Matrix Revolutions, 2003

The totalitarian systems of the 20th century represent a kind of collective psychosis. Whether gradually or suddenly, reason and common human decency are no longer possible in such a system. There is only a pervasive atmosphere of terror and a projection of the enemy imagined to be ‘in our midst’. Thus society turns on itself, urged by the ruling authorities. —Joost Meerloo, Rape of the Mind

What else are parallel structures than an area where a different life can be lived, a life that is in harmony with its own aims and which in turn structures itself in harmony with those aims? What else are those initial attempts at social self-organization than the efforts of a certain part of society… to rid itself of the self-sustaining aspects of totalitarianism and thus to extricate itself radically from its involvement in the totalitarian system. —Václav Havel, The Power of the Powerless

“I recite these words if only to wake people up from their sleep! If only to remind us that many have gone before who suffered and died for the freedoms we enjoy. The freedoms to read and write, to worship and pray and speak as we choose. Not just for Christians, but for everyone. Everyone. The freedoms to agree and disagree. Even to believe outrageous “conspiracy” theories.

The internet has created a crisis even greater than the invention of the printing press. In those days, the information of the texts was limited to biblical knowledge. As time went on, that information grew. Now, a seemingly infinite wealth of information is at our fingertips. We are being told that information is dangerous. That we need to put it into the hands of the powerful once again. We must trust them as the doorkeepers between our minds and the mysteries of the universe.

Just as the reformers stood up for their rights to interpret texts on their own, so we must stand up for our rights to do the same.”

—Karen Hunt, from her article The Demonization of the Unvaxxed

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.” ― Bruce Coville

You will not find me on Facebook.
You will not find me on Instagram.
You will not find me on YouTube.

I want no part of that.

I’m callin’ it.

We are, in fact, sliding down a point-of-no-return slippery slope and rapidly descending into tyranny and dictatorship.

Wake UP.

If we do not believe we, ourselves, possess the ability to discern what information is true and good, and simply leave the rest, and make choices that are in alignment with our values and stay out of the business of others, without the government or ‘big tech’ telling us what we can and cannot see and hear, then we are… truly fucked.

Believe it a ‘conspiracy’ if you wish.
Continue to demonize, shame and judge ‘others’.
Abdicate all sense of reasonable, nuanced, sophisticated, discerning thinking.

Close your eyes. Plug your ears. Shut your mouth.
Go ahead.

Let’s see how that works out.

Hey. Watch Bo Burnham’s new Netflix… INSIDE.

It’s excruciating to do so, actually.
Aaaand, delightful… shocking… raw… depressing… affirming… BRILLIANT.

It’s… a lot.

Just watch it. If you’re not wake-the-fuck-up impacted by it, well… maybe it is too late.