by Tony Cartalucci
September 23, 2012
from
LandDestroyer Website
Democracy is a Form of
Oppression
The modern concept of "democracy" is perhaps the most effective form of
human oppression ever devised.
It has single-handedly convinced billions of
people around the world that if only they cast their vote at each election,
struggle behind their favorite politicians and pet political causes, they
can change the world.
And as each side of any given political
paradigms struggles against each other, a singular agenda continues to march
forth, one above and beyond "democracy" and the strategies of tension we've
all been mired in.
Image:
Bush = Obama = Romney. Professional spokesmen,
representative not of the American people but of Fortune
500 multinational corporations and banks.
Since the time of
JP Morgan 100 years ago, the corporate-financier elite
saw themselves as being above government, and national
sovereignty as merely a regulatory obstacle they could
lobby, bribe, and manipulate out of existence.
In the past 100
years, the monied elite have gone from manipulating the
presidency to now reducing the office to a public
relations functionary of their collective interests.
Only tipping the
balance of power from corporate-financier monopolies
back to our local communities can change anything - this
cannot be accomplished by merely "voting."
The corporate-financiers of Wall Street and
London, and their ever expanding orbit of proxies, client regimes, and
co-conspirators have mastered long ago the method of controlling both sides
of any given political paradigm, ensuring that no matter who you fight for,
no matter how hard you fight, you still ultimately contribute to the
singular agenda as determined by the corporate-financier elite.
Thus, despite believing you have a "choice" and
a "say" in your destiny, you do not. You spend all of your time and energy
pursuing a false solution to fixing a system you do not truly understand,
against forces you are either vaguely aware of, or entirely oblivious to.
No better can this be illustrated than in American politics where still,
many people believe there is some sort of discernible difference between
Republicans and Democrats.
However, for example, from 2000-2012,
we see a singular Western agenda of invading, occupying, dividing,
overthrowing, destroying, and installing client regimes across the Arab
World and to a lesser extent, across Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.
However, within that period, we saw two allegedly ideologically opposed
presidents in office.
The corporate media has gone through great lengths to sell each leg of the
agenda in terms most fitting to each respective president's alleged
political agenda, but in reality, all that President
Barack Obama did was
pick up where President
George Bush left off, who was in reality carrying
out a singular agenda,
modern empire, that has been more or less in play for decades,
possibly centuries depending on where one would like to draw the line.
The quest for American global hegemony began with corporate-financier
interests during the late 1800's and continues today.
The policy we believe
is born of our leaders' political ideologies is in reality produced by these
corporate-financier interests and the myriad of think-tanks they fund and
direct.
The policy papers these think-tanks produce, often published and
even available to read online, are then rubber stamped into law by our
politicians and sold to the public through the filter of false political
paradigms.
The military, political, and economic conquest of the Middle East was sold
by Bush under the guise of fighting the "War on Terror."
Under Obama, it was
sold as "democracy promotion." In reality, the policies dictating both legs
of this singular agenda were meted out by think-tanks possessing both Bush
and Obama-era administrators, often sitting around the same table,
implementing the collective will of the their corporate-financier sponsors.
A recent examination of two such institutions,
...in "The
Queen of Corporate-Fascist Faux 'Democracy'," provides lists where
Neo-Conservative warmongers sit side-by-side with current and former Obama
administrators, producing policies that were implemented throughout both
Bush and Obama's presidencies.
Identical corporate-financier interests were
discovered behind both institutions, and are the same corporate-financier
interests to be found pervading all Western foreign and domestic policy.
Image: It is clear
that NGOs and opposition movements many believe are
spontaneous, indigenous, and independent are in fact
part of a larger network for the sole purpose of
imposing and maintaining global system administration.
This is not a web of elaborate, vague associations. In
each case there is direct path of funding leading back
to Western foundations and the think-tanks that
devise policy for them, all funded and chaired by the
Fortune 500 of Wall Street and London.
Under such a system, voting is an exercise in
futility - at best to make you content with the chains of your confinement,
at worst, providing unwitting approval of your subjugation to
corporate-financier domination.
The constitutional representative governance
we believe we live under, or are attempting to restore, or in some
countries, trying to establish in the first place, exists only in the
figments of our imaginations.
To truly manifest a representative government,
driven by our own ambitions and our true collective interests, toward a
self-determined destiny, we must begin locally, and we must begin with much
more than simply casting a ballot.
Freedom and self-determination means taking on the responsibility ourselves
for the functioning and progress of our communities and society as a whole.
Identify, Boycott, and
Replace
Clearly, the first step is recognizing that corporate-financier interests
dominate modern civilization, and through controlled paradigms, maintain
domination over all aspects of society through rules and regulations, laws,
and law enforcement.
We must
identify who these corporate-financier interests actually are, and
through what avenues they execute their agenda.
Then we must understand the
source of power behind their unwarranted influence and aim at undermining
and cutting it off. Luckily for us, we ourselves are the source of this
unwarranted influence. More specifically, our daily patronage of the global
elite's corporations, institutions, and organizations through the payment of
our time, money, and attention grant them nearly inexhaustible wealth,
power, and influence.
While, say a single Coke or Pepsi, might seem like a very insignificant
contribution to this global spanning conglomeration of corporate-financier
interests, it is through millions and millions of people on a daily basis,
collectively contributing, that results in significant power, wealth, and
subsequent influence
in the hands of a concentrated elite.
When we consider
that our collective earnings month to month often go to either taxes or
large corporate interests, we may begin to understand just why there exists
such a disparity between their power and influence versus our subservience
and impotence.
Image: Several
Fortune 500 corporate-financier funded think-tanks who
produce the total summation of Western policy, both
foreign and domestic, which is then merely rubber
stamped into law by proxy politicians, who along with
the corporate-owned media then sell this policy to the
public.
"Naming
Names: Your Real Government" provides an extensive,
but by no means all inclusive list of many of these
corporate-financier interests.
It becomes obvious that to rebalance this
equation in our favor, we must stop paying our time, money, and attention to
the corporate-financier elite's corporations, institutions, and
organizations. It also quickly becomes obvious that in order to stop paying
into these concentrated, centralized conglomerations of power, wealth and
influence, we must devise decentralized, local alternatives.
While it may seem futile and insignificant to deny these large,
global-spanning conglomerations our individual patronage on a daily basis,
collectively it will undermine them, just as we have collectively built them
up.
Simply
boycotting something like Coke or Pepsi is also something easy we can do
starting today.
In any given country, in any given town, there are surely at least some
local alternatives we can begin to replace what we have depended on large
global-spanning corporate-financier interests to provide for us.
But what
exactly can we do if no alternative exists?
Building Local Institutions to Empower Local People
The power of civilization lies within its institutions.
This is something
that the purveyors of empire knew long ago. While most attention in history
books and movies is paid to the military might of any given empire, equally
as important were the financial, economic, and administrative institutions
created to both direct these military forces and reap the benefits from
their campaigns.
Those with the most powerful institutions will always
prevail - as institutions form the basis of organizing and directing human
resources.
This is explained at great length in "Empire's Double Edged Sword: Global Military + NGOs."
What we see today,
around the world operating under the guise of "democracy promotion," is the
West establishing modern day equivalents of these administrative networks
and institutions to establish a modern day global empire.
The counterbalance for vast networks of global institutions, is to create an
equally vast network of independent local institutions to replace the role
these global networks attempt to play. The obvious advantage of global
institutions is the endless amount of funding they have access to. This
advantage currently gives them an edge alternative, indigenous local
institutions lack.
Through greater awareness, participation, and
collaboration, however, local institutions can not only out-compete global
institutions, but entirely and permanently replace them.
While imperial, and now neo-imperial institutions generally work under vast
amounts of deceit, manipulation, and coercion, local institutions wouldn't
need or be able to. Local institutions, involving local people, aimed at
solving local problems operate on a level people can easily understand.
With
people able to meet all involved face to face on a daily basis, a greater
aspect of transparency would inhibit the level of compartmentalized
duplicity and deceit that are common and necessary features of modern
corporate-financier global institutions.
Examples of Local Institutions &
Activism
There exists already traditional local institutions that we have allowed to
be eroded by corporate-financier interests who have specifically,
systematically, and ceaselessly attempted to undermine and destroy them.
These include:
-
The Family: the basic building block of any society
-
The Church, Temple, or Mosque: a place for local social networking,
welfare, charity, and coordination
-
The Sheriff: charged with local security, law and order
-
Local Schools: educate and develop local human resources, the
foundation upon which all society, economically and intellectually is built
upon.
We can begin by revisiting each one of these institutions and seeing where,
individually and collectively, we can revitalize, rebuild, or repurpose them
to serve our communities in a more effective way.
Preventing
corporate-financier driven government meddling and regulating of these
institutions is essential. And where rules and regulations are already in
place, inhibiting the functioning of these institutions, innovative means of
circumventing such measure must be implemented.
There are endless possibilities for the creation of innovative new local
institutions that can help us pool or resources and collaborate both
financially and intellectually to solve problems, to improve our local
communities, and to live better and more meaningful lives.
The resurgence of farmers' markets provides for us an example of a
traditional institution that has been revitalized and repurposed to address
modern trends in food security and health.
Other possibilities include:
Underground Trading
This is the creation and trade of alternatives
to commonly purchased corporate-financier dominated commodities within
private circles of friends and family.
The carbonation of beverages as a
micro-business or hobby, to replace the consumption of Fortune 500 products
like Coke or Pepsi can be traded "underground" at dinner parties or small
get-togethers. In many countries, small businesses like this remain
unregulated, mostly untaxed, and very accessible.
In other countries, legal
barriers may require creative solutions - such as trading "underground."
Farmers' Markets
Everyone should make a point of at least visiting their local farmers'
market once.
Get to know the people there, see what is available and ask
yourself whether or not the extra time and perhaps, extra money is not
warranted in the face of the alternative - continuing to fuel
corporate-financier monopolies that are literally poisoning us.
Local
independent farmers and organic growers have been at the
forefront of localization and the preservation of individual liberties and
independence.
While the cost may be higher, the more people that get
involved locally as both consumers and producers will help develop a
stronger local economy and stabilize prices.
Hackerspaces
A relatively new phenomenon - a hackerspace can be
thought of as a local "field" where instead of growing food, people
collaborate to develop new technology.
Hackerspaces generally have
membership fees for access to tools, electricity, and work areas.
Additionally, educational short courses, lectures, and presentations can be
given, pro-bono or also for extra income.
Hackerspaces like New York City's
"NYC Resistor" have served as springboards for local small businesses and
technological innovations.
While a group of electronic, computer, robotic, design, and other technical
hobbyists getting together in a common area and collaborating seems like a
simple idea, but as technology enables individuals and small groups of
individuals to do more on their own today than armies could do 50 years ago,
the implications and possibilities for developing and strengthening our
local communities become far reaching.
If a hackerspace does not exist in your area, you can simply start your own
- it requires nothing more than a table and several like-minded people to
sit around it for a first meeting. Again, like everything else, while the
results may seem underwhelming, day to day, on an individual basis - added
up over a year quite a bit can be accomplished.
Add together everyone
tempted to get involved on a global scale - and the collective impact
becomes overwhelming.
Image: Hackerspaces provide an environment
within which people can leverage technology on a local level - turning
consumers into producers and skewing the current paradigm.
Pictured is
MIT's Dr. Neil Gershenfeld inside his "Fab Lab," arguably the birthplace
of the personal fabrication revolution and the inspiration for
hackerspaces around the world.
Gardening
Another simple idea that seems underwhelming - but if
pursued incrementally over time, can make a big impact, is simply growing
your own garden.
This can be done on virtually any budget, and as marijuana
growers have proven, can be done virtually anywhere. Growing your own food,
even your own herbs to offset even in the smallest way your dependence on
large corporate-financier monopolies collectively has a much bigger impact.
Like the concept of "underground trading," one need not bring their produce
to the local farmers' market to make some extra money or socially interact
with others in their community.
Dinner parties with friends and family where
food was grown and prepared entirely "in-house" can easily replace the
degenerate corporate-financier forms of entertainment we all too often waste
our times participating in.
The Alternative Media
Every bit makes a difference, and starting
your own blog, twitter, or Facebook account with the expressed purpose of
informing others of what is going on locally, nationally, and
internationally is both free and easy to do.
Even if you simply repost
articles others write - your efforts combined with others already active
will make a significant difference.
How far your project goes depends solely on the amount of time and effort
you spend investing in it and the standards of objectivity and intellectual
honesty you hold yourself to.
The alternative media is a perfect example of
a new "institution" and form of activism that has already successfully begun
to shift the paradigm, and it does so by leveraging technology that allows
us to do as individuals what was once only possible with large, capital
intensive organizations.
Shooting Club
A great way to exercise your right to bear firearms,
hone your marksmanship and safety skills, as well as develop a community of
safe and organized marksmen who can at the very least serve as a
constructive source of socializing, and at the most, come through in an
emergency to defend your community is to form a shooting club.
It can start
as nothing more than a few friends who get together on the weekend who share
a common interest in firearms, the 2nd Amendment, safety, and the discipline
of marksmanship, and can be expanded to help educate others in the
community, work with the local sheriff, and promote responsible firearms
ownership.
The presence of a localized, professional group of firearms enthusiasts who
are well organized and politically active serves as a deterrent against
corporate-financier driven federal efforts to disarm the public.
By
promoting responsible firearms ownership in an organized and professional
manner, people can begin disarming the government and its
corporate-financier sponsors of the endless excuses they use to legislate
intrusive measures of gun control.
Constructive Pastimes
Pastimes, depending on what they are, can
either greatly empower us individually and collectively, or forever inhibit
our development and progress as human beings and as a society.
Watching
sports, vegetating behind the TV in general, consuming alcohol, going
shopping, and watching Hollywood movies are all examples of activities that
no matter how long you do them, will never yield opportunities or spur
personal development on any level, physically or intellectually.
These also
so happen to be the pastimes of choice endlessly promoted by the same
corporate-financier interests that propose to us that "voting" in their
political theater is the greatest possible expression of human
self-determination.
Conversely, playing sports as a community, making movies, writing,
woodworking, gardening, brewing alcohol, and nearly anything at all that is
productive or encourages positive social interaction and health provides us
with endless opportunities.
While the accomplishments we may make pursuing
any given pastime may seem negligible on a daily basis, over time the
results of what we passionately pursue add up toward a "critical mass" of
sorts that open the door to many opportunities - such as starting a small
business, providing a useful good or service to our local community, or
solving a myriad of problems.
We can question how significant these opportunities may or may not be - but
one thing is for sure.
If we do exactly zero with our spare time on a daily
basis, at the end of one year we will have exactly zero to add up. No matter
how insignificant our constructive pastimes may seem on a daily basis, they
will add up to "something" over a year.
The level of passion, imagination,
and collaboration we put into that pastime determines how big that
"something" is.
Get Organized & Get a Program
The point behind all of this is to simply get organized - personally and as
a community - toward doing something both constructive and fulfilling while
tipping the balance of power away from a destructive self-serving system
that dominates and exploits us however gilded the cage may seem.
We must
get organized with friends and family, and as a community.
It doesn't need to be a well-oiled organization at first. It can simply be a
group of hobbyists or enthusiasts of any variety that get together simply to
pool resources and share interests. With a full understanding of how
necessary it is to organize and work together as a community, rather than
delegate our responsibilities to centralized governments and
corporate-financier interests, these small gatherings can be expanded.
What
guides this expansion is a program. Instead of subscribing to political
demagogues, we must instead search for programmatic and pragmatic solutions
and devise the road maps needed to then arrive at these solutions.
Instead
of surfing cable TV for political pundits selling us endless debate within a
false political paradigm, we should get out a piece of paper and write down
what our problems are, then organize locally, leverage the technology at our
disposal, and devise solutions.
Education, the economy, infrastructure, and healthcare generally top the
list. Things like education can be tackled on a local level leveraging the
immense amount of resources available for free online. We can pool resources
together and take cues from and expand upon the ever growing home-schooling
movement.
In many ways, we can begin to boycott large corporate-financier monopolies
and piecemeal develop our own local economies to be stronger and more
independent.
Certain aspects of infrastructure and healthcare can also be
tackled on varying levels, starting locally and working our way upward.
Regarding healthcare, by understanding that big corporate monopolies and
government subsidies may currently be necessary aspects of modern
healthcare, but are untenable permanent solutions, we can begin pursuing
avenues
to help find solutions that are permanent.
Conclusion
All of this and more, however, can only be accomplished if we stop depending
on others, and starting having faith in ourselves.
For we are the only ones
who truly have our own interests at heart, and are the only ones we can
trust to pursue what is truly in our best own interests - even our own
self-preservation.
To delegate these responsibilities to others,
particularly large corporate-financier interests lorded over by people we
neither know, nor have ever met, is to delegate as well our freedom,
self-determination, independence, and liberty - all of those things that we
currently, and may very erroneously believe we enjoy within our current
"democratic" political paradigm.
As technology advances, we are able to do more individually and locally than
entire nations could accomplish decades ago. This is what makes a real
revolution possible now more than ever.
By recognizing that this power in
our hands, wielded locally and pragmatically is the solution, is the first
step toward reclaiming our destiny.
It will not be easy. It will be hard work. It will not happen overnight.
Change doesn't happen with one person, with a single instantly reverberating
act. But change is not impossible, and it only takes our individual actions
added up collectively over time to achieve it.
Even the elite today who
dominate the planet, only do so because they possess an immense network
involving millions of people wittingly or unwittingly contributing to their
agenda.
We the people already have a common agenda - peace, progress, and prosperity
- something average people have always yearned for.
Next, we must simply
just get started, in whatever capacity, today to build up our own local
networks to pursue our own collective agenda, on our own, outside the global
elite's paradigm and inside a new paradigm of our own design.