The "parasitic caste" framework was new to me and I find it very useful. It shifts the perspective from traditional categories like blue collar/white collar, production/service etc. to something with more descriptive and political power. Like, yes, the defense contractor might have a big factory producing tangible goods, but what is an overpriced, fragile "high tech" fighter jet that isn't even appropriate for any realistic scenario and whose only purpose is to fatten up a club of tax-funded profiteers really worth? Nothing. On the other hand, your friendly accountant who truly helps small businesses could be seen as part of the productive class, even if he is the cliché of the white collar bureaucrat. Really interesting to think about it like that.
Thank you for the kind feedback! This is a great point and something that I didn't explicitly set out to demonstrate, but perhaps will try to work in. There are many jobs that are considered humble and lower status than parasitic caste jobs, many of which are prestigious. This framing can perhaps serve as a way of allowing the most productive members of society to receive the recognition they deserve even if the paycheck pales in comparison. Ironically it is kind of the way civil and military service was supposed to be, but in reverse now that they enjoy higher average salaries than the private sector when you incorporate all of the benefits (at least in the US).
The defense contractor example is excellent. There still are productive caste members involved, where ever there is a factory floor location. I'd also consider the software engineers who work on software updates as productive caste members - both factory/construction employers and upgrade/test/validation software engineers are employable outside of defense. The parasite caste includes the contract proposal writers, who don't get laid off if a contract they wrote does not win.
Feb 28, 2023·edited Feb 28, 2023Liked by Grant Smith
Echoing Luc, this is excellent work, man. A class of faux-prestigious credentialed parasites seems like a perfect modern analog to the pirate-gang model proposed by de La Boétie.
Worse, many in the parasitic class have been ingrained with the false belief that the roles are reversed, and that they are the productive ones. I've actually had Socratic conversations with some healthcare workers where they ultimately saw through this illusion and resigned themselves to the fact. That simple revelation still didn't compel them to quit their jobs, of course, nor did I think it would. But what conversations like that may do is prime people to jump onto a better path, if and when someone carves it.
Thanks brother. They don't need to quit, but getting off your high horse and having some epistemic humility as to what you really do for people is a good way to motivate yourself to provide higher quality patient care. The reference to 'ol Etienne warms my heart btw.
It can get rather murky on the margins. For instance, a good tax accountant is very useful ... but only because of the labyrinthine tax code created by the parasite class in the first place. So, which class does he really belong to?
Likewise, defense contractors in general (leaving aside the question of the tactical utility of their products in realistic contemporary warfare scenarios, which is a very pointed question indeed) are, in theory at least, helping to provide the armored shield that prevents much worse parasites from coming in and simply taking everything. Which is a useful service.
I think a key question should always be - what is the social function that is being pursued, and does the organization or individual in question that purports to fill it indeed do so, or does it fail utterly while still enriching itself? The answer reveals much about parasitism vs commensalism.
I've been saying for years to fellow engineers "we are becoming a nation (the US) that can't make its own underpants!" when discussing outsourcing -- with blank stares and non-interest for response. You've explained what I've tried to communicate far better, although even if I forward a link to this substack, it still probably won't explain anything to those who don't want to think. Still, excellent work sir!
I think there is a spiritual element to finding yourself in a position where most of what you do doesn't make sense/seems like a waste of time. People that might not have been interested in the past might start getting curious if only because of the unease that they may feel as their lack of productivity becomes more obvious. I don't know, maybe I'm projecting. I tend to gravitate towards certain types of people that like talking about this stuff. Honestly it seems like most people, but perhaps that is just selection bias. Thanks for the high praise!
Most people should have something they can point to and say I helped do that, I’m certain the workers who built the Cathedrals, Pyramids did for generations.
I recently learned about the Free Market Medical Association. It doesn't have a presence everywhere, but it's good to see that at least some practitioners are aware of the problems of involving men with guns with healthcare. This may be the way forward.
Thanks for sharing! I might be able to go to that as I'm only a couple hours away. Keith Smith will be there which is pretty exciting. He's a legend, started the Oklahoma Surgery Center publishing cash prices for surgeries, brought prices down significantly across the country.
The lacuna in this analysis is the role of the dependent class - what Marx would call the lumpenproletariat, and is usually referred to these days as the welfare class. Their role in the system is as clients of the parasitic class. Their lifestyle predisposes them to support the expansion of state power and the continuation of redistribution programs, which translates into economic and political power for the parasitic class. They also serve as auxillaries during political struggle, since they can e.g. be whipped up into riot mobs. Further, they create an additional drain on the productive class, which helps to keep the producers exhausted and therefore servile.
I thought about including lumpenproletariat and small capitalists but didn't want to over complicate. Even in this example, the dependent caste is set up that way because I'm talking about government dependence specifically. The lumpenproles are a class that includes criminals and others who often aren't on the dole. Good point about being auxillaries for political struggle. I'll see if I can work that in for the book chapter version. Thanks for the insightful feedback!
The dependent class really deserves a dedicated treatment. It's clear enough why the parasitic class exists (they have the power), but the dependents don't.
Lumpenproles are often criminal, too. But now that you mention them, in a sense I think it's a similar dynamic. Many of the criminals are out there because the parasite class want them to be. They could be taken off the street very easily, as El Salvador just demonstrated.
That is certainly true, yes ... although are contraband smugglers necessarily parasitic? They're providing goods for which there is clear demand, after all.
The lesser organized criminal class is allowed to exist as justification for the Praetorian guard, and for "off the books" jobs and convenient scapegoats.
That's why I learned to build houses, grow more food than i can eat, hunting and fishing, writing and now the guitar. Because I've known most of my adult life, this gravy train will end, surely in my lifetime.
Much appreciated! The identification of parasite, productive and dependent roles is key to making sense of our economic and power relations. When you chose the word "caste", I expected a focus on the attempts many in the parasite class to set up conditions to keep their bloodlines in the parasite (or other) role in perpetuity. I do judge that the "families" atop the parasite hierarchy are attempting this just this. And that many of those families seemed to have achieved this, only to become aware that their continued parasitism requires that we be made ignorant and weak. Hence their increasing resort to poisons - physical, spiritual and mental. I sense their desperation and evident panic, even as total, permanent power seemed within their grasp.
I think there is something to that! Unfortunately, I think they are running the risk of killing the host outright with that strategy (if it is indeed being employed, always hard to tell in 5th generation warfare). There is naturally some genetic and socialized component of being attracted to parasitic caste jobs. Both of my parents are from that caste as well, but hail from a time when their salaries were less than what they'd earn in the private sector, which provides some objective evidence the situation is not trending in the right direction IMO. I tend to think an accurate examination of history might show members of the productive caste doing very well for themselves, but then not wanting to continue to have to compete in the volatile market, so they turn to parasitism. This is one of the dynamics that makes me so sure that political power must be distributed. When concentrated it is too tempting to resist using it to facilitate some expedient parasitism.
I agree with Junger that the Bourgeoisie are defined by status, that the Worker is defined by they whose professional life is defined by accomplishing tasks.
I mention because there’s a great many bourgeoisie strivers who if they stepped back and asked themselves “What do You Do” - the essential American question that we ask as introduction before names- we’d have considerably less mischief in the world.
Listen to foreigners; they are amazed that our American introduction is;
So, what do you do?
The Quintessential American Introduction. Let’s start with ourselves.
things get a lot more complicated when you add in social class/status. I tried to keep it to economic class to make it easier to use as a conceptual tool, but yes, social class definitely plays a role in power dynamics.
The Strivers have high debt::income ratio and mandated tastes that keep them on the hamster wheel, combined with emails and MS office as “Skills” along with elite overproduction.
The overproduction of under-skilled strivers makes them easily replaced.
> they cannot escape the trap.
That’s the power.
I understand you want the government out and your libertarian views but there’s 4 ways to accomplish this massive social and political revolution to success;
Probable choices (not outcomes).
1. Control government via peaceful means and devolve power to State GOVERNMENTS.
This is already happening. Power is devolving as DC implodes.
2. War. Victory. Vae Victas.
To now enter the Improbable;
3. Reinvent the medieval Church and it’s social revolution of the year 1000. This will be difficult as the 🇺🇸 is the - sorry Protestants- the replacement Universal, violently Apostolic, Universal GOVERNMENT, and has at least 30-40% of America in its grip, along with it’s blessed and sanctimonious Cronies.
4. Reinvent an American version of the Muslim Revolution centered around the American warrior class. I did not say Islamic. I must confess this is my preferred if unlikely outcome, then again some of we Veterans have had enough, had we a Prophet he’d have an army. See Trump, who quite could have- were he man enough, he was not.
Then again perhaps the Sun got to me (it is impossible for warriors not to envy Muslim men warriors status). Oh and disgruntled was way back there... 😉☠️
To return to probable ...#1 devolution is happening already. Woke may be as much death spasm as birth of new religion.
#2 also dawns as #NationalDivorce. Now we know what that means, it doesn’t matter. Something must change.
I believe Paul Fussell said that the middle class are the lest free people in America, because they hold their positions not as a result of capital, nor as a result of brawn, but because 1. they can be relied upon to hold certain attitudes and 2. they are expected to exhibit certain consumption patterns (which also means that they are eternally in debt).
#3 is a mirror of what we actually face. The Democratic Party is the new Catholic (Universal) Church. All the defects, none of that pesky Civilization, redemption or forgiveness, complete with the Inquisition and auto de Fe apologies daily.
No decent art or architecture either. Brutalism followed by pornographic polyphoria.
There won't be electoral wins and subsequent policy changes until after the whole shebang crashes and burns. This is because the current system is self-protecting and infinitely expanding regardless of consequences, which will eventually be forced on it. In this case, the cure for cancer is death.
In the meantime, get as much silver, Bitcoin, gold, tools, hardware, food, guns, ammo, and (most Importantly) like minded friends as you think is appropriate, because there's going to be a need for all of these during the rebuilding phase. The best time to start this was 10 years ago, the next best is right now.
Maybe, but I don't think you can be sure of that. I agree doing all of those things is good, and I do some of those things myself, but to completely cede politics to the enemy seems like something that benefits them more than not. I like the idea of creating dilemmas for the enemy, and this new church committee is a hell of a dilemma for them, which would not have happened without some populist members of congress applying pressure via the SOH vote. What the political establish wants is incredibly unpopular, difficult to maintain a stranglehold in a nominally democratic country in the modern information age given these conditions. I would like to make it as difficult as possible and it isn't rational to say there is no way we can achieve meaningful political success. The future is never certain and crazy unforeseeable shit happens when it comes to human action.
"I would like to make it as difficult as possible"
That's an entirely different tactic, and brings to mind a story I read (can't find it, another victim to obfuscation on the Internet) where a street performer under Stalin made the mistake of making fun of him, and was naturally sent to the gulag. Not having much to do except figure out how to get out, he discovered that the Soviet bureaucracy required a response to each prison complaint that was submitted.
He was eventually released, after having organized a campaign from within the Gulag to produce thousands of complaints a month,
I'm not either. But given the reality of our moment, and history as a guide, these things always get worse before they get better. IMO resources are better spent preparing for the "get better" phase rather than attempting preservation of a lost cause.
the marginal effort that it takes to support anti-establishment political candidates is pretty minimal. Plus, there is always hope, even if only a fools hope.
Consider Team D to be the political will of the PMC made manifest, with various minorities as junior partners. By contrast, Team R is the political expression of the Local Gentry, with white evangelicals as junior partners.
The PMC's mastery of their slice of the means of production is the result of their knowledge, credentials and gatekeeping. These cannot be directly inherited, but are as a practical matter, largely generational. Because of their relationship to the means of production, the PMC are primarily based in the coastal megalopolises, and otherwise in larger cities. They are at best loosely tied to a given location, and are famous for their lack of loyalty to firm, city, country, or anything other than the best opportunity available at that particular moment.
The Local Gentry, by contrast, enjoy their positions as a result of their control of capital assets, often inherited. Because they are tied to specific capital assets, they are, well, *local* by necessity. A successful sand and gravel contractor might be quite well off, in spite of having only a high school diploma. He might own a fleet of cars, trucks, a boat, an airplane, a big house and another house in Scottsdale, but he cannot feasibly up sticks and move his operations even a few counties over.
I see the teams as you describe them to more indicate who politicians pander to vs. a genuine difference. I think it has become entirely uniparty vs everyone else. The more everyone else can unify/overcome the divide and conquer tactics the better our chances to circulate the elite and get a better deal. I can't imagine a more detestable elite than what is on offer currently, or one that could be setting us up for a bigger disaster...
Mar 2, 2023·edited Mar 2, 2023Liked by Grant Smith
Fantastic work. I wouldn't add a thing.
I have one objection that has been echoed elsewhere in the comments in other language with your discussion of the concept of caste vs. class. To my mind, the main and crucial distinction in these terms is that caste is largely used to connote a status that is fixed and unchangeable. Americans are fond of drawing distinctions to their European counterparts' cultures in implying that we are a *cackles* classless society when they really mean we are ostensibly a casteless society, and that one can rise and fall in class on one's own alleged merits through capitalism, rather than one's caste being fixed at birth or bestowed strictly by elite anointment.
By the traditional definition of caste I have no argument. I was just looking for another dimension of analysis that has mutually exclusive categories related to true productivity. The reason I went with Caste is because Rothbard used it to distinguish groups separated by the influence of violence from groups formed on a voluntary basis. Not perfect, but I think it works as long as you're willing to get a little postmodern and depart from common usage.
GM gave me the same feedback! Regarding elections, I'm an ancap at heart, but populism has taken the day at times in American history. It is possible to do it again, if difficult. Even if not successful, 20% effort participating in the electoral process creates 80% of the problems for the establishment. Forcing the enemy to expend resources is an often overlooked aspect of participating.
(Sorry to spam but) Nico Soldo at FBF asked what are concrete tools that can be used for #NationalDivorce. He is skeptical.
I answered him with 10 steps. I left out the unspoken Ultima Ratio, that explains itself. I’m not unrealistic or in ah fantasyland about uh amicable divorce or our geography would only allow separation as interim.
In the interest of our host’s lessening the role of government, the political answer is to continue to devolve power to the states.
Dobbs and resistance to COVID have begun this healthy process.
As for #NationalDivorce; without a real threat to power the system does nothing, without a real offer our 🇺🇸 people will not respond, just continue to vege and GULAG from home. Or worse.
National Divorce-
Tools; 1) put it on table. Change or we’re changing it.
2) Courts/ SCOTUS. See Dobbs.
3) State governments
4) Non-Compliance- Defiance.
5) Elections: at present stunned by 2020 Coup De Main, won’t work forever for Dems.
6) Time; the Gerontocracy is aging. Replacement AOCs Squad
7) Constitutional Convention; which has more support than is given out publicly, it’s quite a legitimate avenue that can quickly gain traction in this atmosphere.
8) Defections; the police have quit on the job and the military is walking away. 🇺🇸 MIL are clusters of the same families serving generationally, the recruiting, retention (and desertions!) problem now is the beginning small tail of catastrophe inbound and not easily reversed. Biden is in by fraud and FORCE, is Fraud alone enough?
9) Demoralization of the Liberals and the Left as COVID truths surface and Ukraine founders.
10) Best for last; ELITE DEFECTIONS to America- and the reshoring Tidal Wave. Both are happening. > as our host will attest Elites make all the difference in the world.
There will be no National Divorce, unless and until people of influence and authority decide that this is desirable.
For now at least, most see more value in the United States as a going concern. What the people think or what would be better for them has nothing to do with it.
True the more government the more interests the more centralized the more distorted.
A Central American government given our size, diverse geography and so economic and other interests was likely to fail and is - this is geriatric interregnum.
Every American large scale arrangement since the Iroquois has been a Federation, this is most unnatural. The United states was not founded around the Capitol, DC was an afterthought and compromise, it will never be Paris or Moscow.
The country grew itself, it had a Capitol, FDR seized his chance to make a makeshift central government, it revolves around emergencies and war to the extent it makes them to continue.
Along the way so many interests and cronies accrued that it now consumes the nation and planet.
In this case it's life support system. It can't DO anything but War or emergency.
See WMD as 'the only thing everyone in the US Govt could agree on' to invade Iraq in 03.
In 1991 the incentives were aligned: by Gulf State's money and the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia Bandar Al Sultan [also GWB's mentor at Bush 41 suggestion].
That was fantastic, Grant. Bravo.
The "parasitic caste" framework was new to me and I find it very useful. It shifts the perspective from traditional categories like blue collar/white collar, production/service etc. to something with more descriptive and political power. Like, yes, the defense contractor might have a big factory producing tangible goods, but what is an overpriced, fragile "high tech" fighter jet that isn't even appropriate for any realistic scenario and whose only purpose is to fatten up a club of tax-funded profiteers really worth? Nothing. On the other hand, your friendly accountant who truly helps small businesses could be seen as part of the productive class, even if he is the cliché of the white collar bureaucrat. Really interesting to think about it like that.
Thank you for the kind feedback! This is a great point and something that I didn't explicitly set out to demonstrate, but perhaps will try to work in. There are many jobs that are considered humble and lower status than parasitic caste jobs, many of which are prestigious. This framing can perhaps serve as a way of allowing the most productive members of society to receive the recognition they deserve even if the paycheck pales in comparison. Ironically it is kind of the way civil and military service was supposed to be, but in reverse now that they enjoy higher average salaries than the private sector when you incorporate all of the benefits (at least in the US).
The defense contractor example is excellent. There still are productive caste members involved, where ever there is a factory floor location. I'd also consider the software engineers who work on software updates as productive caste members - both factory/construction employers and upgrade/test/validation software engineers are employable outside of defense. The parasite caste includes the contract proposal writers, who don't get laid off if a contract they wrote does not win.
Echoing Luc, this is excellent work, man. A class of faux-prestigious credentialed parasites seems like a perfect modern analog to the pirate-gang model proposed by de La Boétie.
Worse, many in the parasitic class have been ingrained with the false belief that the roles are reversed, and that they are the productive ones. I've actually had Socratic conversations with some healthcare workers where they ultimately saw through this illusion and resigned themselves to the fact. That simple revelation still didn't compel them to quit their jobs, of course, nor did I think it would. But what conversations like that may do is prime people to jump onto a better path, if and when someone carves it.
Thanks brother. They don't need to quit, but getting off your high horse and having some epistemic humility as to what you really do for people is a good way to motivate yourself to provide higher quality patient care. The reference to 'ol Etienne warms my heart btw.
It can get rather murky on the margins. For instance, a good tax accountant is very useful ... but only because of the labyrinthine tax code created by the parasite class in the first place. So, which class does he really belong to?
Likewise, defense contractors in general (leaving aside the question of the tactical utility of their products in realistic contemporary warfare scenarios, which is a very pointed question indeed) are, in theory at least, helping to provide the armored shield that prevents much worse parasites from coming in and simply taking everything. Which is a useful service.
I think a key question should always be - what is the social function that is being pursued, and does the organization or individual in question that purports to fill it indeed do so, or does it fail utterly while still enriching itself? The answer reveals much about parasitism vs commensalism.
I knew symbiosis, but not commensalism, very useful, thanks!
Amusingly, my brain was searching for 'symbiotic', but had misplaced the word for the moment, so reached for commensal instead.
I've been saying for years to fellow engineers "we are becoming a nation (the US) that can't make its own underpants!" when discussing outsourcing -- with blank stares and non-interest for response. You've explained what I've tried to communicate far better, although even if I forward a link to this substack, it still probably won't explain anything to those who don't want to think. Still, excellent work sir!
I think there is a spiritual element to finding yourself in a position where most of what you do doesn't make sense/seems like a waste of time. People that might not have been interested in the past might start getting curious if only because of the unease that they may feel as their lack of productivity becomes more obvious. I don't know, maybe I'm projecting. I tend to gravitate towards certain types of people that like talking about this stuff. Honestly it seems like most people, but perhaps that is just selection bias. Thanks for the high praise!
Most people should have something they can point to and say I helped do that, I’m certain the workers who built the Cathedrals, Pyramids did for generations.
Good news we’re reshoring in a tidal wave, Covid, war and ah er ah MAGA scared some sense into the Elites.
I got lots more good news reshoring spam
https://chiefexecutive.net/special-report-reshoring-revolution/
cool link, thanks for sharing!
Classy way to show class 👌
I recently learned about the Free Market Medical Association. It doesn't have a presence everywhere, but it's good to see that at least some practitioners are aware of the problems of involving men with guns with healthcare. This may be the way forward.
https://fmma.org/
Thanks for sharing! I might be able to go to that as I'm only a couple hours away. Keith Smith will be there which is pretty exciting. He's a legend, started the Oklahoma Surgery Center publishing cash prices for surgeries, brought prices down significantly across the country.
Yeah, I just discovered Keith a few months ago. This is what fighting back actually looks like.
If you meet Keith, give him a high five for me! I first heard of him when he was on Econtalk, and I was really impressed!
The lacuna in this analysis is the role of the dependent class - what Marx would call the lumpenproletariat, and is usually referred to these days as the welfare class. Their role in the system is as clients of the parasitic class. Their lifestyle predisposes them to support the expansion of state power and the continuation of redistribution programs, which translates into economic and political power for the parasitic class. They also serve as auxillaries during political struggle, since they can e.g. be whipped up into riot mobs. Further, they create an additional drain on the productive class, which helps to keep the producers exhausted and therefore servile.
I thought about including lumpenproletariat and small capitalists but didn't want to over complicate. Even in this example, the dependent caste is set up that way because I'm talking about government dependence specifically. The lumpenproles are a class that includes criminals and others who often aren't on the dole. Good point about being auxillaries for political struggle. I'll see if I can work that in for the book chapter version. Thanks for the insightful feedback!
The dependent class really deserves a dedicated treatment. It's clear enough why the parasitic class exists (they have the power), but the dependents don't.
Lumpenproles are often criminal, too. But now that you mention them, in a sense I think it's a similar dynamic. Many of the criminals are out there because the parasite class want them to be. They could be taken off the street very easily, as El Salvador just demonstrated.
not to mention that the most profitable criminal enterprises only exist secondary to government prohibition. I'll probably expand on it.
Secondary.
Ah
See book Gomorrah
If citizens do it crime
If we sworn did it corruption
Above us?
Policy.
That is certainly true, yes ... although are contraband smugglers necessarily parasitic? They're providing goods for which there is clear demand, after all.
Yeah, and they're probably not dependent either, probably fit into productive which might offend some conservatives sensibilities
The lesser organized criminal class is allowed to exist as justification for the Praetorian guard, and for "off the books" jobs and convenient scapegoats.
Crime is a very fixable problem.
Criminals can’t even be numbered percentages in America, its Basis points (1/1000).
That's why I learned to build houses, grow more food than i can eat, hunting and fishing, writing and now the guitar. Because I've known most of my adult life, this gravy train will end, surely in my lifetime.
I think you'll end up getting quite the return on that investment!
Much appreciated! The identification of parasite, productive and dependent roles is key to making sense of our economic and power relations. When you chose the word "caste", I expected a focus on the attempts many in the parasite class to set up conditions to keep their bloodlines in the parasite (or other) role in perpetuity. I do judge that the "families" atop the parasite hierarchy are attempting this just this. And that many of those families seemed to have achieved this, only to become aware that their continued parasitism requires that we be made ignorant and weak. Hence their increasing resort to poisons - physical, spiritual and mental. I sense their desperation and evident panic, even as total, permanent power seemed within their grasp.
I think there is something to that! Unfortunately, I think they are running the risk of killing the host outright with that strategy (if it is indeed being employed, always hard to tell in 5th generation warfare). There is naturally some genetic and socialized component of being attracted to parasitic caste jobs. Both of my parents are from that caste as well, but hail from a time when their salaries were less than what they'd earn in the private sector, which provides some objective evidence the situation is not trending in the right direction IMO. I tend to think an accurate examination of history might show members of the productive caste doing very well for themselves, but then not wanting to continue to have to compete in the volatile market, so they turn to parasitism. This is one of the dynamics that makes me so sure that political power must be distributed. When concentrated it is too tempting to resist using it to facilitate some expedient parasitism.
I agree with Junger that the Bourgeoisie are defined by status, that the Worker is defined by they whose professional life is defined by accomplishing tasks.
I mention because there’s a great many bourgeoisie strivers who if they stepped back and asked themselves “What do You Do” - the essential American question that we ask as introduction before names- we’d have considerably less mischief in the world.
Listen to foreigners; they are amazed that our American introduction is;
So, what do you do?
The Quintessential American Introduction. Let’s start with ourselves.
things get a lot more complicated when you add in social class/status. I tried to keep it to economic class to make it easier to use as a conceptual tool, but yes, social class definitely plays a role in power dynamics.
The Strivers have high debt::income ratio and mandated tastes that keep them on the hamster wheel, combined with emails and MS office as “Skills” along with elite overproduction.
The overproduction of under-skilled strivers makes them easily replaced.
> they cannot escape the trap.
That’s the power.
I understand you want the government out and your libertarian views but there’s 4 ways to accomplish this massive social and political revolution to success;
Probable choices (not outcomes).
1. Control government via peaceful means and devolve power to State GOVERNMENTS.
This is already happening. Power is devolving as DC implodes.
2. War. Victory. Vae Victas.
To now enter the Improbable;
3. Reinvent the medieval Church and it’s social revolution of the year 1000. This will be difficult as the 🇺🇸 is the - sorry Protestants- the replacement Universal, violently Apostolic, Universal GOVERNMENT, and has at least 30-40% of America in its grip, along with it’s blessed and sanctimonious Cronies.
4. Reinvent an American version of the Muslim Revolution centered around the American warrior class. I did not say Islamic. I must confess this is my preferred if unlikely outcome, then again some of we Veterans have had enough, had we a Prophet he’d have an army. See Trump, who quite could have- were he man enough, he was not.
Then again perhaps the Sun got to me (it is impossible for warriors not to envy Muslim men warriors status). Oh and disgruntled was way back there... 😉☠️
To return to probable ...#1 devolution is happening already. Woke may be as much death spasm as birth of new religion.
#2 also dawns as #NationalDivorce. Now we know what that means, it doesn’t matter. Something must change.
I believe Paul Fussell said that the middle class are the lest free people in America, because they hold their positions not as a result of capital, nor as a result of brawn, but because 1. they can be relied upon to hold certain attitudes and 2. they are expected to exhibit certain consumption patterns (which also means that they are eternally in debt).
1 & 2 I see happening, the others... Maybe.
#3 is a mirror of what we actually face. The Democratic Party is the new Catholic (Universal) Church. All the defects, none of that pesky Civilization, redemption or forgiveness, complete with the Inquisition and auto de Fe apologies daily.
No decent art or architecture either. Brutalism followed by pornographic polyphoria.
We must stop them on matters of taste alone!
4 is my fever dream.
I'm going for #1
There won't be electoral wins and subsequent policy changes until after the whole shebang crashes and burns. This is because the current system is self-protecting and infinitely expanding regardless of consequences, which will eventually be forced on it. In this case, the cure for cancer is death.
In the meantime, get as much silver, Bitcoin, gold, tools, hardware, food, guns, ammo, and (most Importantly) like minded friends as you think is appropriate, because there's going to be a need for all of these during the rebuilding phase. The best time to start this was 10 years ago, the next best is right now.
Maybe, but I don't think you can be sure of that. I agree doing all of those things is good, and I do some of those things myself, but to completely cede politics to the enemy seems like something that benefits them more than not. I like the idea of creating dilemmas for the enemy, and this new church committee is a hell of a dilemma for them, which would not have happened without some populist members of congress applying pressure via the SOH vote. What the political establish wants is incredibly unpopular, difficult to maintain a stranglehold in a nominally democratic country in the modern information age given these conditions. I would like to make it as difficult as possible and it isn't rational to say there is no way we can achieve meaningful political success. The future is never certain and crazy unforeseeable shit happens when it comes to human action.
"I would like to make it as difficult as possible"
That's an entirely different tactic, and brings to mind a story I read (can't find it, another victim to obfuscation on the Internet) where a street performer under Stalin made the mistake of making fun of him, and was naturally sent to the gulag. Not having much to do except figure out how to get out, he discovered that the Soviet bureaucracy required a response to each prison complaint that was submitted.
He was eventually released, after having organized a campaign from within the Gulag to produce thousands of complaints a month,
Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals comes to mind.
Pardon, collapse is a Cope.
Also false hope.
Not a plan.
If it worked we’d be ruled by warlords, if it doesn’t work the awaiters of collapse remain idle waiting for the Antichrist to come.
He’s not coming, neither is Jesus.
We can’t wait on collapse.
Pardon.
Good luck with that
I am merely saying we should not wait , for good or ill.
I'm not either. But given the reality of our moment, and history as a guide, these things always get worse before they get better. IMO resources are better spent preparing for the "get better" phase rather than attempting preservation of a lost cause.
the marginal effort that it takes to support anti-establishment political candidates is pretty minimal. Plus, there is always hope, even if only a fools hope.
Assuming you can get an honest count.
Absent a bunch of returning veterans and a massive Athens GA repeat, other than prepare to rebuild, I have no other ideas.
That said, it might help with local politics if people show up en masse.
Consider Team D to be the political will of the PMC made manifest, with various minorities as junior partners. By contrast, Team R is the political expression of the Local Gentry, with white evangelicals as junior partners.
The PMC's mastery of their slice of the means of production is the result of their knowledge, credentials and gatekeeping. These cannot be directly inherited, but are as a practical matter, largely generational. Because of their relationship to the means of production, the PMC are primarily based in the coastal megalopolises, and otherwise in larger cities. They are at best loosely tied to a given location, and are famous for their lack of loyalty to firm, city, country, or anything other than the best opportunity available at that particular moment.
The Local Gentry, by contrast, enjoy their positions as a result of their control of capital assets, often inherited. Because they are tied to specific capital assets, they are, well, *local* by necessity. A successful sand and gravel contractor might be quite well off, in spite of having only a high school diploma. He might own a fleet of cars, trucks, a boat, an airplane, a big house and another house in Scottsdale, but he cannot feasibly up sticks and move his operations even a few counties over.
I see the teams as you describe them to more indicate who politicians pander to vs. a genuine difference. I think it has become entirely uniparty vs everyone else. The more everyone else can unify/overcome the divide and conquer tactics the better our chances to circulate the elite and get a better deal. I can't imagine a more detestable elite than what is on offer currently, or one that could be setting us up for a bigger disaster...
In many ways, Team R is just Team D, but with a different identity politics.
Fantastic work. I wouldn't add a thing.
I have one objection that has been echoed elsewhere in the comments in other language with your discussion of the concept of caste vs. class. To my mind, the main and crucial distinction in these terms is that caste is largely used to connote a status that is fixed and unchangeable. Americans are fond of drawing distinctions to their European counterparts' cultures in implying that we are a *cackles* classless society when they really mean we are ostensibly a casteless society, and that one can rise and fall in class on one's own alleged merits through capitalism, rather than one's caste being fixed at birth or bestowed strictly by elite anointment.
By the traditional definition of caste I have no argument. I was just looking for another dimension of analysis that has mutually exclusive categories related to true productivity. The reason I went with Caste is because Rothbard used it to distinguish groups separated by the influence of violence from groups formed on a voluntary basis. Not perfect, but I think it works as long as you're willing to get a little postmodern and depart from common usage.
I feel you. It feels like TOO big a departure from common usage for someone like me without experience in a niche usage like the one you cited.
But it sounds like the right people know what you mean.
Great analysis, up to the point where you mention elections :)
Elections simply don't scale much above the Dunbar number. We need another way.
Also, overloading the meaning of cast might be a bit confusing.
GM gave me the same feedback! Regarding elections, I'm an ancap at heart, but populism has taken the day at times in American history. It is possible to do it again, if difficult. Even if not successful, 20% effort participating in the electoral process creates 80% of the problems for the establishment. Forcing the enemy to expend resources is an often overlooked aspect of participating.
(Sorry to spam but) Nico Soldo at FBF asked what are concrete tools that can be used for #NationalDivorce. He is skeptical.
I answered him with 10 steps. I left out the unspoken Ultima Ratio, that explains itself. I’m not unrealistic or in ah fantasyland about uh amicable divorce or our geography would only allow separation as interim.
In the interest of our host’s lessening the role of government, the political answer is to continue to devolve power to the states.
Dobbs and resistance to COVID have begun this healthy process.
As for #NationalDivorce; without a real threat to power the system does nothing, without a real offer our 🇺🇸 people will not respond, just continue to vege and GULAG from home. Or worse.
National Divorce-
Tools; 1) put it on table. Change or we’re changing it.
2) Courts/ SCOTUS. See Dobbs.
3) State governments
4) Non-Compliance- Defiance.
5) Elections: at present stunned by 2020 Coup De Main, won’t work forever for Dems.
6) Time; the Gerontocracy is aging. Replacement AOCs Squad
7) Constitutional Convention; which has more support than is given out publicly, it’s quite a legitimate avenue that can quickly gain traction in this atmosphere.
8) Defections; the police have quit on the job and the military is walking away. 🇺🇸 MIL are clusters of the same families serving generationally, the recruiting, retention (and desertions!) problem now is the beginning small tail of catastrophe inbound and not easily reversed. Biden is in by fraud and FORCE, is Fraud alone enough?
9) Demoralization of the Liberals and the Left as COVID truths surface and Ukraine founders.
10) Best for last; ELITE DEFECTIONS to America- and the reshoring Tidal Wave. Both are happening. > as our host will attest Elites make all the difference in the world.
Reshoring
https://chiefexecutive.net/special-report-reshoring-revolution/
Elites defect to America.
https://a16z.com/american-dynamism-50/?mkt_tok=MzgyLUpaQi03OTgAAAGItX0ntb3rdfKiQDJ4ZdjV9yiKe6fM0lgx3EwUAIQAMX_0Z53sTByIjLT5p0DMpctPjgyaebwoM0WwSryxDEW2yZfie-tNEkhjHhcYM7QvzIjuPg
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Nicolo Soldo believes in Elite theory, without at least some elites nothing is possible, correct (there must be leaders and resources) so that’s #10.
The most practical course is to devolve power to the States, some will be quite libertarian.
This is good stuff, it is past time for you to start your own stack!
lol but i have yours !
Sorry way too busy
and too modest and shy
i promise to really really pinky swear sorta kinda not write a book on your comments for as long as i can
anyway it's your fault for coming up with good provocative content.
it's just not my fault.
And my new cac says RR INDEF , so I get to be....eccentric ;)
RR = ready reserve?
RETIRED RESERVE 🤣🫡
There will be no National Divorce, unless and until people of influence and authority decide that this is desirable.
For now at least, most see more value in the United States as a going concern. What the people think or what would be better for them has nothing to do with it.
A National Divorce is impossible given the geography, OTOH someone else other than the geriatric interlude will win.
There’s some interest in “reform” among oligarchs
The effect of all the Marxist Indoctrination upon our Educated class; amid all the shrieks and inane babble the educated discerned 2 words;
FEAR WORKERS.
Insanely BTW.
“Given conditions of economic freedom these conflicts are manageable. When the government takes a larger role in the economy, however, “
Government is that which doesn’t go away just because you want it to...
Yeah, I know, I'm just saying the bigger the government the greater the conflicts.
True the more government the more interests the more centralized the more distorted.
A Central American government given our size, diverse geography and so economic and other interests was likely to fail and is - this is geriatric interregnum.
Every American large scale arrangement since the Iroquois has been a Federation, this is most unnatural. The United states was not founded around the Capitol, DC was an afterthought and compromise, it will never be Paris or Moscow.
The country grew itself, it had a Capitol, FDR seized his chance to make a makeshift central government, it revolves around emergencies and war to the extent it makes them to continue.
Along the way so many interests and cronies accrued that it now consumes the nation and planet.
So we agree.
Good point about executive overreach being predicated on perpetual emergency. As the saying goes, war is the health of the state.
In this case it's life support system. It can't DO anything but War or emergency.
See WMD as 'the only thing everyone in the US Govt could agree on' to invade Iraq in 03.
In 1991 the incentives were aligned: by Gulf State's money and the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia Bandar Al Sultan [also GWB's mentor at Bush 41 suggestion].
^^think about that^^
Thanks, the recommendations and edits made a big difference!