea of the public good should supersede the people's choice at the ballot box. The only Orwellians are those who say that their version of authoritarianism, in which they unilaterally define "the public good" without democratic input, is "democracy".
The voting public may or may not have voted for the “public good”. Many, maybe most did. What that it is exactly is hard to define. When someone accepts a $400 million jet or makes a billion dollars on his/her cryptocurrency while most people lose or dies any number of shady business deals this is not being done for the “public good”. And voters who vote for such a person and think they are doing so for the public good are either lying to themselves or to us or to both. Such people are voting for their own partial interests and may be deluded in doing so when they lose basic rights and privileges. Maybe ke Brock has respect for the constitution not contempt. And yet the person in the Oval Office repeatedly threatens the constitution and does not behave as if laws belong to them as they do to everyone else.