Conspiracy and the Morality of Politicians.

I've been a regular reader of Jean Michael Greer's Blog - 'The Archdruid Report' - since its inception. The guy has a handle on the implications of 'peak-oil/energy' for our globalised industrialised economic/political systems that produces regular keen insights into the way things are likely to unfold. His analyses of human societies' handling of unwelcome change is deeply thoughtful and clearly springs from extensive pondering of the issues it raises. Put all that together with with a certain gift of expression and you have a highly informative and readable blog.

So it happened that I was enjoying his latest piece when I was struck by a couple of jarring notes. They are the subject of this post.

Jean Michael is clearly a gentle man who seeks the best in people. I have no issue with that and admire him for it. But it was his repeated use of the term 'Conspiricist' and his assertion (to paraphrase) that politicians are broadly representative of the populations that they spring from - good and bad - that jarred.

Firstly the term 'Conspiracist'. Like other pejoratives, (Holocaust denier, Anti-semite, Communist, Fascist Flat-Earther etc) its use is generally intended as a debate changer by making those it is applied to appear 'beyond the pale' or 'ridiculous' and thus unworthy of a hearing. So, what is it supposed to mean? and why is it ranked right up there with those other powerful debate changers?

Jean Michael uses it to dismiss those who he sees as proposing wide-ranging or all-encompassing conspiracies as having a significant role in human affairs. Put that way it seems to me that the 'anti-conspiracists' are the ones with some explaining to do. At the most basic level of meaning, it really ought to be beyond dispute that conspiracy by constituent cliques and cabals prior to ANY type of  minuted, publicly accountable meeting or action - from the lowly local club right up to the highest reaches of government decision-making - is actually the driving force behind pretty much any and all collective human endeavour. IOW the Public Agenda is largely driven and determined by hidden, private agendas that are furthered by conspiracy. It is simply the way the world works.

So why is it that the terms 'conspiracist' and 'conspiracy theorist' have become such powerful debate-clinching pejoratives? 

Since it is invariably applied to those suggesting conspiracy and complicity by elements of the State in violence against its own people, I suggest that it has to do with peoples' overwhelming need to believe in the basic good intent of the State, its Government and Agencies. Granted they can be stupid, bungling, incompetent - even corrupt at times, but the idea that they would or could EVER act deliberately and with calculation against the interests of the general population, let alone be involved in persistent gross deception and/or deliberate acts of domestic terrorism, is simply too abhorrent and downright scary to countenance - And that in spite of overwhelming evidence that latter day Western Governments are literally up to their necks in all of those things.

Which brings me to the morality of politicians.

At the outset of a political career and discounting the allegiances that political dynasties impose, I guess the aggregate of wannabe politicians are indeed representative of the aggregate of the populations they spring from. Self-evident really and in that sense Jean Michael is quite right in his assertion. However, it is the attributes required to produces a 'successful' political career that are the nub of the matter. 'Successful' here meaning one that achieves ministerial/cabinet/Privy Council Rank in the UK or their equivalents elsewhere.

I suggest that, whatever genuinely altruistic public-service ideals may originally have motivated a politician or 'public servant', it is the progressive compromise and ultimate abandonment of any such principles that is the sine-qua-non of elevation to the high offices of State. The career progression of such an individual can be likened to the degrees of initiation bestowed by a Masonic Order. Following initial elevation by the masses, any further advancement is by invitation and appointment by superior initiates. Ability and merit may have a bearing on the matter but if so, it is ability and merit in the promotion of the official narrative of events and the State's part in them that is the crux of the matter. Such narratives effortlessly accommodate the divisions between the major political parties which boil down to little more than froth. But on their substance, no departure from orthodoxy is tolerated.

Thus, an alliance of superior, freedom-loving democracies is valiantly striving to fight the evil of terrorism and generally to do good in the world; with its heroic armed forces sacrificing their lives selflessly in multiple distant desert countries that we might avoid having to fight their malign evil in our own lands.

Take a step back and try to look at that as might a visitor from another world - or better yet as a young innocent staring at his naked Emperor. It is so self-evidently absurd as to be risible, yet it IS the basic official narrative of the early 21st century, lapped up by a fearful, insecure and gullible population. It is trotted out endlessly by mainstream political parties and media of ALL persuasions in the manner almost of a religious creed and woe-betide anyone - especially an ambitious politician - who dares question it.

It is the sordid realities behind that and other absurd 'official narratives' that the ambitious politician is gradually initiated into such that, by the time the higher degrees are reached, there is little of principle left in the initiate beyond defence  of the existing power structures at any price. My latest (somewhat seasonal) analogy for the relationship between the State and its general population is that, as a matter of rigid orthodoxy, communication is conducted around an intellectual and emotional framework not unlike that of a parent and 5 year old child but absent any altruistic/parental bond - such that the official narratives of most events of importance are massaged to a level of factual accuracy resembling those of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. In other words - in the interests of an over-riding imperative to maintain 'The System' and protect its corrupt, self-serving interests, we are lied to systematically as a matter of time-honoured and sanctified practice - PERIOD. In the immortal words of that venerable Irish muckraker Caud Cockburn therefore: "Never believe anything until it has been officially denied".

On the narrow subject of 'conspiracy theories' and terrorism, I personally doubt more than about 10% of all so-called terrorist outrages in the West occur without deep complicity on the part of our SIS's and their 'assets' - its called 'calibrating the level of violence and tension the better to further the policy agenda and secure compliance from a fearful population',  and anyone who thinks that an exaggeration - or more likely absurd - should first of all read up on 'Operation Gladio' as a primer before moving onto the more outrageous stuff. The information is readily available; it is just studiously ignored, other than as the occasional butt of ritualised ridicule, by the MSM.

So personally and in spite of JMG's admonitions, I'll stick with 'conspiracy theory' rather than 'coincidence theory' as a consistently superior explanation of events, with States, their Governments and especially their SI Agencies - per Spymaster extraordinaire Robert Cecil and his foolhardy dissident victim Guy Fawkes - as the model conspirators.

Brutal, but utterly hilarious.

The name 'Rick Santelli' will be familiar to anyone following the shenanigans in America over the Obama proposals on the economic meltdown. He is a resident CNBC 'reporter/analyst' at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. A talking head in other words and a guy imbued with the mores of the Pit Trader, augmented by a certain bombastic motor-mouth style.

Last week he made quite a name for himself by tearing into proposals to help domestic mortgage payers in danger of forclosure. He finished his piece with a loud, pointed and widely reported question that went 'President Obama, are you listening? '. Then, after agreeing to appear on MSNBC's 'The Daily Show' to further air his views with Jon Stewart, he quickly changed his mind and cancelled. BIG MISTAKE.

As Jason Linkins at Alternet puts it:

"So, lesson learned: do not cancel on The Daily Show. Or at least do not do whatever CNBC and/or Rick Santelli did, in the way they canceled on The Daily Show, because last night, Jon Stewart basically said, "I'll see your canceling on me and RAISE you a thorough evisceration of the faux-populist bilge you've been pumping and a complete blasting of your network's credibility."

This is a MUST Watch - Very VERY funny and right on the button.

OK - so it's the U.S, - but try substituting 'Northern Rock', 'RBS' and 'HBOS' for 'Bear Stearns', 'Lehman Bros' and 'Bank of America' and you've got a pretty good match for the UK too.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Who will save the Savers?

Here is ANOTHER comment inspired post - from ConservativeHome again too. Oh dear!

As explained in other comments and IMHO our economic system, based on fractional reserve banking and the necessity for perpetual exponential growth that underpins it, does not HAVE a future. A total re-think that recognises 'Limits to Growth' so-to-speak is what is required and I see precious little sign of that happening short of the cataclysmic force majeur that I judge will occur sooner or later anyway.

Be that as it may, on the assumption that the whole creaking edifice CAN be resurrected and propped up one more time, here is my personal experience of government actions and bailouts to date:

Over a 40 year, mainly self-employed business career, I have built up a modest pension fund (actually by the standards of the Fred Goodwins of this world, 'minuscule' would be a more accurate description). Back in 2004 I could clearly see the storm clouds gathering and moved the lot into deposit-based funds. With the Footsie then nudging 5,000, that turned out to be a little premature although at current levels I am comparatively better placed than most. Anyway, at that time the going rate for annuities at my chosen retirement date was around 7% (A few years earlier nearer 10%). Today it is about 4% - a 43% haircut! Had I not moved to cash, the value of my pot would now be about 30% less, implying a total haircut on the prospective pension of around 70%. That is probably typical of anyone relying on a personal pension whose fund is invested in equities and, given the incessant urgings of government about private pension provision and the obscene levels of such provision enjoyed by those doing the urging, it is nothing short of scandalous.

As if that is not bad enough, when taking benefits I am required to use 75% of the fund to purchase an annuity. From whom? - why an 'Approved Annuity Provider' of course, which in practice means a private Life Assurance Company. Can ANYONE have confidence that those 'approved providers' will be around long enough to pay my pension? I certainly can't and fully expect most of the balance of my little pot to vanish down another 'Black Hole' accompanied by yet more weasel words, crocodile tears and gross incompetence from those ultimately responsible - whilst they continue to draw their own tax-payer funded, protected and indexed pensions. This is the stuff of which revolutions are made.

So, who indeed will save the savers? - Because 'saving' appears to have become a dirty word doesn't it? Saving is anti-social (if not treasonable) when what is needed to save us all is SPENDING. 'Borrow and spend - BORROW AND SPEND' is the mantra - as though the actions that precipitated this whole sorry mess, can now be used to get us out of it. It really is Alice in Wonderland stuff.

When all this permeates through to the consciousness of the average Jo(e), He(She) is going to be as angry as I am - which means pretty damned angry. More weasel words are then likely to be the trigger for riots - as I think TPTB are only too well aware.

Economic Collapse. Fascism and the Close of an Epoch

I'm inclined to leave comments all over the Blogsphere rather than attend to this blog. Sometimes they morph into something I ought to have posted here. This is based on one such. It was prompted by this post on 'Lenins Tomb' and a response to my first comment which alluded to looming 'National Socialism' in the context of the strikes over 'foreign' workers at various refineries around the country together with our burgeoning Surveillance/Security State:

Whether or not there were/are fascist elements among the strikers is not my point. It is that there is a natural (almost visceral) tendency to seek a convenient scapegoat when one's livelihood is seriously threatened. The Establishment understand that tendency only too well and are past masters at using and manipulating it. You only have to scan the MSM to see the extent to which that is going on here. The name of the game is to divert attention from the really deserving targets.

For all their weasel words, TPTB can clearly see that our present economic system and the Globalised Capitalist Ponzi scheme built on it, really is finished. We have bumped hard up against the limits to the growth of most of its sustaining resource production rates over the past decade or so and IMHO that marks not just the end of an era, but of an epoch. There is the appearance of frantic efforts to repair the unrepairable and get things 'back on track' - back to business as usual etc etc., but those controlling the real concentrated wealth and levers of power know in their very bones that the game is up - exponential growth (the sine-qua-non of the system) on a finite planet is quite simply oxymoronic. IMO it was the cascading effects of that dawning realisation that precipitated the ongoing collapse in the first place - a developing mad scramble by the powerful to protect their wealth, power and privilege with all the 'beggar-my-neighbour' behaviour that that implies.

On an international level, the risks of war are multiplying. Domestically, I can see serious civil unrest dead ahead and I fear the response of TPTB WILL INDEED be fascist. Scapegoats (preferably of dark complexion and prone to growing unkempt beards and wearing strange clothing - or at the very least speaking with foreign accents) will be conveniently and ruthlessly exploited. The maintenance of 'law and order' will be THE No 1 priority. Everything else will be subordinate, especially quaint notions about freedom of speech, assembly etc, and those who propagate scurrilous notions such as posted in this (and many other) blog(s) will, at best have their cards marked.

Unless you are inclined to 'man the barricades' of revolution so-to-speak, survival is likely to be best assured by keeping your head down and attending to localised community matters - involving yourself in the provision of essential goods and services with food and personal/home security dominating the list - that sort of thing. Having first hand experience of collapse in the old Soviet Union, Dimitri Orlov is superb on this sort of thing. His web site is worth bookmarking and his book 'Re-inventing Collapse' a sobering and very funny introduction to the world that awaits us.

Governmentium

Limited time for blogging. Stumbled across this whilst searching for something in a folder of miscellaneous documents accumulated over many years - as you do. Gave me a good chuckle so, with due credit to its unknown author, and because it encapsulates the plague of 'Big (incometent) Government' from which we all suffer so much, here it is:

A major research institution recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "Governmentium."

Governmentium (Gv) has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called 'morons' which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called 'peons.' Since Gv has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Gv causes one reaction to take over four days to complete, when it would normally take less than a second!

Gv has a normal half-life of 4 years; it does not decay; but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming 'isodopes.' This characteristic of moron promotion leads most scientists to believe that Gv is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as 'Critical Morass.'

When catalyzed with money, Gv becomes "Administratium' (Am) - an element which radiates just as much energy as Gv, since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.