World
Alastair Crooke
August 16, 2021
© Photo: REUTERS/Danish Ismail

The exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies.

Is something ‘big’ coming? It feels as if it might possibly be so. There are serious problems brewing in western societies and the élites are becoming distinctly antsy. We can observe this in the way that the Establishment both are trying to preserve narrative in respect to the virus (‘all must be vaccinated’), whilst – simultaneously – acting to change it, by blaming any narrative deficiency on the Delta variant. Sir Andrew Pollard, a professor of paediatric infection and immunity at the University of Oxford, says flatly that achieving herd immunity is “not a possibility” – now that the Delta variant is circulating. Effectively he is saying that the vaccine cannot do what was promised: i.e. bring about herd immunity; yet the professor continues to urge everyone to be vaccinated, anyway. And, too, a senior SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) adviser to the UK government, states baldly that Covid lockdowns can no longer be justified.

In short, their narrative is pointing in every which way. CDC Director Walensky stated last week that the vaccine does not prevent Covid infection, nor does it stop the vaccinated person from transmitting the Covid infection, including the Delta variant; the data shows an equally distributed infection rate, regardless of vaccination status, which is admitted by Director Walensky. As such, it is an admission that undercuts the entire argument for compulsory vaccines. According to the Director, the only benefit from the vaccine now is presumably that it might reduce the severity of symptoms.

If a vaccinated and non-vaccinated person have the same capacity to carry, shed and transmit the virus – with or without symptoms – then what difference does a vaccination passport or vaccination ID make? According to the CDC, both the vaxxed and non-vaxxed person walking into a restaurant, store, group, venue or workplace present the exact same risk to other people there, so how does the presentation of proof of vaccine make the difference?

Infections (again narratively attributed to Delta variant) are spiking: Israel, is a case in point. It is the most highly vaccinated major society (and, according to leading Israeli commentator, Nadav Eyal, supposedly received “higher quality” Pfizer vaccines than the UK), and yet is experiencing a dramatic rise in new cases — severe cases jumping by 70% within just one week. The number of serious cases has increased about 10 times since the beginning of July: 90% of serious cases are people over 50; but also 95% of people over 50 are vaccinated.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, warns that cases may quadruple within three weeks, and that authorities are preparing for new lockdowns (even though lockdowns have proven to be ineffective against stopping the virus). Most Israelis have taken the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.

Again blatant contradictions in the established narrative are striking: Are lockdowns justified, or are they not? Antony Fauci has said that the recent surge in infections is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”; and that 99% of deaths were amongst the unvaccinated. But that’s just a lie. The CDC’s own data indicate that it is 15% of fatalities that had not been vaccinated.

Not surprisingly, the public are becoming deeply distrustful of claims on ‘science’.

What is going on? Well, we are no scientist. However, it was in the spring of 2021, that word began to trickle out that the messenger RNA vaccines had a serious problem with ADE (antibody-dependent enhancement). Once the initial protection from vaccines wore off (a process which took a few months), people who had been vaccinated were much more likely to get seriously ill from repeat exposure to Covid, than people who had not.

In effect, if this is right, the US and European governments have a self-inflicted disaster on their hands. So, the narrative unsurprisingly took another twist: It was no longer enough to vaccinate 70% of the population (for ‘herd immunity’). No, now everyone, including those with natural immunity, without exception, had to be vaccinated. If everyone gets the vaccine, after all, it is easier to claim that what is happening is a nasty new variant, rather than vaccine-driven ADE, since nobody would be able to point an unvaccinated control group that is proving to be noticeably less vulnerable.

Some Covid vaccines introduce mRNA (messenger RNA) into muscle cells. These (erstwhile, healthy) cells are thus directed through the action of this synthetic DNA to manufacture synthetic spike proteins that constitute the virus’ main weapon of attack. This is a form of gene therapy. Should those cells create an immune response against the protein (which they themselves helped create), it would in theory, prevent the virus from infecting the body. The reality seems to be, however, that problems with the cardiovascular system, bleeding and clotting, are all associated with the Covid spike protein, which instead of remaining in the muscle tissue is circulating throughout the cardio-vascular system.

Some scientists say there is clear-cut evidence that the vaccines make the cells in our arm muscles manufacture spike proteins, which then get into the blood circulation, and that this spike protein, on its own, is almost entirely responsible for the damage to the cardiovascular system. Other scientists disagree.

The core problem, one researcher has observed, are microscopic clots in his patients’ tiniest capillaries. He said: “blood clots are occurring at a capillary level. This has never before been seen. This is not a rare disease. This is an absolutely new phenomenon”. Most importantly, Dr Hoffe emphasized these micro-clots are too small to show up on CT scans, MRI, and other conventional tests, and can only be detected using the D-dimer blood test: “And so, we understand in the end, that the reason why the lungs fail, is not because the virus is there. It is because micro blood clots are there…”.

Complicated stuff! The point here is that ‘breakthrough infections’ are spiking with increasing frequency – and likely, the higher the percentage of the population in that region that is vaccinated with mRNA, the worse they will be. Variants, of course, will be blamed. And the mainstream media will try to say the variants are all the fault of the unvaccinated, even though matters cannot be so easily reduced to a Manichaean pro, or anti, vaxx meme.

Why then, are the élites so ‘sticky’ in staying with their explicitly contradictory narrative? Clearly, they fear a popular backlash if it turns out that some vaccines are health damaging. The deeper reason however, is that the élite class in the US and Europe is locked into a deadly, domestic exchange of smart narrative ‘missiles’. Rational argument or strategy is ‘out’. Anyone who pops his head out from the ‘narrative trench’ will be zapped. Boycotting, shaming and de-platforming work, and are today’s ‘go-to’ tools.

What is different today is that this exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society (and not just foreign leaders) that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies – and threatened with sanctions – which if implemented – could destroy their livelihood.

Primarily, it is the ‘unvaxxed’ who are deemed morally inadequate, but the scope of the new moral ideology extends more widely, and includes those who fail to embrace the green agenda and LBGTQ rights – uncritically. Establishment media insist these politically self-serving narratives on vaccination, the climate ‘emergency’ and LBGTQ rights, represent the new ‘dividing line’, defining majority over minority.

Why is sustaining ‘the dividing line’ more important than getting the policy approach to this virus straight? Most of the élite know that Covid is not the threat that their propaganda implies; but the narrative gives them an opportunity to apply power through “moral judgment”, and so they lie – and they continue to lie about the data, until they think the lie will be accepted as reality.

The ‘underside’ to this noble lie approach is not just about protecting narrative — rather it affords the ‘majority’ the chance to feel pious and superior to those they are determined to harm.

A lingering epidemic, combined with deep job losses, a prolonged recession, and an unprecedented debt burden, will inevitably create social tensions that likely will turn into a political backlash — a long hot, angry summer. The implosion of trust in leadership, and fear of social upheaval however can implant a more profound pathology. It can produce the spiritual state that Emile Durkheim called ‘anomie’; a feeling of being disconnected from society; a conviction that the world around one is illegitimate and corrupt; that you are invisible: a ‘number’; a helpless object of hostile repression, imposed by ‘the system’ — a feeling that nobody is to be trusted.

Yet this is not an end to it. The Establishment, with the whiff of desperation hanging about it, has reacted to its vaccine plight through shifting its thrust to a different flank of the cultural-warfare front: Moral ideology is being notched higher. Code Red of the climate ‘emergency’ has been launched, promising truly fearful consequences should new energy use restrictions and ‘lockdowns’ be not accepted by the public. The Washington Post made the subtext clear: Nationalism and Trumpist populism cannot be tolerated in the confrontation with a global climate emergency. The message is replete with tones of moral superiority, and piety.

These then, are the ‘street’ flash points; but what about the élite flash points? What if they become yet more desperate as their Re-set plans tank; their economies sink; their supply-lines are disrupted; shortages spread; and inflation soars? Will they ‘Go Big’, and trigger a new Lehman Brothers moment?

Is this the time for them to pivot away from the existing commercial banking system to a fully Central Bank-ing system centred on Central Bank issued digital currencies – and with Pay-Apps fulfilling most of the functions of the former commercial banks? Is this the way to secure the oligarchs? It is much easier to foreclose on possible bankruptcies and financial crises when the CB controls a digital currency: It determines if the depositor may draw on his or her wallet, or not; it can block, or even deduct, from it; and can allow or disallow expenditure from it, with a digital flip of a switch.

Will that work, or might it cause an intolerable backlash? Is this then, the moment for a diversion? Is Iran approaching nuclear threshold status (it may already have it)? Is Russia threatening Ukraine; is China readying to invade Taiwan? There is a smorgasbord of diversionary possibilities already prepared in the narrative kitchen that can be easily run up, in case of diversionary need.

A Long, Hot, Angry Summer

The exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies.

Is something ‘big’ coming? It feels as if it might possibly be so. There are serious problems brewing in western societies and the élites are becoming distinctly antsy. We can observe this in the way that the Establishment both are trying to preserve narrative in respect to the virus (‘all must be vaccinated’), whilst – simultaneously – acting to change it, by blaming any narrative deficiency on the Delta variant. Sir Andrew Pollard, a professor of paediatric infection and immunity at the University of Oxford, says flatly that achieving herd immunity is “not a possibility” – now that the Delta variant is circulating. Effectively he is saying that the vaccine cannot do what was promised: i.e. bring about herd immunity; yet the professor continues to urge everyone to be vaccinated, anyway. And, too, a senior SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) adviser to the UK government, states baldly that Covid lockdowns can no longer be justified.

In short, their narrative is pointing in every which way. CDC Director Walensky stated last week that the vaccine does not prevent Covid infection, nor does it stop the vaccinated person from transmitting the Covid infection, including the Delta variant; the data shows an equally distributed infection rate, regardless of vaccination status, which is admitted by Director Walensky. As such, it is an admission that undercuts the entire argument for compulsory vaccines. According to the Director, the only benefit from the vaccine now is presumably that it might reduce the severity of symptoms.

If a vaccinated and non-vaccinated person have the same capacity to carry, shed and transmit the virus – with or without symptoms – then what difference does a vaccination passport or vaccination ID make? According to the CDC, both the vaxxed and non-vaxxed person walking into a restaurant, store, group, venue or workplace present the exact same risk to other people there, so how does the presentation of proof of vaccine make the difference?

Infections (again narratively attributed to Delta variant) are spiking: Israel, is a case in point. It is the most highly vaccinated major society (and, according to leading Israeli commentator, Nadav Eyal, supposedly received “higher quality” Pfizer vaccines than the UK), and yet is experiencing a dramatic rise in new cases — severe cases jumping by 70% within just one week. The number of serious cases has increased about 10 times since the beginning of July: 90% of serious cases are people over 50; but also 95% of people over 50 are vaccinated.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, warns that cases may quadruple within three weeks, and that authorities are preparing for new lockdowns (even though lockdowns have proven to be ineffective against stopping the virus). Most Israelis have taken the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.

Again blatant contradictions in the established narrative are striking: Are lockdowns justified, or are they not? Antony Fauci has said that the recent surge in infections is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”; and that 99% of deaths were amongst the unvaccinated. But that’s just a lie. The CDC’s own data indicate that it is 15% of fatalities that had not been vaccinated.

Not surprisingly, the public are becoming deeply distrustful of claims on ‘science’.

What is going on? Well, we are no scientist. However, it was in the spring of 2021, that word began to trickle out that the messenger RNA vaccines had a serious problem with ADE (antibody-dependent enhancement). Once the initial protection from vaccines wore off (a process which took a few months), people who had been vaccinated were much more likely to get seriously ill from repeat exposure to Covid, than people who had not.

In effect, if this is right, the US and European governments have a self-inflicted disaster on their hands. So, the narrative unsurprisingly took another twist: It was no longer enough to vaccinate 70% of the population (for ‘herd immunity’). No, now everyone, including those with natural immunity, without exception, had to be vaccinated. If everyone gets the vaccine, after all, it is easier to claim that what is happening is a nasty new variant, rather than vaccine-driven ADE, since nobody would be able to point an unvaccinated control group that is proving to be noticeably less vulnerable.

Some Covid vaccines introduce mRNA (messenger RNA) into muscle cells. These (erstwhile, healthy) cells are thus directed through the action of this synthetic DNA to manufacture synthetic spike proteins that constitute the virus’ main weapon of attack. This is a form of gene therapy. Should those cells create an immune response against the protein (which they themselves helped create), it would in theory, prevent the virus from infecting the body. The reality seems to be, however, that problems with the cardiovascular system, bleeding and clotting, are all associated with the Covid spike protein, which instead of remaining in the muscle tissue is circulating throughout the cardio-vascular system.

Some scientists say there is clear-cut evidence that the vaccines make the cells in our arm muscles manufacture spike proteins, which then get into the blood circulation, and that this spike protein, on its own, is almost entirely responsible for the damage to the cardiovascular system. Other scientists disagree.

The core problem, one researcher has observed, are microscopic clots in his patients’ tiniest capillaries. He said: “blood clots are occurring at a capillary level. This has never before been seen. This is not a rare disease. This is an absolutely new phenomenon”. Most importantly, Dr Hoffe emphasized these micro-clots are too small to show up on CT scans, MRI, and other conventional tests, and can only be detected using the D-dimer blood test: “And so, we understand in the end, that the reason why the lungs fail, is not because the virus is there. It is because micro blood clots are there…”.

Complicated stuff! The point here is that ‘breakthrough infections’ are spiking with increasing frequency – and likely, the higher the percentage of the population in that region that is vaccinated with mRNA, the worse they will be. Variants, of course, will be blamed. And the mainstream media will try to say the variants are all the fault of the unvaccinated, even though matters cannot be so easily reduced to a Manichaean pro, or anti, vaxx meme.

Why then, are the élites so ‘sticky’ in staying with their explicitly contradictory narrative? Clearly, they fear a popular backlash if it turns out that some vaccines are health damaging. The deeper reason however, is that the élite class in the US and Europe is locked into a deadly, domestic exchange of smart narrative ‘missiles’. Rational argument or strategy is ‘out’. Anyone who pops his head out from the ‘narrative trench’ will be zapped. Boycotting, shaming and de-platforming work, and are today’s ‘go-to’ tools.

What is different today is that this exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society (and not just foreign leaders) that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies – and threatened with sanctions – which if implemented – could destroy their livelihood.

Primarily, it is the ‘unvaxxed’ who are deemed morally inadequate, but the scope of the new moral ideology extends more widely, and includes those who fail to embrace the green agenda and LBGTQ rights – uncritically. Establishment media insist these politically self-serving narratives on vaccination, the climate ‘emergency’ and LBGTQ rights, represent the new ‘dividing line’, defining majority over minority.

Why is sustaining ‘the dividing line’ more important than getting the policy approach to this virus straight? Most of the élite know that Covid is not the threat that their propaganda implies; but the narrative gives them an opportunity to apply power through “moral judgment”, and so they lie – and they continue to lie about the data, until they think the lie will be accepted as reality.

The ‘underside’ to this noble lie approach is not just about protecting narrative — rather it affords the ‘majority’ the chance to feel pious and superior to those they are determined to harm.

A lingering epidemic, combined with deep job losses, a prolonged recession, and an unprecedented debt burden, will inevitably create social tensions that likely will turn into a political backlash — a long hot, angry summer. The implosion of trust in leadership, and fear of social upheaval however can implant a more profound pathology. It can produce the spiritual state that Emile Durkheim called ‘anomie’; a feeling of being disconnected from society; a conviction that the world around one is illegitimate and corrupt; that you are invisible: a ‘number’; a helpless object of hostile repression, imposed by ‘the system’ — a feeling that nobody is to be trusted.

Yet this is not an end to it. The Establishment, with the whiff of desperation hanging about it, has reacted to its vaccine plight through shifting its thrust to a different flank of the cultural-warfare front: Moral ideology is being notched higher. Code Red of the climate ‘emergency’ has been launched, promising truly fearful consequences should new energy use restrictions and ‘lockdowns’ be not accepted by the public. The Washington Post made the subtext clear: Nationalism and Trumpist populism cannot be tolerated in the confrontation with a global climate emergency. The message is replete with tones of moral superiority, and piety.

These then, are the ‘street’ flash points; but what about the élite flash points? What if they become yet more desperate as their Re-set plans tank; their economies sink; their supply-lines are disrupted; shortages spread; and inflation soars? Will they ‘Go Big’, and trigger a new Lehman Brothers moment?

Is this the time for them to pivot away from the existing commercial banking system to a fully Central Bank-ing system centred on Central Bank issued digital currencies – and with Pay-Apps fulfilling most of the functions of the former commercial banks? Is this the way to secure the oligarchs? It is much easier to foreclose on possible bankruptcies and financial crises when the CB controls a digital currency: It determines if the depositor may draw on his or her wallet, or not; it can block, or even deduct, from it; and can allow or disallow expenditure from it, with a digital flip of a switch.

Will that work, or might it cause an intolerable backlash? Is this then, the moment for a diversion? Is Iran approaching nuclear threshold status (it may already have it)? Is Russia threatening Ukraine; is China readying to invade Taiwan? There is a smorgasbord of diversionary possibilities already prepared in the narrative kitchen that can be easily run up, in case of diversionary need.

The exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies.

Is something ‘big’ coming? It feels as if it might possibly be so. There are serious problems brewing in western societies and the élites are becoming distinctly antsy. We can observe this in the way that the Establishment both are trying to preserve narrative in respect to the virus (‘all must be vaccinated’), whilst – simultaneously – acting to change it, by blaming any narrative deficiency on the Delta variant. Sir Andrew Pollard, a professor of paediatric infection and immunity at the University of Oxford, says flatly that achieving herd immunity is “not a possibility” – now that the Delta variant is circulating. Effectively he is saying that the vaccine cannot do what was promised: i.e. bring about herd immunity; yet the professor continues to urge everyone to be vaccinated, anyway. And, too, a senior SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) adviser to the UK government, states baldly that Covid lockdowns can no longer be justified.

In short, their narrative is pointing in every which way. CDC Director Walensky stated last week that the vaccine does not prevent Covid infection, nor does it stop the vaccinated person from transmitting the Covid infection, including the Delta variant; the data shows an equally distributed infection rate, regardless of vaccination status, which is admitted by Director Walensky. As such, it is an admission that undercuts the entire argument for compulsory vaccines. According to the Director, the only benefit from the vaccine now is presumably that it might reduce the severity of symptoms.

If a vaccinated and non-vaccinated person have the same capacity to carry, shed and transmit the virus – with or without symptoms – then what difference does a vaccination passport or vaccination ID make? According to the CDC, both the vaxxed and non-vaxxed person walking into a restaurant, store, group, venue or workplace present the exact same risk to other people there, so how does the presentation of proof of vaccine make the difference?

Infections (again narratively attributed to Delta variant) are spiking: Israel, is a case in point. It is the most highly vaccinated major society (and, according to leading Israeli commentator, Nadav Eyal, supposedly received “higher quality” Pfizer vaccines than the UK), and yet is experiencing a dramatic rise in new cases — severe cases jumping by 70% within just one week. The number of serious cases has increased about 10 times since the beginning of July: 90% of serious cases are people over 50; but also 95% of people over 50 are vaccinated.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, warns that cases may quadruple within three weeks, and that authorities are preparing for new lockdowns (even though lockdowns have proven to be ineffective against stopping the virus). Most Israelis have taken the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.

Again blatant contradictions in the established narrative are striking: Are lockdowns justified, or are they not? Antony Fauci has said that the recent surge in infections is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”; and that 99% of deaths were amongst the unvaccinated. But that’s just a lie. The CDC’s own data indicate that it is 15% of fatalities that had not been vaccinated.

Not surprisingly, the public are becoming deeply distrustful of claims on ‘science’.

What is going on? Well, we are no scientist. However, it was in the spring of 2021, that word began to trickle out that the messenger RNA vaccines had a serious problem with ADE (antibody-dependent enhancement). Once the initial protection from vaccines wore off (a process which took a few months), people who had been vaccinated were much more likely to get seriously ill from repeat exposure to Covid, than people who had not.

In effect, if this is right, the US and European governments have a self-inflicted disaster on their hands. So, the narrative unsurprisingly took another twist: It was no longer enough to vaccinate 70% of the population (for ‘herd immunity’). No, now everyone, including those with natural immunity, without exception, had to be vaccinated. If everyone gets the vaccine, after all, it is easier to claim that what is happening is a nasty new variant, rather than vaccine-driven ADE, since nobody would be able to point an unvaccinated control group that is proving to be noticeably less vulnerable.

Some Covid vaccines introduce mRNA (messenger RNA) into muscle cells. These (erstwhile, healthy) cells are thus directed through the action of this synthetic DNA to manufacture synthetic spike proteins that constitute the virus’ main weapon of attack. This is a form of gene therapy. Should those cells create an immune response against the protein (which they themselves helped create), it would in theory, prevent the virus from infecting the body. The reality seems to be, however, that problems with the cardiovascular system, bleeding and clotting, are all associated with the Covid spike protein, which instead of remaining in the muscle tissue is circulating throughout the cardio-vascular system.

Some scientists say there is clear-cut evidence that the vaccines make the cells in our arm muscles manufacture spike proteins, which then get into the blood circulation, and that this spike protein, on its own, is almost entirely responsible for the damage to the cardiovascular system. Other scientists disagree.

The core problem, one researcher has observed, are microscopic clots in his patients’ tiniest capillaries. He said: “blood clots are occurring at a capillary level. This has never before been seen. This is not a rare disease. This is an absolutely new phenomenon”. Most importantly, Dr Hoffe emphasized these micro-clots are too small to show up on CT scans, MRI, and other conventional tests, and can only be detected using the D-dimer blood test: “And so, we understand in the end, that the reason why the lungs fail, is not because the virus is there. It is because micro blood clots are there…”.

Complicated stuff! The point here is that ‘breakthrough infections’ are spiking with increasing frequency – and likely, the higher the percentage of the population in that region that is vaccinated with mRNA, the worse they will be. Variants, of course, will be blamed. And the mainstream media will try to say the variants are all the fault of the unvaccinated, even though matters cannot be so easily reduced to a Manichaean pro, or anti, vaxx meme.

Why then, are the élites so ‘sticky’ in staying with their explicitly contradictory narrative? Clearly, they fear a popular backlash if it turns out that some vaccines are health damaging. The deeper reason however, is that the élite class in the US and Europe is locked into a deadly, domestic exchange of smart narrative ‘missiles’. Rational argument or strategy is ‘out’. Anyone who pops his head out from the ‘narrative trench’ will be zapped. Boycotting, shaming and de-platforming work, and are today’s ‘go-to’ tools.

What is different today is that this exclusionary ideology is being turned-in upon itself. Turned-in, within western societies, and not just outwards, towards the West’s foreign adversaries. Now, it is key segments of domestic society (and not just foreign leaders) that are being morally shamed and exiled from full participation in their societies – and threatened with sanctions – which if implemented – could destroy their livelihood.

Primarily, it is the ‘unvaxxed’ who are deemed morally inadequate, but the scope of the new moral ideology extends more widely, and includes those who fail to embrace the green agenda and LBGTQ rights – uncritically. Establishment media insist these politically self-serving narratives on vaccination, the climate ‘emergency’ and LBGTQ rights, represent the new ‘dividing line’, defining majority over minority.

Why is sustaining ‘the dividing line’ more important than getting the policy approach to this virus straight? Most of the élite know that Covid is not the threat that their propaganda implies; but the narrative gives them an opportunity to apply power through “moral judgment”, and so they lie – and they continue to lie about the data, until they think the lie will be accepted as reality.

The ‘underside’ to this noble lie approach is not just about protecting narrative — rather it affords the ‘majority’ the chance to feel pious and superior to those they are determined to harm.

A lingering epidemic, combined with deep job losses, a prolonged recession, and an unprecedented debt burden, will inevitably create social tensions that likely will turn into a political backlash — a long hot, angry summer. The implosion of trust in leadership, and fear of social upheaval however can implant a more profound pathology. It can produce the spiritual state that Emile Durkheim called ‘anomie’; a feeling of being disconnected from society; a conviction that the world around one is illegitimate and corrupt; that you are invisible: a ‘number’; a helpless object of hostile repression, imposed by ‘the system’ — a feeling that nobody is to be trusted.

Yet this is not an end to it. The Establishment, with the whiff of desperation hanging about it, has reacted to its vaccine plight through shifting its thrust to a different flank of the cultural-warfare front: Moral ideology is being notched higher. Code Red of the climate ‘emergency’ has been launched, promising truly fearful consequences should new energy use restrictions and ‘lockdowns’ be not accepted by the public. The Washington Post made the subtext clear: Nationalism and Trumpist populism cannot be tolerated in the confrontation with a global climate emergency. The message is replete with tones of moral superiority, and piety.

These then, are the ‘street’ flash points; but what about the élite flash points? What if they become yet more desperate as their Re-set plans tank; their economies sink; their supply-lines are disrupted; shortages spread; and inflation soars? Will they ‘Go Big’, and trigger a new Lehman Brothers moment?

Is this the time for them to pivot away from the existing commercial banking system to a fully Central Bank-ing system centred on Central Bank issued digital currencies – and with Pay-Apps fulfilling most of the functions of the former commercial banks? Is this the way to secure the oligarchs? It is much easier to foreclose on possible bankruptcies and financial crises when the CB controls a digital currency: It determines if the depositor may draw on his or her wallet, or not; it can block, or even deduct, from it; and can allow or disallow expenditure from it, with a digital flip of a switch.

Will that work, or might it cause an intolerable backlash? Is this then, the moment for a diversion? Is Iran approaching nuclear threshold status (it may already have it)? Is Russia threatening Ukraine; is China readying to invade Taiwan? There is a smorgasbord of diversionary possibilities already prepared in the narrative kitchen that can be easily run up, in case of diversionary need.

The views of individual contributors do not necessarily represent those of the Strategic Culture Foundation.

See also

November 27, 2022

See also

November 27, 2022
The views of individual contributors do not necessarily represent those of the Strategic Culture Foundation.