Random thoughts about the current state of the world while a cat sits on top of my head as I lie awake in bed during the dark hours before dawn. Happy "Independence" Day, USA.
Endless war = endless profit! Like General Smedley Butler wrote in his book, War is a Racket. To stop war people would have to love life more than money and power. Probably most of us on the bottom do; it’s the monsters on the top who don’t.
It's crazy, isn't it? What is life about if all you can think of is hoarding money and grabbing power? What sad and pitiful sociopaths these warmongers all are!
So many people have remarked that Trump is an "authoritarian" and favors "authoritarian" government. Perhaps someone can explain why they won't use the word "fascist." Either way:
My father taught me when I was a child that fascism is the inevitable last stage of capitalism. I also learned in history about the Roman tactic of "divide and conquer." We must realize that the Trumpistas and MAGAtistas use this tactic brilliantly.
Let's fight over abortion rights; let's fight over transgender athletes; let's fight about immigration....and conveniently forget that the REAL issue remains a capitalist system that is ready to destroy the planet in order to keep itself in power.
I think the word "fascist" has been overused and misused as much (if not more so) than "antisemitism". That might explain why some folks won't label the US form of government in its present iteration "fascism". But Mussolini said that fascism was simply corporatism, or the blending of corporate and state powers. It pretty much describes the USA in the year 2025 (and earlier) to me.
Divide and conquer is the tactic of all imperialists/capitalists/fascists. It's not just the red hat-wearing side of the duopoly that does it, either. The VBNMW Dems are experts at it as well. The "ratchet effect" explains how the "two parties" are essentially one and serve their mutual corporate masters. Any group that doesn't recognize and call out the war crimes of genocide in Gaza and elsewhere are fascists and serving their corporate masters, not the people of the US or the world. They should all be locked up and sent to ICJ/ICC for supporting a genocide.
The United States was so afraid of another depression after World War II, and its leaders knew we didn’t see prosperity again until we went to war.Therefore,the initial idea was to keep America prosperous by always being at war.Later the motive widened to become a battle for resources and control thereof..much like Japan in the Thirties.There doesn’t seem to be much of a way to break the cycle..but what do I know,Inam just a peaceful grizzly bear who wants to stand in a river and eat salmon.
Grizzly bears aren't always known for being "peaceful," but I do like the image. I would love to stand in a river all day and splash with the fishes myself.
The Depression really shook things up for American capitalists. The more I read about that time period, the more I've learned how terrified the capitalists were of the workers organizing and becoming a strong force that could change the system, a force for good for ordinary people and not necessarily for millionaires (the billionaires of today). The capitalists wanted to stay on top and keep the workers "busy" and relatively content, so the idea of the endless war machine was born.
I think we can break this cycle, but it won't be easy. First thing first--we must end all wars and genocides and rid ourselves of nuclear weapons. We must refuse to fight our fellow human beings and do whatever it takes to shut down the war machine and lock up the war criminals. If we don't do this first, we won't be around to do anything else!
That's the rub-- we must have empathy and practice solidarity with our fellow workers. But it sure is hard some days, particularly when they buy into the capitalists' lies. I just want to shout: Hey, you have more in common with the homeless than you do a billionaire!
The numbers are hard to imagine, but you're right. For instance, let's say you're worth about $300,000 on paper (your house or houses, car or cars, stocks, savings, land, etc.). You might think you're "almost a millionaire" and you're sort of right, but you're still a long way off to being a billionaire. A billionaire is worth 1,000+ million dollars. You don't get to double or triple your net worth to belong in that club--you must times your assets over 1,000! And Musk and Bezos are worth in the $100 billions now... Yeah, you're never going to make it. Stick with your fellow workers!
Capitalism can only be sustained by an endless cycle of obsolescence, destruction and renewal. The USA's economy is heavily reliant on the military industrial complex, therefore its economy is strongly dependent on war. The USA has happily fought several Israeli inspired wars and funded Israel's oppression of the region because it keeps its economy going. All paid for by the American tax payer. Actually it is not all paid for because the US is building a massive debt that will soon become beyond its ability to pay. Will the America elite and deep state allow the humiliation of default? Probably not, it will create a reason to start a war and create chaos first. A sensible government would raise taxes for the rich today, stop funding wars and tell Israel they need to sue for peace, allow a Palestinian state to exist and tell the Israelis to learn to live with its neighbours. It's not on the horizon in the near future unless something catastrophic happens.
I sure hope it's on the horizon in the near future, but if Israel's past teaches us anything... It's going to be difficult. If you watch the Jeffrey Sachs videos I listed, you'll hear Dr. Sachs saying pretty much the same thing about how our elites will only think of their own gain and never about the consequences of their actions. It's why Revolution is the only solution to all our problems. We can't keep this corrupt capitalist system going since it's bent on self-destruction, taking everyone and the planet with it. Insane!
This piece is a powerful indictment of how systems of power sustain themselves through endless violence. Assange’s quote—“The goal is an endless war, not a successful war”—cuts to the heart of a system addicted to conflict, not for peace or justice, but for profit, control, and domination. The military-industrial complex thrives when empathy dies.
Nicely said--"The military-industrial complex thrives when empathy dies." Mind if I quote you? (I might even tattoo it on my arm!) Thanks for your comment.
Capitalism is like a cancer. Assange was right when he said that "the goal is an endless war, not a successful war." Capitalism-why do people get into wars? Profits, endless profits, endless growth, endless chaos.. who cares if a couple of countries are destroyed/destabilized? The endless hoarding of wealth, the endless destruction of the environment/earth. it's all a destructive cycle.. and it's something that we cannot escape.
with that being said, i'm glad to support you and i'm glad to be on your side. i have a little bit of hope (but it's not much) for humanity, a small sliver..
Thanks for being on my side. Some days it's VERY hard to have any hope in humanity (or for humanity), but I try to keep a little hope going. (I can still grow and pick raspberries--that's "hopeful" for me.) Cancers can be fought and "cured", but we always have to be on the look out for it to return, worse than ever. The same with capitalism and the endless profit seeking and chaos it causes. We can't ever let our eyes off the capitalists.
I apologize if you couldn't leave a comment on the post earlier and wanted to do so. Somehow the settings got changed and the comments weren't open to everyone. I've fixed that now, so it shouldn't be an issue. Comment away!
As Julian Assange taught us, the goal is forever war, never victory because that would end the war and thus the grift. The grift must flow.
I'd like to focus on why the centuries-long ethnic cleansing campaign against Native Americans stopped short of genocide. Clearly, it did, because they are still here. The truth is that white Americans were starting to have doubts about their own actions no later than the mid-19th Century, and those doubts grew geometrically.
The near extinction of the buffalo in the 1870s was a wakeup call, the desperately brilliant campaign of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce to escape to Canada was inspirational. More white people began to think of Native Americans as sympathetic human beings, and many, like Teddy Roosevelt, began to realize they had lost something with the demise of the free "Indian."
At that point, the dreams of the truly genocidal maniacs like Sherman and Sheridan dissipated. General Miles, who had fought Crazy Horse and later finally defeated Chief Joseph, changed his mind about the Indians being "savages." In fact, he made sure Chief Joseph's admirable tactics were taught at West Point, where they still are to this day, and advocated for lenient terms for the Nez Perce.
A key difference between America and Israel is simply time and space. It took centuries, not decades, for the European settlers to expand here. And there was a LOT more space and FAR fewer people involved.
THE key difference is time. Those settler ancestors of mine, and the natives they displaced, are long dead. I am not bound by their actions, but I do feel a duty to understand them, and I do, not only to honor my ancestors, but to learn from them what NOT to do as well as what TO do in the present.
As they knew that just because their ancestors had kings did not mean they had to have them, I know that just because my ancestors participated in an ethnic cleansing campaign does not require me to support ethnic cleansing campaigns by anyone against anybody NOW.
If I did, I would be dishonoring my ancestors by refusing to learn the lessons they taught me.
Well said, O.B.! I didn't know Chief Joseph's tactics were taught at West Point. We honor his memory by showing that ALL peoples have worth and intelligence and something to teach us.
I also think the time and space issues are key to the current genocide in Gaza. The last 80 years post WWII have been fast and furious and extremely tumultuous. (Was this on purpose? I think it was part of the capitalists' plan.) While Europeans in North America in the 19th century may have lost their overt desires to destroy all natives, they did their best to co-opt or destroy most of Native American culture, IMO.
My grandfather could be listed in the Census records as "American Indian" but he had no language or culture from his own people(s). They had been taken away from his mother as she was moved east and then from him and so many others in an attempt to "civilize the savages". This is a different sort of genocide that is just as evil, but perhaps not quite as fatal. Many tribes are teaching their language and culture to their young now, starting in pre-school. No more "white history only" for them! This is the best way to make reparations to those tribes that still exist.
Exactly. That's perhaps the worse aspect of any genocide--the complete wiping out of a culture, language, ethnic group. Even if some of the people survive, they are no longer welcome to "be themselves." They are usually absorbed into the dominant culture, but are never made to feel like they really belong to it. (I think my grandfather felt that way a lot.)
Endless war = endless profit! Like General Smedley Butler wrote in his book, War is a Racket. To stop war people would have to love life more than money and power. Probably most of us on the bottom do; it’s the monsters on the top who don’t.
It's crazy, isn't it? What is life about if all you can think of is hoarding money and grabbing power? What sad and pitiful sociopaths these warmongers all are!
Heartless, souless, sucking voids!
So many people have remarked that Trump is an "authoritarian" and favors "authoritarian" government. Perhaps someone can explain why they won't use the word "fascist." Either way:
My father taught me when I was a child that fascism is the inevitable last stage of capitalism. I also learned in history about the Roman tactic of "divide and conquer." We must realize that the Trumpistas and MAGAtistas use this tactic brilliantly.
Let's fight over abortion rights; let's fight over transgender athletes; let's fight about immigration....and conveniently forget that the REAL issue remains a capitalist system that is ready to destroy the planet in order to keep itself in power.
I think the word "fascist" has been overused and misused as much (if not more so) than "antisemitism". That might explain why some folks won't label the US form of government in its present iteration "fascism". But Mussolini said that fascism was simply corporatism, or the blending of corporate and state powers. It pretty much describes the USA in the year 2025 (and earlier) to me.
Divide and conquer is the tactic of all imperialists/capitalists/fascists. It's not just the red hat-wearing side of the duopoly that does it, either. The VBNMW Dems are experts at it as well. The "ratchet effect" explains how the "two parties" are essentially one and serve their mutual corporate masters. Any group that doesn't recognize and call out the war crimes of genocide in Gaza and elsewhere are fascists and serving their corporate masters, not the people of the US or the world. They should all be locked up and sent to ICJ/ICC for supporting a genocide.
Mussolini was correct: “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”
Isn't that pretty much what we already have in the USA?
The United States was so afraid of another depression after World War II, and its leaders knew we didn’t see prosperity again until we went to war.Therefore,the initial idea was to keep America prosperous by always being at war.Later the motive widened to become a battle for resources and control thereof..much like Japan in the Thirties.There doesn’t seem to be much of a way to break the cycle..but what do I know,Inam just a peaceful grizzly bear who wants to stand in a river and eat salmon.
Grizzly bears aren't always known for being "peaceful," but I do like the image. I would love to stand in a river all day and splash with the fishes myself.
The Depression really shook things up for American capitalists. The more I read about that time period, the more I've learned how terrified the capitalists were of the workers organizing and becoming a strong force that could change the system, a force for good for ordinary people and not necessarily for millionaires (the billionaires of today). The capitalists wanted to stay on top and keep the workers "busy" and relatively content, so the idea of the endless war machine was born.
I think we can break this cycle, but it won't be easy. First thing first--we must end all wars and genocides and rid ourselves of nuclear weapons. We must refuse to fight our fellow human beings and do whatever it takes to shut down the war machine and lock up the war criminals. If we don't do this first, we won't be around to do anything else!
That's the rub-- we must have empathy and practice solidarity with our fellow workers. But it sure is hard some days, particularly when they buy into the capitalists' lies. I just want to shout: Hey, you have more in common with the homeless than you do a billionaire!
The numbers are hard to imagine, but you're right. For instance, let's say you're worth about $300,000 on paper (your house or houses, car or cars, stocks, savings, land, etc.). You might think you're "almost a millionaire" and you're sort of right, but you're still a long way off to being a billionaire. A billionaire is worth 1,000+ million dollars. You don't get to double or triple your net worth to belong in that club--you must times your assets over 1,000! And Musk and Bezos are worth in the $100 billions now... Yeah, you're never going to make it. Stick with your fellow workers!
Capitalism can only be sustained by an endless cycle of obsolescence, destruction and renewal. The USA's economy is heavily reliant on the military industrial complex, therefore its economy is strongly dependent on war. The USA has happily fought several Israeli inspired wars and funded Israel's oppression of the region because it keeps its economy going. All paid for by the American tax payer. Actually it is not all paid for because the US is building a massive debt that will soon become beyond its ability to pay. Will the America elite and deep state allow the humiliation of default? Probably not, it will create a reason to start a war and create chaos first. A sensible government would raise taxes for the rich today, stop funding wars and tell Israel they need to sue for peace, allow a Palestinian state to exist and tell the Israelis to learn to live with its neighbours. It's not on the horizon in the near future unless something catastrophic happens.
I sure hope it's on the horizon in the near future, but if Israel's past teaches us anything... It's going to be difficult. If you watch the Jeffrey Sachs videos I listed, you'll hear Dr. Sachs saying pretty much the same thing about how our elites will only think of their own gain and never about the consequences of their actions. It's why Revolution is the only solution to all our problems. We can't keep this corrupt capitalist system going since it's bent on self-destruction, taking everyone and the planet with it. Insane!
This piece is a powerful indictment of how systems of power sustain themselves through endless violence. Assange’s quote—“The goal is an endless war, not a successful war”—cuts to the heart of a system addicted to conflict, not for peace or justice, but for profit, control, and domination. The military-industrial complex thrives when empathy dies.
Nicely said--"The military-industrial complex thrives when empathy dies." Mind if I quote you? (I might even tattoo it on my arm!) Thanks for your comment.
Capitalism is like a cancer. Assange was right when he said that "the goal is an endless war, not a successful war." Capitalism-why do people get into wars? Profits, endless profits, endless growth, endless chaos.. who cares if a couple of countries are destroyed/destabilized? The endless hoarding of wealth, the endless destruction of the environment/earth. it's all a destructive cycle.. and it's something that we cannot escape.
with that being said, i'm glad to support you and i'm glad to be on your side. i have a little bit of hope (but it's not much) for humanity, a small sliver..
Thanks for being on my side. Some days it's VERY hard to have any hope in humanity (or for humanity), but I try to keep a little hope going. (I can still grow and pick raspberries--that's "hopeful" for me.) Cancers can be fought and "cured", but we always have to be on the look out for it to return, worse than ever. The same with capitalism and the endless profit seeking and chaos it causes. We can't ever let our eyes off the capitalists.
I apologize if you couldn't leave a comment on the post earlier and wanted to do so. Somehow the settings got changed and the comments weren't open to everyone. I've fixed that now, so it shouldn't be an issue. Comment away!
As Julian Assange taught us, the goal is forever war, never victory because that would end the war and thus the grift. The grift must flow.
I'd like to focus on why the centuries-long ethnic cleansing campaign against Native Americans stopped short of genocide. Clearly, it did, because they are still here. The truth is that white Americans were starting to have doubts about their own actions no later than the mid-19th Century, and those doubts grew geometrically.
The near extinction of the buffalo in the 1870s was a wakeup call, the desperately brilliant campaign of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce to escape to Canada was inspirational. More white people began to think of Native Americans as sympathetic human beings, and many, like Teddy Roosevelt, began to realize they had lost something with the demise of the free "Indian."
At that point, the dreams of the truly genocidal maniacs like Sherman and Sheridan dissipated. General Miles, who had fought Crazy Horse and later finally defeated Chief Joseph, changed his mind about the Indians being "savages." In fact, he made sure Chief Joseph's admirable tactics were taught at West Point, where they still are to this day, and advocated for lenient terms for the Nez Perce.
A key difference between America and Israel is simply time and space. It took centuries, not decades, for the European settlers to expand here. And there was a LOT more space and FAR fewer people involved.
THE key difference is time. Those settler ancestors of mine, and the natives they displaced, are long dead. I am not bound by their actions, but I do feel a duty to understand them, and I do, not only to honor my ancestors, but to learn from them what NOT to do as well as what TO do in the present.
As they knew that just because their ancestors had kings did not mean they had to have them, I know that just because my ancestors participated in an ethnic cleansing campaign does not require me to support ethnic cleansing campaigns by anyone against anybody NOW.
If I did, I would be dishonoring my ancestors by refusing to learn the lessons they taught me.
Well said, O.B.! I didn't know Chief Joseph's tactics were taught at West Point. We honor his memory by showing that ALL peoples have worth and intelligence and something to teach us.
I also think the time and space issues are key to the current genocide in Gaza. The last 80 years post WWII have been fast and furious and extremely tumultuous. (Was this on purpose? I think it was part of the capitalists' plan.) While Europeans in North America in the 19th century may have lost their overt desires to destroy all natives, they did their best to co-opt or destroy most of Native American culture, IMO.
My grandfather could be listed in the Census records as "American Indian" but he had no language or culture from his own people(s). They had been taken away from his mother as she was moved east and then from him and so many others in an attempt to "civilize the savages". This is a different sort of genocide that is just as evil, but perhaps not quite as fatal. Many tribes are teaching their language and culture to their young now, starting in pre-school. No more "white history only" for them! This is the best way to make reparations to those tribes that still exist.
It was cultural genocide!
Exactly. That's perhaps the worse aspect of any genocide--the complete wiping out of a culture, language, ethnic group. Even if some of the people survive, they are no longer welcome to "be themselves." They are usually absorbed into the dominant culture, but are never made to feel like they really belong to it. (I think my grandfather felt that way a lot.)