57 Comments
User's avatar
albert venezio's avatar

That's what government wants - victims! Not us.

Expand full comment
JJ's avatar

They just want to squeeze you to the pulp.

Expand full comment
Abigail Starke's avatar

Oh wow!!! Frighteningly true. Those who actually need help, are truthful in their plight don’t get help bc of those who always play this card. 😣😡

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

Those card-players are the reason why we can’t have nice things.

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

Never ever underestimate the strength of a victim; they always survive; if you doubt me, swim out to the middle of the lake and try to save one, you will be just one of the bodies that are their stepping stones to the shore

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

I have heard that the reflex is so strong, that a drowning person will even push off of a loved one to get to the surface… 😢

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

This would be a real victim, in real danger with the fight/flight fully engaged and in overdrive; point is, victims are strong, givers burn out

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

Oh yes, givers definitely burn out. The human race is bottomless need, want, irrationality, etc. This is part of why social work, for example, has such a high burnout rate.

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

That is very true, that is why I say never underestimate the strength of a victim, ( adults of course) the victim society we have created is evidence of being pulled under by those trying to help and the victim’s wanting to stay comfortably miserable. Self preservation means we have to walk away even if we feel guilty, which we will until we understand the psyche of the victim. Again, reflecting on our own decisions and choices, we have to confront our betrayal of self and make peace with that.

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

WALK AWAY! That's it, right there.

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

Ok. I’m a walkin, at some point I have to catch a boat, then another to find my private little Idaho… it does feel liberating to never have to pay taxes, get politically involved after a lifetime serving our society to be better, kinder, more tolerant; to help redirect destructive energy into creativity, to encourage self actualization and it is only us that limit ourselves. I have in my own life and on other levels I have exceeded my expectations. An old timer…. From the mafia era released from federal prison after his 3rd term, yes the stuff movies are made from; I asked him to tell me honestly how he survived living more than half his life behind bars…his response to me was and I quote” Honey, I never was imprisoned , they may have had my body, but they never had my mind” I was struck dumb with the conviction in his voice and of the statement. Something from that generation is the chip we may be missing. Their lives were based on contracts, honor, reputation; it was government that stole it. Not advocating for organized crime but I do admire the loyalty, the honor, the power of their minds. If I wrote about this, people would think I promote it and I do not, at the same time, we promote it in our governments. Are they law abiding? Do they rob banks? Commit fraud? How many would be hit with RICO charges if the DOJ and FBI were really pure enough to disclose and uncover the tentacles that reach all the way to China and Russia? Its a dichotomy, an oxymoron, a double standard. Obama can undermine and ruin America, but we are not allowed to live by our own convictions. Believe it or not, the old time mob, the “OG’s” had more rules, values, honor “natural order” than the perversion of Government, world wide. Its the best example I can give of contracts and violations in modern society, on a more peaceful note, the same with Amish, break the rules, the natural order and you are excommunicated.

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

Excellent statement, excellent lessons in there.

The gangster had the same basic attitude as Viktor Frankl expressed—they cannot take your mind.

And yes, at least the gangsters are honest about what they are doing!

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

It takes a strong person to keep their wits, to not allow our true freedom that exists within ourselves held captive

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

Its the code of honor and the expected and accepted consequence, but it was still structured

Our minds keep us bound, our way of life creates mental illness, its like doing rat lab experiments in the 70’s, the more crowded they were, the more fighting, some would isolate and show fear, others aggression, they were traumatized. We are traumatized

Expand full comment
Janine Thomas's avatar

But where, in our own little space, we would still not be free from the involuntary participation of being governed. What President, PM, Dictator or Oligarch would agree to allow us to have our little slice of heaven. It is like Islam wanting their own city in the US to enact their laws that we object to..and we should. Unless we choose to fly under the radar, to live with it takes a village mentality I think we are doomed to Autocracy once again.

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

In installments 2.1–2.10 (https://christophercook.substack.com/t/thedistributednation), I discuss a lot of the different kinds of exit and build efforts. It's going to take time and work.

Expand full comment
JC Collins's avatar

This certainly describes the trans rights activists and the "folx" calling for reparations.

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

It certainly does.

Reparations will never happen.

Expand full comment
Amaterasu Solar's avatar

The only thing Ayn got wrong was failing to see how money systems promote psychopaths to the top... If She had seen that, perhaps She would have gone a different direction...

Thanks for this! Indeed, this nails it!

Expand full comment
Tray B's avatar

The path of the warrior , castenada .. writes about totelc view on freedom .

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

Can you summarize it for the class?

Expand full comment
Tray B's avatar

The warrior adapts. Never destroys and always has his purpose . Does not see good or bad only challenges

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

I like all of that except I am not sure I get the good or bad part. Surely a warrior ought to be able to discern good actions from bad, right?

Expand full comment
Tray B's avatar

How can one clearly define what is good or bad? Isn’t it all perspective , is it possible the biggest joke on all society , is to tell them good and evil is real ?

A warrior defined by castenada is very different from most definitions .

Expand full comment
Christopher Cook's avatar

There are some things that are easier to place to one side of the moral continuum.

For example, to trespass (i.e., without consent, to damage, take, encroach, subjugate, or initiate coercive force against) the person property, or liberty of another is bad.

Expand full comment
Tray B's avatar

As the path of the warrior . The

Do not put themselves into this positron .

Is not most of our thoughts and concepts of this reality given to us by someone else? Like what is courteous or polite ?

If one has no self importance or dependent on material things , then one can be impervious . And no loss or pain could ever touch one’s self . I do see where you coming from. Maybe there are multiple ways to approach this ?

Expand full comment