I complain a lot on social media. Sometimes I feel bad about it, but not that often. I've probably lost a lot of “friends” on account of my bitching, but I've likely gained some like-minded ones as well, so I guess it evens out. All I know is that people used to argue with me more than they do now. Either that's because I used to be more controversial than I am now, or those particular people just left the building. I haven't changed, so I'm guessing it's the latter. Another possibility is that there are still people on my list that don't agree with everything I say (can you imagine?) but they just keep their mouths shut - either because they see me as some crackpot conspiracy theorist who shouldn't be engaged with, or they're just really not sure where exactly I'm wrong - only that somehow I must be. Surely in some way I must be. In either case, I guess they stick around for the show, but I genuinely do like to be challenged on the things I say because it always makes me delve deeper into why I think that way. More often than not, it makes me more convinced of my stance, but sometimes I do change my mind as well. This is what it's all about.
I'm convinced that the two-thirds who supported Trudeau in invoking the Emergencies Act (and, appallingly, that support didn't change during the circus of an "inquiry") also detest freedom. They loathe it. Freedom is what deters the authoritarianism needed to end the 'climate crisis'. Freedom prevents governments from mandating pronoun use. Freedom inhibits the mob from forming a new law to address every one of their hurt feelings. To them, whom make up possibly two-thirds of the Canadian population, freedom itself is now the enemy.
(Freedom was the enemy long before the Freedom Convoy took its name.)
I would sincerely hope that number is much less than two thirds. I think there is a silent majority that realizes what we need here, but they're too scared to say anything in the current climate. That's one one of the things I see changing a little bit. And I think it's picking up a bit of steam now too.
I've recently left the Left (well, it left me) and, at this point, it seems like a huge majority. But that's likely based on an availability heuristic because our media are bent that way (against freedom).
Now that I've lost all trust in mainstream media, I really have no way to gauge reality. Is there change afoot? Maybe, but I have no way to know. I was utterly shocked by the immense support for the Freedom Convoy--I thought I was basically the only one who thought mandatory vaccination was an abomination of the principles of medicine (and liberty).
You make an interesting point. We're all kind of slaves to our own echo chambers. We're only really aware of the things that the people we hang with are aware of, and we tend to reject the rest. Of course you were surprised about the Freedom Convoy. Everybody was - except those who were actually listening to the Freedom Convoy. Those guys did exactly what they said they would do. The government and the media downplayed it right from the start so it's no wonder they were taken so off guard.
I think there's change happening. The problem is the same as it was with the convoy though - this positive change won't be reported on by the media because it sounds too much like the "far-right". Obviously it's not, but that doesn't matter. So then you need to listen to independent media, which by the definition of our legacy media is also "far-right". Again, it's not really, but that's the only way the mainstream media can make sure people will be skeptical of it and stick with them.
Yes - I completely agree re: paying attention to independent media. That's all I use now. But I do miss the days of _believing_ I could tune in to the CBC, CTV, etc to get a decent pulse on the country. Now it's hard to gauge the significance of a 'movement'.
I refuse to see myself as 'far-right'. I don't even like 'right' or 'conservative' as self-descriptors. But if the new left-right continuing refers to authoritarianism-libertarianism, then I guess I'll take the latter (libertarian and, therefore, 'right' or 'far-right').
Yeah, I'm with you on the descriptors. I don't like any of them. When there's only two options, people think they can peg you with just one word. It's an insult to intelligence. It's like assuming all women think the same, or all black people like the same stuff. It's asinine, yet that's how we've set things up. I don't fit neatly into any camp, but libertarian is definitely something I can get behind.
People knew full damn well that they needed to fight. And they wanted to go out there and fight. And contrary to first impressions, they weren't the least bit afraid to fight. They just didn't have a damn clue how to organize in such a way that they wouldn't break the bank. And that's what they feared: draining their own accounts dry for nothing.
If Trudeau had elected to quit while he was ahead (i.e. stop being so greedy and just let the truckers pass through unscathed), the people would have remained hamstrung. They would have still been unable to mount anything more than a pathetically feeble superficial fight. And the year would have closed out much the way it began: the establishment media still powerful, the COVID narrative still dominant, mandates still firm and likely expanding, the independent alternatives still struggling, the people still suffering voiceless, and the glorious road to China set to enter the home stretch. And don't forget those stupid passports.
Thanks to the Freedom Convoy (and this was not at all inevitable), the New Year's party that got stonewalled landed on the Hill. Fatigue had replaced fear as the dominant mood. People began surveying the wreckage of their last 22 months; taking stock of their situation; figuring out what to do next. The populace had gotten right back into the game. Eventually, other freedom-minded groups would take up the truckers' torch and keep it lit and moving. It would not have been out of place on Weird Al's UHF.
In the end, this whole sordid exercise utterly failed to break us of our inclinations as ill-mannered Neanderthals. In fact, it created the reverse effect. Furthermore, we now have our Atouk.
I had to look up the Atouk reference, but I'm still not sure to whom you're referring.
I think there were several concrete successes from the convoy. It will be interesting to hear the report from the public inquiry in the next week or two.
Even more interesting may well be the people's inquiry that is beginning as we speak.
Attitudes have definitely shifted in the last year. There are many things being said publicly now that weren't being said earlier. It's not over yet.
I'm convinced that the two-thirds who supported Trudeau in invoking the Emergencies Act (and, appallingly, that support didn't change during the circus of an "inquiry") also detest freedom. They loathe it. Freedom is what deters the authoritarianism needed to end the 'climate crisis'. Freedom prevents governments from mandating pronoun use. Freedom inhibits the mob from forming a new law to address every one of their hurt feelings. To them, whom make up possibly two-thirds of the Canadian population, freedom itself is now the enemy.
(Freedom was the enemy long before the Freedom Convoy took its name.)
I would sincerely hope that number is much less than two thirds. I think there is a silent majority that realizes what we need here, but they're too scared to say anything in the current climate. That's one one of the things I see changing a little bit. And I think it's picking up a bit of steam now too.
You may well be right, Ken.
I've recently left the Left (well, it left me) and, at this point, it seems like a huge majority. But that's likely based on an availability heuristic because our media are bent that way (against freedom).
Now that I've lost all trust in mainstream media, I really have no way to gauge reality. Is there change afoot? Maybe, but I have no way to know. I was utterly shocked by the immense support for the Freedom Convoy--I thought I was basically the only one who thought mandatory vaccination was an abomination of the principles of medicine (and liberty).
You make an interesting point. We're all kind of slaves to our own echo chambers. We're only really aware of the things that the people we hang with are aware of, and we tend to reject the rest. Of course you were surprised about the Freedom Convoy. Everybody was - except those who were actually listening to the Freedom Convoy. Those guys did exactly what they said they would do. The government and the media downplayed it right from the start so it's no wonder they were taken so off guard.
I think there's change happening. The problem is the same as it was with the convoy though - this positive change won't be reported on by the media because it sounds too much like the "far-right". Obviously it's not, but that doesn't matter. So then you need to listen to independent media, which by the definition of our legacy media is also "far-right". Again, it's not really, but that's the only way the mainstream media can make sure people will be skeptical of it and stick with them.
Yes - I completely agree re: paying attention to independent media. That's all I use now. But I do miss the days of _believing_ I could tune in to the CBC, CTV, etc to get a decent pulse on the country. Now it's hard to gauge the significance of a 'movement'.
I refuse to see myself as 'far-right'. I don't even like 'right' or 'conservative' as self-descriptors. But if the new left-right continuing refers to authoritarianism-libertarianism, then I guess I'll take the latter (libertarian and, therefore, 'right' or 'far-right').
Yeah, I'm with you on the descriptors. I don't like any of them. When there's only two options, people think they can peg you with just one word. It's an insult to intelligence. It's like assuming all women think the same, or all black people like the same stuff. It's asinine, yet that's how we've set things up. I don't fit neatly into any camp, but libertarian is definitely something I can get behind.
I don't think the point was gotten here.
People knew full damn well that they needed to fight. And they wanted to go out there and fight. And contrary to first impressions, they weren't the least bit afraid to fight. They just didn't have a damn clue how to organize in such a way that they wouldn't break the bank. And that's what they feared: draining their own accounts dry for nothing.
If Trudeau had elected to quit while he was ahead (i.e. stop being so greedy and just let the truckers pass through unscathed), the people would have remained hamstrung. They would have still been unable to mount anything more than a pathetically feeble superficial fight. And the year would have closed out much the way it began: the establishment media still powerful, the COVID narrative still dominant, mandates still firm and likely expanding, the independent alternatives still struggling, the people still suffering voiceless, and the glorious road to China set to enter the home stretch. And don't forget those stupid passports.
Thanks to the Freedom Convoy (and this was not at all inevitable), the New Year's party that got stonewalled landed on the Hill. Fatigue had replaced fear as the dominant mood. People began surveying the wreckage of their last 22 months; taking stock of their situation; figuring out what to do next. The populace had gotten right back into the game. Eventually, other freedom-minded groups would take up the truckers' torch and keep it lit and moving. It would not have been out of place on Weird Al's UHF.
In the end, this whole sordid exercise utterly failed to break us of our inclinations as ill-mannered Neanderthals. In fact, it created the reverse effect. Furthermore, we now have our Atouk.
I had to look up the Atouk reference, but I'm still not sure to whom you're referring.
I think there were several concrete successes from the convoy. It will be interesting to hear the report from the public inquiry in the next week or two.
Even more interesting may well be the people's inquiry that is beginning as we speak.
Attitudes have definitely shifted in the last year. There are many things being said publicly now that weren't being said earlier. It's not over yet.
Not over yet? Probably not started in earnest yet.