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Today at a Glance:
- Dostoevsky on Tyranny
- Why is Russia Invading Ukraine?
- There is a War on Innocent Civilians, how to defend yourself
- What is Woke Culture?
One Quote:
Dostoevsky knew a thing or two about tyranny.
‘Tyranny is a habit, it has its own organic life, it develops finally into a disease. The habit can kill and coarsen the very best man or woman to the level of a beast.‘
He recounted his narrow escape from death by a firing squad in Siberia:
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Never underestimate man’s propensity for tyranny.
How did ordinary Germans assent with Hitler’s plan to murder millions of Jews?
It started with propaganda – segregation, then stripping off their rights, taking their belongings…
Gradually, then suddenly.
If you have ever demonized someone or an entire group of people for their believes, the color of their skin or even for their ethnicity, it is likely you would have been part of that mob too.
Although on the surface, we tend to renounce violence of any sort, there is something deep within our nature that wants to enslave another if/when we have the power to do so.
You and I are no exception.
For example; you know that urge to want to squeeze cute things?
When you’re seeing a picture of a cute dog or a fluffy cat or even a person you find unbelievably adorable, your brain is forced to become really aggressive and you might want to squeeze them to death.
The cuter the thing you’re looking at, the more frustrated and angry you become.
Researchers, led by Rebecca Dyer, a graduate student in psychology at Yale University, dubs the phenomenon “cute aggression.”
You may think it’s harmless…
I beg to differ. I think it’s not simply an impulse to protect or love, rather to enslave and overpower.
Power is seductive to the human psyche.
Once you’ve tasted it, you will want more.
Ever heard the saying; Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Yeah…
Similarly, there is a power dynamic brewing constantly between man and the State/Governments.
For man, the capacity to defend against predatory violence from the State is a crucial variable that alters life at the margin.
So think twice before giving more power to your Government.
As William Playfair wrote, “Power has always sought the readiest road to wealth, by attacking those who were in possession of it.”
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The lamb and the lion keep a delicate balance, interacting at margin.
If lions were suddenly more swift, more prey are at their mercy. If lambs suddenly had wings, lions would starve.
We have to keep the State accountable at all times, and not let them be divisive or else the powers that be will gradually creep in deeper into our lives.
This past two years has been a testament to that.
Not only did we see a pandemic of the mind, but we saw an unprecedented reaction against it.
People who were against the established mainstream narrative have been kicked off of Twitter, Facebook…. de-platformed.
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In other words, we’re starting to see tech companies play a prominent role in politics.
They are a technocracy that controls access to the masses and never has it been more obvious that they intend to exercise the power they have.
What’s interesting is that this aggression is only possible because of the trust that these companies have accumulated over their lifetimes.
Nobody would be on Twitter or Google had they not built compelling platforms at an ultra-competitive price of free.
Indeed, this is at the root of the problem.
They got to where they were because they gave away their product for free to gain people’s compliance.
Compliance, in other words, was the price of their services.
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This compliance is very useful for a variety of reasons, including the ability to shape public opinion, but as those people who are being kicked out are finding out, it’s been misplaced.
How did free services end up in tyranny?
A high ranking North Korean defector, Thae Young Ho explains why North Korea was so successful in fooling its people despite their brutality.
He said that the secret is free stuff. He explained that the NK government gave away free health care, free education, free housing and guaranteed jobs as a way to gain popularity.
Of course, none of these things were really free.
They depended on the citizens doing what the regime wanted.
Compliance, in other words, was what the NK people paid in exchange for these “free” things and that resulted in the NK regime adding more and more draconian rules as time passed.
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You can see where I’m going with this…
There are no truly free services and the quicker we realize that, the better off we’ll be.
Your government does not ”give” you things for FREE.
”Free” is Expensive.
We will always be paying with our compliance to essentially arbitrary dictates because there are tendencies for slippage in our democracies towards authoritarianism…
As Mr. Thae explained, there’s something sacred about a market transaction.
It’s a fair exchange and binds both parties to deliver.
Free makes it difficult to complain.
A market transaction creates competition and that allows either party to walk away should the exchange not be satisfactory.
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In other words, to subvert authoritarianism or to prevent it from worsening, we’re going to have to start using and supporting mediums, that are public, open, decentralized, neutral and censorship-resistant.
First, we have to take the money out of the hands of our leaders. This is where Bitcoin comes in.
Money should never be used as a political tool. To buy votes, to bribe for favors or even to sanction enemies.
It is a lifeblood of humanity who depend on it for putting food on the table, providing a roof over head, and clothes on children’s backs.
Since the cost to production for Fiat currencies (or money by government decree) is effectively zero, this makes it easy for autocrats and politicians alike to misappropriate funds in scales unimaginable. The kind that mankind had never seen before.
Bitcoin is hope we never get to see a dystopian future happen before our eyes.
Why is Russia Invading Ukraine?
Geopolitics may not be at your doorstep, but it will effect you. Notice the surge in prices of everything?
Having an asset in the realm of cyberspace (as insurance) isn’t exactly a terrible idea.
You can do it for as little as a few thousand dollars.
This video explains from a Russian perspective in History:
In WWII, Germans sought to cut off Russia from the resource-rich caucus region using Ukraine to close the Volgogard gap.
The Lesson: Geography determines safety.
The Imaginary border of nations changes over time, but the terrain is always fixed.
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So if you are in power in Russia, it makes sense to want to make this chess move to secure the future of your State.
if you’re a 20th century man living in Russia, your view is that NATO and the West are hostile forces intend on subjugating your people if you are not careful.
Of course, any kind of war…is horrible. But did the majority of people conveniently forget about the 20 year war in Afghanistan?
Or has the media quickly shifted its focus and narrative to another political agenda??
I’m actually mystified at why most people not only just tolerate the tentacles of the State and its propaganda, but seem to love it. They’re enthusiastic about it. Sometimes that makes me pessimistic about the future…
Today, we have people in power openly call out for the punishment of average Russian citizens. (Remember how just two years ago some people justified demonizing Asians for the Covid pandemic and called it the Chinese Virus?)
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Recently, Italy’s main University in Milan reacted by banning the teachings’ of Fyodor Dostoevsky because he’s a Russian writer.
Yeah, they went ahead to ban a writer who has been dead for 140 years; who was even sent to a Siberian labor camp for writing unfavorably against communist Russia.
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After watching the video, I begin to realize that the West is not quite as innocent as the mainstream narrative portrays them to be.
This is why I’m staying neutral on this.
People should flee, and avoid being used as pawns by leaders with their own political ambitions.
Live to fight for your own freedom another day. It is not worth becoming a meat for the universe.
People cannot begin to comprehend the enormity of the 4D chess being played by The Invisible Hand.
There is a War on Innocent Civilians
Amidst the chaos and financial de-platforming Bitcoin has emerged as a powerful force in the geopolitical arena.
Governments continuing to weaponize the financial system highlights the need for a permission-less, censorship-resistant, and un-seizable asset like Bitcoin.
Let’s explore how Bitcoin has served as a lifeline for those in need
Canada
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The recent Canadian Freedom Convoy revealed how centralized payment networks and the traditional banking system can be brought to bear against citizens.
The protestors raised funds through traditional services like GoFundMe, however, the government seized the donations before the truckers received any money.
Eventually, the truckers found a lifeline by using Bitcoin to receive donations. Over $1 million worth of bitcoin was donated.
Things escalated when the Canadian government enacted “Emergency Measures” that were used to stifle the protest in the form of freezing the bank accounts and seizing the assets of its own citizens.
These protestors were not convicted of any crimes and yet were financially de-platformed with a click of a button.
It wasn’t just the protestors affected. Some normal people who simply donated $50 had their bank accounts frozen.
Even if you didn’t support the truckers’ protest, this sets a scary precedent going forward.
Can the government seize the assets of people who haven’t broken any laws? Is the fiat financial system a weapon owned by the politicians? Will this happen again?
Afghanistan
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The War in Afghanistan may have officially ended when American forces left, but there are still financial battles to be fought, specifically, revolving around the $7 billion worth of Afghan foreign currency reserves held at the Federal Reserve.
The Biden Administration seized those funds and placed harsh sanctions on Afghanistan which have harmed not just the Taliban, but also the ~38M innocent citizens of Afghanistan.
This has led to a humanitarian crisis and widespread hunger with millions of innocent Afghans suffering from acute malnutrition.
How can Afghans send funds to their family and friends stuck inside Afghanistan?
Bitcoin is one way the people of Afghanistan have received aid.
Young Afghan women have turned their coding school into a relief organization using Bitcoin to send emergency funds to help their fellow starving Afghans.
Innocent, suffering Afghans caught in the crosshairs of conflict are bypassing sanctions and receiving funds they desperately need to survive, all because of Bitcoin.
Russia
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It’s important to remember that the people of Russia did not choose to invade Ukraine; the autocratic Russian government did.
The citizens of Russia have suffered from the effects of widespread sanctions, including being cut off from SWIFT.
As a result of the sanctions, the Russian banking system is paralyzed and the ruble has lost over 20% of its value, just in the last week!
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Long lines were observed at banks and ATMs across the country as Russian citizens rushed to withdraw their savings.
As the ruble loses value, Russians are increasingly using Bitcoin to protect their wealth.
According to Kaiko, Bitcoin-Ruble trading volume has spiked since the invasion began.
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As financial doors to the outside world are closed to Russian citizens, Bitcoin remains an open lifeline to send and receive money from outside their borders.
Ukraine
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After the attack by Russia last week, Ukraine closed its border to men and the National Bank of Ukraine suspended all electronic cash transfers and limited cash withdrawals.
Long lines formed at ATMs across the country as Ukrainian citizens attempted to withdraw their savings.
Many Ukrainians turned to Bitcoin to preserve their savings while fleeing a warzone.
Amazing stories have surfaced. One man escaped Ukraine to Poland with only a hardware wallet full of Bitcoin and another where a Ukrainian used Bitcoin to buy a car to escape when all the banks and ATMs were unavailable.
Even the Ukrainian government has turned to Bitcoin by asking for donations to support their efforts. Within days, over $50M worth of Bitcoin and crypto were donated!
It’s telling that the Ukrainian government turned to Bitcoin donations rather than USD, Euros Gold, etc.
Bitcoin is Protecting Human Rights Around the World
What do all these stories have in common?
- Traditional financial system is being weaponized
- Bitcoin serves as a lifeline to victims in need
As it becomes clear that the captured legacy financial system is full of confiscation and censorship risks, people will continue to discover that Bitcoin represents the exact opposite.
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To recap, in the last two months, Bitcoin has:
- Financed censored peaceful protestors in Canada
- Helped feed starving citizens of Afghanistan
- Provided a lifeline to innocent Russians cut off from the world
- Delivered aid to Ukraine’s fight for independence
As El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said,
“The intrinsic value of Bitcoin is now in full display on the whole world.”
Bitcoin isn’t a traditional investment.
It’s a hedge against the collapse of the US Dollar and the potential downfall of fiat currencies.
Learn how self-custody works (it’s risky) and don’t hold your bitcoin on an exchange.
Few understand this.
What is Woke Culture?
Consider the possibility that the Orwellian dystopia you fear is already here and has been in place for many years, you just haven’t noticed because you’re still allowed to watch Netflix or buy a gun or say whatever you want to say within a small impotent online echo chamber.
What is woke culture?
Well, perhaps it’s a kind of aggressive progressivism.
There are various themes within it; it’s about being more understanding towards people from marginalized and disadvantaged groups and giving them special help to overcome obstacles they may face.
It’s about pointing out how past abuses can be responsible for present-day disadvantages and so perpetuate injustice across the centuries.
It’s about mitigating the threat humans pose to their own environment and livelihood through pollution and over exploitation of finite resources… etc.
These are worthy causes.
Progressive yet also aggressive.
The approach however is highly antagonistic and accusatorial . It separates the world into abusers and abused with that black and white morality that a 1990s critic feared was developing in the millennial generation.
It is destructive. it doesn’t just point out and acknowledge wrongs or challenge others opinions but must pull down statues and block the ability to speak of those with whom it disagrees…
This video will change the way you see the world–and your place in it.
Based on Strauss and Howe’s book The Fourth Turning — It illuminates the past, explains the present, and reimagines the future. Most remarkably, it offers an utterly persuasive prophecy about how we can use the past to predict its future.
Give it a watch and let me know your thoughts…
Talk soon!
Think Maverick is on a mission to help equip you with the knowledge to recover your liberty and freedom, no matter what happens next.