Manipulation
The truth is we never ever had truth in sight. We spat on this purpose. We ate of whatever was left. The chasm beneath us will open and swallow the rest
Inside
Watching the core
Of whatever we had left of our lives
The multiplications divide
We drink to quench the thirst to come
With the bones that we left the trap was sprungBlind, ancient and malevolent
Cosmos divides
The truth is we never ever had truth in sight
We spat on this purpose
We ate of whatever was left
The chasm beneath us will open and swallow the restMe the broken cog
You seem to not have understood
Knives out
Strings set in motion
You act like you're surprised
Pre-emptive strike
Ruin
Chaos
FocusWhispers, murmurs, voices, voices
Whispers, purpose, voices, murmurs
Whispers, murmurs, voices, voices
Whispers, murmurs, voices, purpose
—Meshuggah, “Broken Cog”
Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. [2] Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, [3] Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, [4] Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God: [5] Having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.
—2 Timothy: 3
I was thinking about what the past two years, including the present Ukrainsane, means, what are we really encountering here, what exactly is being revealed to us, what is at the heart of it all?
If you want to know what I mean by Ukrainsane, read this and then continue reading my words:
And the word that kept coming to me was manipulation. We have all experienced manipulation in our personal lives, and it is the worst of traumas. A child never suspects being manipulated by those he trusts, and the first time it happens, it is a great fall, a catastrophe, for it is a deep wound to love. Her whole world becomes dark and menacing, and here begins the possibility of a life of suspicion and self-protection, where manipulation becomes the lingua franca, and she must manipulate first, more cunningly, more ruthlessly, and always so as not to be manipulated by others into a state of perpetual weakness and slavery. Or one could just escape into oneself in loveless isolation. If the love of others doesn’t come to his rescue, these are the paths that will be taken, and love dies in his soul. How many have taken one or the other of these paths, and perhaps don’t even realize it or what caused it. I think it’s a very large number. The scamdemic and Ukrainsane have exacerbated this already endemic trauma to pathological levels.
Public discourse now is pure manipulation, pure lovelessness, where what is claimed as fact, just, right, good, and true is simply the will of the ruling class member, what he wants you to think is fact, just, right, good, and true. And the Masters of Discourse are not content with simply lying to you, for this is low-level stuff. They seek to put you in a state where the only reality you experience, nay, want to experience, is the one they make for you. Postmodernism told us that all narratives and claims to truth are just the expressions of human will, with the ones now predominating the expression of the strongest. Knowing this “truth,” we are enabled to resist and deconstruct the “master discourses,” and thus escape the mass-manipulation to maintain our autonomy and freedom. But what if we choose instead to embrace the manipulation, learning to love it and the power or control it seems to bring us? We may never become one of the elite masters of discourse, but we can be great fanboys!—we can show ourselves to be their good and faithful servants! Great rewards in this. We can always be the ones who point the accusing finger, with it never pointed at us.
I think this is the stage that most people are now at. Incessant and relentless propaganda, scapegoating, gaslighting, and domestic terrorism and torture—in other words, the scamdemic—has led to mass Stockholm Syndrome, among other pathologies of the soul. The real abusers are celebrated and defended with affection and love, and we go on to verbally and mentally abuse through manipulation those in our communities and sub-communities, whether in-person or virtual, in imitation of the manipulative discourse that has victimized and corrupted us. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, here comes the Ukrainsane by which the Masters of Discourse have superboosted the manipulation pandemic to neverbeforeseen and heretofore unimaginable levels.
When one comes to realize just how toxic the discourse is today, and how much it has possessed everyone, including ourselves, it is natural to want to avoid it, and only associate with and talk to those we still trust not to manipulate us. These are becoming fewer and farther between. It is a miracle now just to have members of one’s own family, let alone one’s religion or workplace, who are not manipulative. And this manipulation plague is more contagious than any virus. But we must not give in to this temptation. We must be healed and then serve as models of non-manipulative discourse and deeds so as to counteract and shine a light on the manipulative mimesis that is taking over the world. And for this, we need much intimate converse with God, whose love is the model of and medicine for the manipulation contagion.
When you read the words and actions of Jesus in the Gospels, the love manifested in them is what makes the greatest impression on our hearts. It is true love, not mere sentiment (niceness) or tolerance or empathy or pushoverness, because it is grounded in truth. But in light of the foregoing, the opposite of love in words and deeds, and especially words, is not so much hate, for this can be caused by love, or even indifference, for this can be caused by mental illness or mere distraction, but manipulation. If you think about it, the last word you would ever think of describing Jesus Christ as is manipulative. His intentions always match his actions, his actions always match his words, his words always match his thoughts, and his thoughts, words, actions, and intentions are never self-serving. In every encounter, He is focused purely, intensely, and entirely on the good of the other, even at the expense of His own reputation and life. Manipulation is the complete opposite—always self-serving, even at the expense of another’s good, sometimes at the expense of his immortal soul.
Jesus will cure us, and through us the world, from the spiritual disease of manipulation. Let us go forth in truth and love, even if it means a journey to the Cross. “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.”
Manipulation
Has anyone ever read or listened to any self described “elite” attempt to make a case for their proposed goals? They seem to be actors trying to get a part rather than people comfortable with known and lived authenticity. It as a The Man who was Thursday vibe to it. Fakers pretending too hard. I suspect that’s why we have so few genuinely unguarded debates between “elites” and outsiders.
Dr. Thaddeus, I see you are an adjuct professor at Divine Mercy University. Back in the late 1990s, I was a member of Regnum Christi and was there for its founding. It was founded as the Institute for Physiological Science (IPS), run by the Legion of Christ AND key staff, being high-level (2nd degree) Regnum Christi members. As the scandals of Fr. Maciel broke IN 2007 or so, so did the lie that this was a God ordained founding. Following this, the Institute was rebranded as Divine Mercy. Just curious if the Legion and Regnun Christi have been excised from the institution? I know one staunch RC Man who currently works as the head of Continuing/ Distance Education. Kinda doubt it's independent of the Legion's string pulling. It's what they do. Kind of ironic considering your insightful thoughts of all the current lies and scams.