A Personal Issue
It is said that certain people have an issue with authority. I didn’t – until I understood what authority in the modern sense of domination means. Luckily, I was raised to be fairly self-responsible. While my school was quite liberal, I still went through the standard Western European education system, where reward and punishment are given according to one’s willingness to align with authority – the teacher, taught knowledge and accepted ways of knowing. The promise of finishing school was to study at a university and ultimately become well-integrated within society through a respectable job. As it happened, the university I studied with never required me to have a high-school diploma – and I certainly wouldn’t want to find myself among the commonly respected professions of allopathic doctors, lawyers or apologetic professors defending an obsolete world-view. [ 1] Afterwards, I enrolled in the Austrian military as a conscript. Neither training nor duty were particularly harsh, but this is certainly not the place to second-guess your superiors. Also, it gave me first-hand experience of a tightly-knit system, where everything is either in or an order. However, since no national defence requirement can reasonably be established with neither the population nor the army itself, such orders’ purpose is clearly missing. It is perfect example of a structure which might serve the interests of a few generals and politicians through foreign deployments but provides no practical benefit for society at large. [ 2] The promise of completing my service was that I wouldn’t be prosecuted for evading it and would be recognised as a contributing adult – at least the former could be kept. Thereafter, I worked with different people and had various tasks. When working towards something I believed in, the promise of success had been that I could realise visions through the application of worldly power. The projects didn’t come to fruition because my superiors ultimately lacked competence – and I meanwhile discovered that all substantial progress is only to be made within. When working for money, the promise of being a loyal company employee is to have so-called financial stability in order to live in relative material wealth, maybe even surviving long enough to experience retirement. However, I couldn’t feign interest in the overall purpose longer than a few months nor properly apply my abilities. A company usually requires individuals who function and obey rather than question the underlying assumptions it is built on. So as it turns out, all the implicit promises ever made by a hierarchical structure were either fraudulent or simply represent something I am not interested in any longer. For those who hope to take relief from self-responsibility through the adoption of external order, these structures might well serve their purpose of control. Whether educational system, army or company: Submission – whether to accepted knowledge, orders, money or ideology – is always required. Now, I do have an issue with those who seek authority over others – and I also understand the simple method to individual empowerment so domination may become a distant notion of the past.
Historical Struggle – Ideology and Conflict
Across the ages, whole civilizations have been threatened and eradicated as they refused to submit to a foreign culture. The Spanish invaders gradually drove the Apache native Americans from their homeland. As the Apache fought back against Spanish expansion, the Spanish attempted to conquer them. Assuming a hierarchical military structure as used by themselves, the Spanish prioritised the killing of Apache chieftains. However, as the Apache tribes were organised in a distributed fashion with continually self-appointed leaders and voluntary affiliation to their cause, the population of chieftains always adjusted. Furthermore, this self-responsible organisation enabled them to effectively fight the Spanish from myriad angles, considerably expanding their territory in their effort of self-defence. It was only when the Spanish taught them the desirability of material goods by allocating cows to the chieftains of several tribes that they gained the upper hand. In a meaningless competition for material wealth which served no purpose in the traditional Apache life-style, the tribes increasingly fought against each other. This led to their downfall, eventually dooming then to live in so-called reservations. While they couldn’t be conquered by military force, a re-orientation of their value system towards the material world ultimately constituted their defeat. [ 3]
A similar example is to be found when the Roman empire sought to destroy the resistance of Germanic tribes. The Romans’ hierarchical top-down structure and tactics proved useless against the tribes’ fierceness and resilience through distributed organisation. The Romans invaded the value system of tribes in border regions by establishing trade posts along with material goods and the concept of money. Introduced to the amenities of material wealth but still-ignorant to their true price, some tribes could be enlisted in aiding the war effort, eventually resulting in the Roman conquest of their lands and civilization. [ 4]
The Boer tribes, the original Dutch settlers in South Africa of predominantly Protestant faith, had equally been conquered by the British in the quest for material wealth and ideological dominance. The similarities are striking, as the Boers militia-style forces proved very effective against the British army and successfully defeated them in the first Anglo-Boers war. The decisive tactic which enabled British victory in the second Anglo-Boers war was nothing less than the internment of civilians in concentration camps and subsequent food rationing as to exert pressure on their still-fighting family members to give up arms. Again, this conquest was not enabled by military force so much as by understanding and exploiting the opponent’s value system and world-view. [ 5]
Modern Values – Perpetual War
It is perhaps the greatest mistake to believe that we live in peace and prosperity – even and especially within Western countries. During externally observable uprisings due to symptoms of unemployment and economic decline, the perpetual war for values and morality is fought on an ideological level. The state hasn’t kept its promise to protect us from our fears – and as more individuals are willing to face their terrors, it is rapidly becoming obsolete. [ 6] While there exist a few isolated states and dissident communities, the struggle for independence and autonomy has become most personal. Aren’t we fighting each other over buying power for useless goods while abolishing all spiritual values? Just like the Apache fought over cattle they had no use for, we are willing to antagonize another over temporary distraction found in technological gadgets, drugs or sex. Competition is propagated to be honourable for the depressed masses, while at the same time co-operation at the highest levels of economy and government ensures its continued dominance. Philosophy and spirituality to establish a considerate and joyful way of life are accurately considered impractical and ultimately unproductive in maintaining the status quo of depression and defeat. Haven’t we sold out our brethren for material gain just like the Germanic tribes turned against one another – perhaps even more ignorant than them in understanding that oppression and servitude are the true price for such worldly riches? Don’t we find the shackles of existential fear induced by artificial debt and implanted guilt to be more effective in steering our actions than a real threat to our life could ever be? Consumerism with companies and brands is the religion of the capitalist hierarchy serving to soothe the scared and irritated public. [ 7] Political apathy allows the machine to run unobstructed, while those who seek to participate in the illusion of power become well-integrated to serve as managers of the oppressive system. [ 8] Mass media continues to dumb down the masses while instilling fear furthers passivity or agitation as the need arises. The myth of societal progress allows for the unfounded hope of a better tomorrow through technology and electoral politics as the current “state” is never satisfactory. All the while, the sociopathic actors and core ideologies of dominance remain well-protected from public scrutiny per the age-old tactic of bread and games – no matter how distasteful the food or trivial the spectacle. The independence-seeking individual might find no nation to seek refuge, no company to join and no religion to follow, for the quest for freedom is always immediate and can only be accomplished from within. [ 9]
Natural Authority – A Self-directed Life
“What an array of divergent problems! Yet people go on clamouring for ‘solutions’, and become angry when they are told that the restoration of society must come from within and cannot come from without.” – E.F. Schumacher (A Guide for the Perplexed) [ 10]
If we are to end this age-old play of dominance and submission, we have to understand that any and all changes within the subjective environment are the direct result of changes made by an individual within its own mind – the belief system comprised of self-perception, world-view, assumptions and definitions. The collectively held belief system of a society thus constitutes the seemingly external consensus reality. While there seem to be certain constants within this reality such as existence, differentiated unity, resonance and change – every possibility within these most basic parameters might well be open to creation and experience by ourselves. The better we understand these principles – no matter whether it is through intuition, the study of physics, first-hand experiences or spiritual guidance – the better we may become at their application in adapting the reality of experience to our liking. [ 11] Such understanding constitutes true independence from the material world, as for without the willingness to submit there is no external force to dominate. The bitter-sweet realization must obliterate all borrowed beliefs in order to give rise to an individual’s inherent, natural authority over one’s life and absolute responsibility for one’s experience. [ 12]
“A man who says, `I want to change, tell me how to’, seems very earnest, very serious, but he is not. He wants an authority whom he hopes will bring about order in himself. But can authority ever bring about inward order? Order imposed from without must always breed disorder.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
The movement of change must thus always spring from within and can only then lead into the mirror image of the outer world for us to experience. Change is the application of free will manifesting itself in the material world. [ 13] While there is constant feedback with the environment of individuated fractals of consciousness – which in their entirety comprise you as unity-consciousness – the process of eternal re-creation is always an individual art. Nobody and nothing else can relieve you of this burden, no matter how grand the promise or great the power seems. Self-reflection in an effort to understand true desires and de-construct fears can only be conducted by the self. As the individual needs are re-evaluated and assumptions are questioned, useless habitual patterns of thought and behaviour can be discarded. As we finally re-cognise ourselves in the you-niverse, we can no longer bear the offense of dis-tracting ourselves from this reality which is our own reflection. So as you re-create yourself, you re-order yourself and your reality in accordance with your desire to live the self-directed life through the eternal gift of the present.
Response-ability – Liberation from Within
Response-ability is nothing less than the ability to respond to a situation. Consciously deciding how to act at any moment increases your response-ability as you become aware of the infinite amount of options you can choose from. Listening to a pleasant song – you may dance, sing, shout, jump or smile and hug the individual next to you – as well as act out anything else you can imagine. Fear-based scenarios are often constructed in a fashion that the only ways we can think to respond to them is fight, flight or paralysis. Who says a smile and a hug aren’t equally valid, more self-affirming actions to be taken in a frightening situation as well? Any action of control can only be successful if the expected response is given. The red traffic light can only control the flow of pedestrians and cars if they respond by stopping. If they take upon them the response-ability for their own safety, they may equally ignore the light and traffic may continue in a more efficient manner. [ 14] As you develop your ability to respond, the possibility for you to be dominated automatically decreases. Without you acting out an expected response, no outside control over you can be held.
For the great freedom of a self-directed life to be realised, the ability to respond must be exalted. Thus, I find it necessary to re-visit unquestioned assumptions and established patterns of behaviour which result in unconscious, pre-determined responses. We may find that through our previous denial of responsibility – whether conscious or subconscious – we have built ourselves a veritable prison of beliefs, effectively limiting our power as ability to respond dynamically to a variety of circumstances. While these beliefs might have ensured our survival as children – for only through their adoption could we be sure that our parents would continue to love and society to interact with us – they must now be re-evaluated in light of our newly found love for freedom. While some may attain complete liberation without delay, many will also find joy in transforming their old belief system by thoroughly understand each assumption it was built on. As I have made some experiences with this process, I would like to share some thoughts on what I discovered along the way. I am not implying my viewpoints to be any more true than yours, but I ask you to consider my responses so as to increase your own response-ability. Instead of adopting an existing response-pattern or borrowing mine, I suggest you to construct your most personal viewpoint.
The foundation of such inquiry is trust in your own ability to respond to the presented information in any way you desire. Exposure to conflicting information may cause cognitive dissonance, an uncomfortable psychological state in which two contradictory theories are held within the mind. The conditioned response is often to ignore and deny the new information or an attempt to justify the established belief. I invite you to closely monitor your reactions to any presented ideas and contain the dissonance, for only if you intimately understand and closely compare different theories can you construct a more accurate world-view. I personally discriminate the usefulness of concepts by their ability to concisely, logically and comprehensively explain the phenomena I observe. Many of them can also be practically applied and tested, allowing for personal verification through experience. A spiritual viewpoint suggests that we see only what we believe, so a leap of faith might be necessary in some cases – but any scientifically-minded individual should be open to such experimentation. Materialism is practised by many not just in the physical, but also the intellectual realm. Such intellectual materialism urges us to hold on to our ideas and beliefs at all costs, but in face of an ever-changing reality and increasing availability of differing views this approach becomes less and less sustainable. My individual world-view has been obliterated, re-built, adapted, refined and extended many times through nothing else than my own willingness to attain two goals: The closest possible approximation of the fundamental elements which constitute objective reality and the response-ability to experience the subjective reality I truly desire. Whether motivated through love or its distorted counterpart of fear – as both simply indicate the possibility to explore and integrate another aspect of yourself – the changes I made towards these goals always led me to a happier life and contributed to a more vibrant, supportive environment. Understanding that I am responsible for myself, my world-view and inner emotional state is my individual domain. As holographic refraction of the all-one, truly taking care of and liberating myself is the best service I can do for the external world – as it is merely my internal representation. Do what you love – as there is no-one to help and nothing to be done if it doesn’t make you come alive. Bringing happiness to myself in the present brings happiness to all – for one is all and all is one. Acting on my highest excitement is liberation from within. Please re-cognize that you are always in control and that you may always contain your emotion. Whether these concepts resonate with you in fear or love, please feel encouraged to explore them. It’s just a-part of yourself – including this text!
The Daily Grind Re-Visited
Self-liberation involves the most mundane tasks. Many feel themselves stuck in a daily routine of jobs and chores without feeling much capacity to change. While quitting jobs, refusing chores and altogether abandoning a dissatisfying life might be great feats of liberation, the steps leading there are simple and only require the willingness to choose for oneself. The main challenge involves awareness of existing habits and beliefs, for once they are conscious we can take response-ability and choose whether we want to act them out or not. There are a range of questions which can be asked about our daily routine which help us to adjust towards a self-directed life. As a reference, I will include my own answers – and I invite you to think about your own response-ability and actual choices in these domains.
How do I lead my life? For most people, this will include eating, rest, exercise, hygiene, housing, sexuality and daily activities. We are usually brought up to follow a certain response-pattern within all of these domains as determined by culture, family and compulsory education. However, as an individual bestowed with free will – the choice is ultimately yours and yours alone. Have I found the diet which I enjoy the most and which allows me to feel as I desire? I currently feast on a mostly vegan diet with raw elements, usually preparing my own food and closely monitoring my digestive system as I regard food as paramount to my health. Do I rest according to my own needs for sleep and relaxation? I meditate, rest and sleep as much as I feel necessary, refusing to put my body and mind under unnecessary stress and discomfort. Learning to breathe properly is a most fundamental element of such relaxation. Do I exercise so as to feel comfortable within my own body? I do yoga and awareness exercises almost every day, practising clarity of mind and bodily flexibility. Do I understand hygiene so I may promote my health? I quit using cosmetic products, resorting to natural soap as to minimize exposure to toxic substances. Where do I live? I choose to live with others in order to reduce unnecessary financial dependence, but developing the emotional maturity required to be respectful in sharing space with another. How do I deal with my sexuality? Understanding the emotional-spiritual basis for eroticism, I choose self-exploration, sublimation and profound connection over unsatisfying and stressful relationships. What are my daily activities? Renouncing material symbols of status and power, I have little need for money and only do what I love to do – receiving the support I need to continue following my passion. Respect and support may be gained through self-development and contributing to the social environment – sharing knowledge and supporting others with my skills by doing what I love are my preferred methods.
In-depth research and experimentation allowed me to sample different response-patterns to these challenges and develop my individual concepts. While learning to take care of oneself is a most natural process – how many people blindly follow whatever they have been acculturated to? Observing the environment, it becomes clear that a standard Western diet, little time for relaxation and sleep-deprivation, shallow breathing, no exercise, the use of chemical waste products, feigning independence by living alone, superficial sexual pleasures and working in a stressful job can’t be the keys to a joyous life. Investing time and effort in developing your own, most personal life-style might thus be most beneficial to your happiness. As the pre-existing patterns of behaviour are removed, a veritable void opens up. As unsatisfying distractions are minimized, I come to concentrate myself in activities which I find truly fulfilling and enjoyable in order to structure my life. Every unconscious habit eventually must give way to a conscious, deliberate and self-responsible decision. Spiritual understanding as trust in oneself makes it easier to understand, transform and let go of habitual responses and unnecessary fears. [ 15]
Make up Your Mind – Unquestioned Assumptions
“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed nonage. Nonage is the inability to use one’s own understanding without another’s guidance. This nonage is self-imposed if its cause lies not in lack of understanding but in indecision and lack of courage to use one’s own mind without another’s guidance. Dare to know! (Sapere aude.) “Have the courage to use your own understanding,” is therefore the motto of the enlightenment.” – Immanuel Kant (What is Enlightenment?)
To be a self-responsible individual eventually entails re-creating yourself as a whole. All adopted views, beliefs and thoughts must be recognised as such and replaced by your own constructions. As most of us are constantly embedded within a societal structure which seeks to impose accepted definitions of reality upon us, it is especially important to create a place of peace and refuge within one’s own mind. This involves the ability to concentrate in meditation, the development of mental flexibility through differentiation and tolerance as well as full acceptance of oneself. Questioning all the underlying assumptions society is based on is the requirement for a self-responsible world-view – built with your own mind rather than being based on blind belief in external authority and dogmatic constructions. Below are some of my thoughts on main theories I have investigated and re-evaluated in light of my research and experience – supported by sources and notes as available so you may have a reference for your own inquiry.
“If you think of yourself as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master. The wise despot… maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual.” – Frank Herbert
A concept which even the mainstream starts to question is the legitimacy and suitability of government to regulate societal conduct. The illusion of the Western model of democracy as the last and most perfected mode of government is slowly becoming obvious as dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs is on the rise. External government serves to suppress rather than encourage the unfolding of potential in an eternal effort to preserve the status quo. Blind belief in its centralized, hierarchical authority should thus be replaced by a do-it-yourself approach. Understanding that the “people get the government they deserve”, taking the ability-to-respond instead of being hypnotized by the illusion of change through electing inefficient managers of a profoundly corrupted system might well be a step towards a truly orderly state. [ 16]
“I really look with commiseration over the great body of my fellow citizens who, reading newspapers, live & die in the belief that they have known something of what has been passing in their times.” – Thomas Jefferson
This starts by taking control of your world-view instead of depending on TV, government-sponsored indoctrination labelled as education and so-called authoritative sources to spoon-feed it to you. No information is unbiased or without context and independent sources are hard to come by. Manufactured news, propaganda, perception management and deliberate online trolling are the tools by which you shall be deceived and confused. As mainstream media becomes ever more unreliable and illogical, first-hand experiences and independent research become the only valid method to achieve clarity. [ 17]
“…the modern business corporation, an artificial person made in the image of a human psychopath, now is seeking to remake real people in its image.” – Joel Bakan (The Corporation)
The myth of material scarcity is still haunting public opinion like a ghost. Repetitive warnings of peak oil never seem to reduce the actual amount of available oil while manipulated prices go on a roller-coaster. [ 18] Maybe the commonly taught production of crude oil by plants is nothing but a fairy tale to perpetuate the idea of scarcity after all. If this is true, then what were the recent wars really fought for? [ 19] People suffering from conflict and dying of starvation is still seen as inevitable through the Malthusian myth that food production can’t keep up with population growth. It constitutes a suitable logic to further the delusion of population control through war, family planning policies and gradual poisoning under the guise of medicine. The last time I checked, people in affluent countries were burning food while destroying third-world food markets through subsidised imports. [ 20] Nevertheless, individuals are inherently greedy after all – or are they really? Historic research clearly shows how earlier civilizations were based on gifting instead of barter or money. [ 21] Through re-localisation of economy and building trust between individuals, alternative economic systems are already implemented as the financial system fails to meet the population’s actual demands. [ 22]
“The law locks up the man or woman who steals the goose off from the common But leaves the greater villain loose Who steals the common from the goose.” – 18th century rhyme
Along with the assumption of our malevolent nature came the need for human rights, used as a pretext in allowing dominant powers to meddle in domestic affairs of other nations. The idea of positivist law – where every behaviour is codified and regulated by scripture – implodes as we are beginning to understand our own absolute response-ability for ourselves and our interactions in society. Maybe it is time to re-visit natural law and trust in the inherent order-creating behaviour of individuals and peer groups alike. [ 23] Most already strive to lead a good life and help others, yet still believe society is inherently bad. Maybe it is because of belief in our animal nature? Upon closer examination, it becomes clear why Darwin’s idea of evolution is just a theory. If we see ourselves as brutal primates, then this is likely to influence our behaviour. While creationism might not be the answer, we should at least admit to our lack of a coherent, bullet-proof theory while investigating the alternatives. [ 24]
“The falsification of history has done more to mislead humans than any single thing known to mankind.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Many suffer from a similarly distorted view in relation to all history, including the plots of major historic incidents. Quick to identify the motivations, causes and results of wars – along with scapegoats, victims and saviours – we re-create the same conditions which led to the dialectic of war in the first place, all the while forgetting that history is always written by the winners! [ 25]
“Where religion brought hate and called it the search for divine love, science brings death and calls it the quest for eternal life.” – Mark Mathew Braunstein
At the same time, most still buy into the idea of cultural progress through technology, keenly grabbing any distraction they can afford. The emergence of materialistic science enabled emancipation from a dogmatic world-view imposed by the church, but its modern established version is just as rigid and unforgiving as the medieval inquisition itself. The application of science might have brought the modern life-style of material prosperity to some, while its distorted version has confronted many with spiritual impoverishment and fear-based scenarios. The idea of anthropogenic global warming has the public feel guilty about travelling while quietly accepting wasteful and exploitative emission trading schemes – never mind solar activity, record winters, the climate-gate scandal or contradicting research. [ 26] Profound misunderstanding of genetics shall have you fearful of your own genetic code, conveniently omitting the paramount importance of epigenetics through gene expression as determined by your perception and thus ultimately your self-responsibility. This equally applies to most individual’s fearful view of health as a most fragile state, afraid of myriad types of chronic disease and even the common flu. Thus they leave diagnosis and treatment to authorities while remaining ignorant of the role of allopathic medicine and homeopathic medicine, a simple dietary change and the power of their own minds. [ 27] If we were to honour the paragons of science, we may discover that quantum theory’s observer-effect provides the scientific basis for this most individual power. While we’re at it, the special theory of relativity should be re-examined as well… [ 28] While some are still clinging to a narrow materialistic world-view, many have started to recognise the validity and efficiency of spiritual techniques. As the religious systems of beliefs are understood as crutches for an immature mind, we may gather profound insights through the different angles of world-view and self-perception. The importance of the inner studies – esotericism – can finally be acknowledged by a clear-headed mind and integrative research may yield enlightening results.
Individual Independence
“When he is in harmony… then perhaps… we can have the perfect political state. When… his inner house is in harmony… I would be amiss if I… said social cohesion and political harmony could ever come into being in this world at any time if the inner state of man was in chaos.” – Michael Tsarion (Origins and Oracles)
Through the individual work of perpetually re-creating our self-perception and world-view, we are establishing adaptable, dynamic order within. While the pioneers of response-ability might be portrayed as fools for wandering from the beaten path, they are the ones who lay the groundwork for a responsible society. The individual’s ability to respond brings about a society which is able to continually adapt to both reality and individual desires. As your pioneering efforts positively affects changes within your life, others will recognise the limitless potential of response-ability and gladly take the burden they previously avoided. The structure of society automatically changes to further this process – for you are the body politic.
“We were saying how very important it is to bring about in the human mind the radical revolution. The crisis is a crisis in consciousness, a crisis that cannot any more accept the old norms, the old patterns, the ancient traditions, and considering what the world is now, with all the misery, conflict, destructive brutality, aggression and so on. Man is still as he was, is still brutal, violent, aggressive, acquisitive, competitive, and he has built a society along these lines. […] What we are trying in all these discussions and talks here is to see if we cannot radically bring about a transformation of the mind, not accept things as they are but to understand it, to go into it, to examine it, give your heart and your mind with every thing that you have to find out a way of living differently. But, that depends on you not somebody else – because in this there is no teacher, no pupil. There’s no leader. There’s no guru. There’s no master, no savior. You yourself are the teacher and the pupil, you are the master, you are the guru, you are the leader. You are everything! And to understand is to transform what is.“ – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Developing the ability to respond brings about self-empowerment. As both history and the present state show – true autonomy is most feared by those who seek to dominate, for it demonstrates that true power resides within. Without willing submission, authority over another can never be attained through worldly means of external imposition. Without compliance and acceptance, external definition of reality can never be realised. The development of response-ability for individual independence is both goal and technique to attain a self-directed life. The realization of ultimate distribution is attained as the individual takes absolute response-ability in action and experience. The only condition for absolute freedom – individually and collectively – is the recognition of this power. Seen with such clarity, developing the ability to respond constitutes the most direct path to liberation indeed – it is the simple method.
Notes
[ 1] The Open University requires no high-school diploma for enrolment. While I choose all modules of my study and certainly gained knowledge and experience, I relaxed into the understanding that an academic degree isn’t necessary to do proper research and be respected for independent research. [back]
[ 2] The Republic of Austria portrays itself as neutral. Membership in several non-neutral international bodies and intervention in conflict zones contests that notion. I once watched the talk-show “Bürgerforum” on Austrian state television, where an ex-conscript asked the moderator whether he should take his vow to protect the Austrian people seriously. As he implied taking up arms to defend against oppressive government acting against the will of the people, the moderator smirked and dismissed the comment. [back]
[ 3] This example is given in Rod Beckstrom’s and Ori Brafman’s The Starfish and The Spider – the linked summary on Wikipedia is informational. Unfortunately, it seems Beckstrom didn’t apply the same principles to the development of the internet when he was head of ICANN, such as furthering the development of distributed DNS. The book also gave the name to the Starfish concept I wrote up in 2010. [back]
[ 4] A similar technique of island-hopping was used by the USA as they gradually invaded Japan. The information is taken from D. Burger referencing Wilhelm Kammeier and Gerrit Ullrich, see this PDF in German. [back]
[ 5] The freely accessible documentary The Last of the Boers by Mel Ve describes these developments. It also contains important information about the original, positive meaning of apartheid as peaceful co-existence and support. [back]
[ 6] Protection from terror-ism is the clearest example of protection from fears – whether actual or imagined threats. For a discussion on the myth of democracy and the workings of hierarchy, please see my essay on The Hierarchical Principle. [back]
[ 7] This North Korean documentary on Propaganda nicely illustrates this point, obviously regarding their own system of government as superior. [back]
[ 8] Quoting the documentary Obey by Temujin Doran based on Chris Hedges’ Death of the Liberal Class: “It is one of the ironies of corporate control, that the corporate state needs the ability of intellectuals to maintain power, yet outside of this role it will continue its refusal to permit intellectuals to think and function independently.” It shows how fragile and dependent the system of control is on individual compliance and also discusses the concept of inverted totalitarianism. [back]
[ 9] There is no external place to find refuge since the modern system of dominance is based on economy. Unverified sources claim that the only countries without a central bank infiltrated by the financial cabal are Iran, North Korea and potentially Cuba. You may understand why Libya was on that list before the invasion in my essay on The Spice must Flow. The establishment of a new central bank was one of the first actions of the seemingly disorganised “rebels”. [back]
[ 10] This quote is taken from Heinrich Wohlmeyer’s book Empörung in Europa, which concisely deals with the ongoing crisis, offering concrete solutions in the economic, social and spiritual domains. [back]
[ 11] These constants are taken from Bashar’s communications. Armin Risi sees love, individuality and free will as the constituents of objective reality. Nassim Harramein offers the physics of Unified Fields which might provide a scientific approach to deeper understanding. [back]
[ 12] Even economics knows the concept of sunk costs which can’t be recovered. No matter how much you invested in a previous life-style, some realizations force you to abandon the old ways and embark on a new journey. Luckily, we can take our experiences with us. [back]
[ 13] See my essay on The Art of Creation. [back]
[ 14] As road planners are recognising, “unsafe is safe”. [back]
[ 15] For an introduction to the spiritual viewpoint, please see my essays on A Conscious Decision and Awakening to Creator-Consciousness. [back]
[ 16] It should be recognised that government can only exist because we submitted our authority through quiet compliance, non-resistance and vote. Personally, I refuse to buying into the illusion change through electoral politics. Profound change is made from within – and certainly outside the reaches of government. As Emma Goldman is quoted saying: “If votes changed anything, they’d make it illegal.” [back]
[ 17] For a discussion on media and first-hand experience, see my essay on A Shift in Perception. [back]
[ 18] Aside from the manufactured oil crises and fractional reserve banking, the best example is the fixing of world-wide interest rates. Time to withdraw from the system once you understand the game is rigged. As Mayer Amschel Rothschild is quoted saying: “Give me control of a nation’s money supply and I care not who makes its laws.” [back]
[ 19] See this information on abiogenic oil production. [back]
[ 20] Plans for population control are outlined on the anonymous Georgia Guidestones, which are obviously approved by some element of the government for they would not have remained there otherwise. Biodynamic farming and increased reliance on plant-based foods as well as a stop of malevolent US/EU/UN development aid to allow for independent, sustainable food production are among the possible approaches to the food crisis. [back]
[ 21] As discussed in David Gräber’s Debt: The First 5000 Years and Charles Eisenstein’s Sacred Economics. Historical homo oeconomicus is nothing more than a useful myth to perpetuate the ideas of greed and competition. [back]
[ 22] For a wealth of information on the topics of transition, please see the Peer 2 Peer Foundation. [back]
[ 23] See Mark Passio’s presentation on response-ability and natural law. [back]
[ 24] Alternative viewpoints include Armin Risi’s theory of involution and Hans-Joachim Zillmer’s research on inconsistencies in evolutionary theory. [back]
[ 25] Yes, this also applies to the incidents of the second world war. As one-sided elaborations by the winners never ceases to stress the wrongdoings of the Germans, the atrocities of Russians and Americans are rarely talked about. Who won the war and who benefits from this narrative? [back]
[ 26] See this report on Natural News referring to the NASA research. [back]
[ 27] For my insights on health and body-awareness, see my essay on The Missing Link. [back]
[ 28] See this tome of scientific research on the special theory of relativity written in German. [back]