Recently, I got chatting with Matt from Discernable about the hypocrisy of the conservative free speech movement in the aftermath of the failed Trump assassination.
It takes courage to be honest and you have been very honest here Rebekah, truly inspirational. Thank you, my trust in your writing has increased as a result.
12 Step programs are powerful in reminding us that a Higher Power exists. After the reminder we then have to see if we find that true or not for ourselves.
I have found it true. As I trust that Power, who for me is the source of an energy I call Love Wisdom, my life has opened up. Just as you have also found.
My trust is reinforced by this opening. I have navigated wild seas of change for the last 6 years in my life. The incredible synchronicities that have allowed me to thrive through these changes will never be forgotten. They come from trust and reinforce that trust also. Indeed All is well with my soul. I do what I can do as I feel I am asked to. We are in the beginning of the wave of awakening. Waves build up slowly then become massive and unstoppable. In oneness🙏
This is a "late" comment. Finally found the time to listen to this long form interview. Just a quick note to say thank you for your courage and ability to express well considered thoughts, beliefs and opinions. I feel enriched after listening. And blessed by many of the insights. Loved the Horatio Spafford story. Brought a few tears.
It is my contention that, beyond mathematics and formal logic there exists no knowledge, only belief … beliefs about how things are and how things ought to be. I have the high bar definition of 'knowledge' though - justified true belief.
And beliefs can be held with varying degrees of conviction – conviction that is in constant flux. I might believe X with a degree of conviction of 3 (on a scale from 0 to 10) at this moment and 6 when I wake up the following day as I mull over a Youtube video I have seen the night before.:) Whilst it is probably easier to navigate life having very strong (and essentially unwavering) conviction in a limited number of core beliefs (bedrocks) one will almost necessarily be deluded. It is a trade off between delusion and psychological security. Ignorance is bliss, or some such. Nihilists (in a broader sense than just religious) are a drag, though. They are unpopular, cynical party-poopers. Much has been written and spoken about the Kruger Dunning Effect … the idea that the hosting of doubt about one’s beliefs correlates highly (and positively) with intelligence.
TEAMS and YOUTUBERS
What appears to exist around the globe (or at least the ‘western’ part of it) are two teams – conservatives (or C-team) in the blue corner and the liberals in the red corner. And the teams take opposite positions with respect to a number of traditionally controversial issues – feminism, abortion, communism, capitalism, gun ownership, religion, Trump, the sex industry, homosexuality and so on. Youtubers are making a living out of pitching to these teams … at putting out messaging that will resonate with one of the groups. There is an appreciation that it is almost impossible to put out balanced material on controversial issues and attract enough followers to make much money. It is about feeding appetites. Never waste a good tragedy, it is said. Well, comfortable livings are being made on Youtube pitching to the vast army of disgruntled men that has emerged around the western world … the male scrapheap. Tis a classic example of profiting from misery.
MENTAL HEALTH
The government RUOK campaign is tokenistic nonsense coming from an institution (the government) which contributes to poor mental health in no small way by way of regulation and red tape. People attempt to eat their way out of stress, as food is a relaxant. Food is a mind-altering substance and eating is a lot easier than exercising (mind and body). Btw, the calorie burning associated with high quality cogitation is vastly underestimated, in my view.
RELIGION and UTILITY
There is (and cannot be) any proof for the existence of God. Belief is an issue of faith. And there is a matter of utility to consider here. In difficult times people reach for religion as if it were a magic potion. The Bible (or Quran or some other) may be plucked from a bookshelf just as an antidepressant may be plucked from a pharmacy shelf. It is a PRODUCT that does a job … that serves a purpose. An atheistic society versus a religious one? Well, in the former there would not exist religious hypocrisy or people behaving overtly ‘well’ in an attempt to get a ticket to heaven. I believe atheists CAN have moral compasses. Immanuel Kant seemed to make a decent attempt to generate a moral code from scratch … categorical imperative? I appealed to the latter when making a contribution to the freedom movement back in 2021. “What if everyone did nothing”, I asked myself.
GUNS
I often wonder whether weaker people ought to be allowed to carry some form of weapon for self-defense. This written, it is obvious the Yanks are far from having hit a sweet spot with gun ownership. I see a weapon as a sort of leveler … as a compensation for lack of physical strength. Tis (ironically) a quite left-wing idea. :)
THE AUSTRALIAN
It is clear that The Australian newspaper, Sky News (OZ) and Rebel News (Canada) presentations are party political. Even during the lock-downs we had folk like Peta Credlin doing more ALP bashing than promoting libertarianism. And much of the commentary from these folk, post great plague, has been lamentable C-team stuff.
CHERRY PICKING
This rant would not be complete without some reference to cherry picking.
On the theme of misinformation and disinformation (deliberate misinformation), it seems to me that the msm has been operating for quite some time, now, by cherry-picking instances of X to foment public fear about X. Cherry picking the worst two or three instances of road carnage every day for the evening news, for instance, will create a belief amongst the public that drivers are being more and more reckless (and that heavier fines are needed), even though accidents per capita have been dropping steadily for decades. Cherry-picking the most aggressive male behaviour in the community for display every evening on the nightly news, will similarly create to illusion in the minds of viewers that people are more violent now than ever before, even though statistics will reveal a quite opposite trend. Homicide rates have dropped by a factor of 3 over the past 20 years whilst incarcerate RATES (driven largely by public fear and calls for harsher penalties) have doubled in the same period. These incidents (road accidents, knifings, bashings and so on) really did occur so it is ‘factual’ reporting. However, the selective manner of the reporting (and absence of meaningful stats) leaves the community with a dubious perception of reality. I watch my wife soak it all up with a grim look, when I am unlucky enough to get trapped in the television room – perhaps to make a cup of coffee.:)
For quite some time now, post Al Gore's gloom and doom doco, the msm has adopted a practice of cherry-picking extreme weather events and parading the same before nightly new watchers. I found the following link interesting:
Bear in mind that the world is now more sensitive to such events and that the definition of 'extreme weather event' has probably shifted over time in a manner that has led to events being so classified that once would not have been.
I have seen Michael Shellenberger do a talk on this and how the counting and definitions have changed over time but tbh I stopped following it closely as I have so much on my plate as it is... I have adopted the role of detached observer on this issue. The only thing that does come to mind is that when media report on increased heat deaths they rarely (never) mention concurrent reduction in cold deaths. My understanding is that cold kills way more ppl than heat, and that when heat deaths rise due to warming, cold deaths reduce.
You expressed your preference for Tulsi Gabbard in the interview. I was rooting for her back in 2020. By this, she seemed the best speaker (most fluent and most charismatic), she was making anti US imperialism noises and I had backed her at long odds to win the Democrat nomination.:)
My perception of her ATM is that she is a classic politician and opportunist. A Polly is a Polly is a Polly.
It takes courage to be honest and you have been very honest here Rebekah, truly inspirational. Thank you, my trust in your writing has increased as a result.
12 Step programs are powerful in reminding us that a Higher Power exists. After the reminder we then have to see if we find that true or not for ourselves.
I have found it true. As I trust that Power, who for me is the source of an energy I call Love Wisdom, my life has opened up. Just as you have also found.
My trust is reinforced by this opening. I have navigated wild seas of change for the last 6 years in my life. The incredible synchronicities that have allowed me to thrive through these changes will never be forgotten. They come from trust and reinforce that trust also. Indeed All is well with my soul. I do what I can do as I feel I am asked to. We are in the beginning of the wave of awakening. Waves build up slowly then become massive and unstoppable. In oneness🙏
"A wave of awakening" ,I really like your phrase Luise.
Thank you Kika🙏
Awesome! Thankyou for your honesty and bless you for it❤️👏😘
A very affirming interview. Your journalism is a privilege to support.
This is a "late" comment. Finally found the time to listen to this long form interview. Just a quick note to say thank you for your courage and ability to express well considered thoughts, beliefs and opinions. I feel enriched after listening. And blessed by many of the insights. Loved the Horatio Spafford story. Brought a few tears.
Thanks Richard 🙏
Really enjoyed this conversation, thank you Rebekah.
Thanks Liz 😊
great interview!
KNOWLEDGE and UTILITY
It is my contention that, beyond mathematics and formal logic there exists no knowledge, only belief … beliefs about how things are and how things ought to be. I have the high bar definition of 'knowledge' though - justified true belief.
And beliefs can be held with varying degrees of conviction – conviction that is in constant flux. I might believe X with a degree of conviction of 3 (on a scale from 0 to 10) at this moment and 6 when I wake up the following day as I mull over a Youtube video I have seen the night before.:) Whilst it is probably easier to navigate life having very strong (and essentially unwavering) conviction in a limited number of core beliefs (bedrocks) one will almost necessarily be deluded. It is a trade off between delusion and psychological security. Ignorance is bliss, or some such. Nihilists (in a broader sense than just religious) are a drag, though. They are unpopular, cynical party-poopers. Much has been written and spoken about the Kruger Dunning Effect … the idea that the hosting of doubt about one’s beliefs correlates highly (and positively) with intelligence.
TEAMS and YOUTUBERS
What appears to exist around the globe (or at least the ‘western’ part of it) are two teams – conservatives (or C-team) in the blue corner and the liberals in the red corner. And the teams take opposite positions with respect to a number of traditionally controversial issues – feminism, abortion, communism, capitalism, gun ownership, religion, Trump, the sex industry, homosexuality and so on. Youtubers are making a living out of pitching to these teams … at putting out messaging that will resonate with one of the groups. There is an appreciation that it is almost impossible to put out balanced material on controversial issues and attract enough followers to make much money. It is about feeding appetites. Never waste a good tragedy, it is said. Well, comfortable livings are being made on Youtube pitching to the vast army of disgruntled men that has emerged around the western world … the male scrapheap. Tis a classic example of profiting from misery.
MENTAL HEALTH
The government RUOK campaign is tokenistic nonsense coming from an institution (the government) which contributes to poor mental health in no small way by way of regulation and red tape. People attempt to eat their way out of stress, as food is a relaxant. Food is a mind-altering substance and eating is a lot easier than exercising (mind and body). Btw, the calorie burning associated with high quality cogitation is vastly underestimated, in my view.
RELIGION and UTILITY
There is (and cannot be) any proof for the existence of God. Belief is an issue of faith. And there is a matter of utility to consider here. In difficult times people reach for religion as if it were a magic potion. The Bible (or Quran or some other) may be plucked from a bookshelf just as an antidepressant may be plucked from a pharmacy shelf. It is a PRODUCT that does a job … that serves a purpose. An atheistic society versus a religious one? Well, in the former there would not exist religious hypocrisy or people behaving overtly ‘well’ in an attempt to get a ticket to heaven. I believe atheists CAN have moral compasses. Immanuel Kant seemed to make a decent attempt to generate a moral code from scratch … categorical imperative? I appealed to the latter when making a contribution to the freedom movement back in 2021. “What if everyone did nothing”, I asked myself.
GUNS
I often wonder whether weaker people ought to be allowed to carry some form of weapon for self-defense. This written, it is obvious the Yanks are far from having hit a sweet spot with gun ownership. I see a weapon as a sort of leveler … as a compensation for lack of physical strength. Tis (ironically) a quite left-wing idea. :)
THE AUSTRALIAN
It is clear that The Australian newspaper, Sky News (OZ) and Rebel News (Canada) presentations are party political. Even during the lock-downs we had folk like Peta Credlin doing more ALP bashing than promoting libertarianism. And much of the commentary from these folk, post great plague, has been lamentable C-team stuff.
CHERRY PICKING
This rant would not be complete without some reference to cherry picking.
On the theme of misinformation and disinformation (deliberate misinformation), it seems to me that the msm has been operating for quite some time, now, by cherry-picking instances of X to foment public fear about X. Cherry picking the worst two or three instances of road carnage every day for the evening news, for instance, will create a belief amongst the public that drivers are being more and more reckless (and that heavier fines are needed), even though accidents per capita have been dropping steadily for decades. Cherry-picking the most aggressive male behaviour in the community for display every evening on the nightly news, will similarly create to illusion in the minds of viewers that people are more violent now than ever before, even though statistics will reveal a quite opposite trend. Homicide rates have dropped by a factor of 3 over the past 20 years whilst incarcerate RATES (driven largely by public fear and calls for harsher penalties) have doubled in the same period. These incidents (road accidents, knifings, bashings and so on) really did occur so it is ‘factual’ reporting. However, the selective manner of the reporting (and absence of meaningful stats) leaves the community with a dubious perception of reality. I watch my wife soak it all up with a grim look, when I am unlucky enough to get trapped in the television room – perhaps to make a cup of coffee.:)
Lots of good thoughts there. There's a tie in on the cherry picking thing with mean world syndrome I reckon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_world_syndrome
Good find. Where would we be without wiki?:)
I must make another donation. I mean, what if everyone didn't donate.:)
Interesting to see a graph of incarceration rates over the same period in the US, superimposed.
For quite some time now, post Al Gore's gloom and doom doco, the msm has adopted a practice of cherry-picking extreme weather events and parading the same before nightly new watchers. I found the following link interesting:
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/number-of-natural-disaster-events?time=1900..2024&country=~Extreme+weather
Bear in mind that the world is now more sensitive to such events and that the definition of 'extreme weather event' has probably shifted over time in a manner that has led to events being so classified that once would not have been.
Any comments?
I have seen Michael Shellenberger do a talk on this and how the counting and definitions have changed over time but tbh I stopped following it closely as I have so much on my plate as it is... I have adopted the role of detached observer on this issue. The only thing that does come to mind is that when media report on increased heat deaths they rarely (never) mention concurrent reduction in cold deaths. My understanding is that cold kills way more ppl than heat, and that when heat deaths rise due to warming, cold deaths reduce.
My understanding (re heat versus cold) resonates highly with yours, then.
Perhaps we have been tapping into the same social media.:)
You expressed your preference for Tulsi Gabbard in the interview. I was rooting for her back in 2020. By this, she seemed the best speaker (most fluent and most charismatic), she was making anti US imperialism noises and I had backed her at long odds to win the Democrat nomination.:)
My perception of her ATM is that she is a classic politician and opportunist. A Polly is a Polly is a Polly.
She seems more flip floppy than before.