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Ten Lies We Believe by John Locke Exclusive to STR November 7, 2006 The System is not maintained by
reason and facts, because these do not support any system based on power
and fear. It keeps going by
perpetuating myths. These are
never really questioned, and become as immutable as the laws of physics.
We can break free from the control of the system when we see the
lies for what they are. Here
are ten of the best lies: 1)
That we are free, not slaves of the government A free person can come and go as
they wish, they can use their money and wealth as they see fit, and they
are not monitored and can live a private life and choose to think what
they will. A slave is told
when and where they will go, what they will do, how they will think, what
they can say, and everything they produce is taken off them and given
directly to the Master. We all agree that slavery is an
abomination, and that everyone has certain “inalienable rights,” but
we appear to be less and less free. A
substantial amount of what we earn is taken from us; if we freely express
ourselves, we may be regarded as a “terrorist”; movement is restricted
and our private lives, our emails and telephone conversations are
intrusively monitored and recorded, perhaps for later use. So where are you on the continuum
between free person and slave? I
expect now closer to the slave end. 2)
That tax is a way of “paying our way” and
our moral obligation and safety net Look at the 2006 US Federal
Budget, and try to find the expenditure categories that will help you.
You probably won’t be able to see a connection, and that is
because there isn’t one. If
you are working, “welfare” certainly doesn’t help.
“Defence” doesn’t really seem to make your life safer.
“Health” doesn’t mean that you don’t need private medical
insurance to get any semblance of acceptable health care.
“Education” won’t get your children over the line, either. Roads – well they aren’t as
well maintained as you would think for the amount you are paying, and
check out the deteriorating infrastructure.
By any measure, it is not really a good deal.
Do you seriously think that you get anywhere near the amount you
pay in taxes in the form of “government services”? Also, if times become bad,
don’t think there is any safety net for you if you are a middle class
person who has been productive. If
you are out of work, the State will tax your severance pay, but there’s
nothing there for you. In terms of “moral
obligation,” isn’t your obligation to provide as well as possible for
your own family, rather than someone else’s?
And how does having a lot of your income taken away do that? I’m not saying to evade your
taxes, just don’t believe the lies that justify confiscation of
earnings. 3)
That people from different cultures are our
enemies In World War II, American
citizens of Japanese descent were incarcerated in prison camps.
With 20/20 hindsight, we see that was unjust.
However, the current vilification is of Muslims and those of Middle
Eastern descent. The media is
quick to apply stereotypes, so the average person on the street doesn’t
see a Muslim as a person of different beliefs who loves his family and
peacefully goes about his business, but as a rabid potential terrorist.
At present, this view appears to
be encouraged by governments in several Western countries.
It is often convenient to create a scapegoat.
If they can make us believe that everyone in a particular group is
our enemy, then it makes it seem perfectly justified to invade their
country, flatten their hospitals and schools and kill their young men. The word “prejudice” means
judging before knowing the facts. The
antidote to prejudice is evidence-based reasoning, which means getting the
facts. One way of getting
facts is by reaching out to those of different backgrounds and building
bridges rather than walls. When we spend time with people of other
backgrounds, we appreciate their differences, and the reason for those
differences, but also the similarities.
When they are victimised, we understand that but by an accident of
birth, it could as easily be us. 4)
That individual expression and creativity are
available only to a few “talented” persons The purpose of this myth is to
disempower people and make them good consumers rather than self-sufficient
producers. So we get bland,
regurgitated music and mind-numbing reality television, and prepackaged
software that is broken and buggy. In traditional cultures, most
people have a form of creative expression.
This was the case in western countries until recently – check out
reprinted 1910 issues of “Boy Mechanic” to see some creativity in
action. I’m reassured to see many
people pushing back against this – they write their own music, work on
their own cars and write open source software.
But the masses only know how to keep buying the same old stuff. 5)
That news is information rather than propaganda
and entertainment “News” is mainly
entertainment. It is supplied
so that you watch paying advertisements.
That’s why they have “human interest” stories.
The trick is that people think it is information.
If it was just another sitcom, they might turn off the TV and talk
to their families or something equally undesirable. Since a lot of news is supplied
by the government, it also contains a subtle, sometimes not so subtle
twist. It presents what
“They” want you to think, and over time this moulds people’s
perceptions. We do owe a debt
to those journalists who diligently uncover truth, but most news is only
of entertainment value. To
counteract this, get your own sources of news, and don’t accept anything
at face value. 6)
That we have no right to privacy The system is interested in
prying into the lives of individuals in order to perpetuate its control.
Systems based on power structures are inherently brittle, and those
in power know that. The flawed argument that they put
out is that if you have done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to hide.
Therefore, you have no right to privacy.
This assumes that those
monitoring are able to use discretion with personal information – so it
just is used on “the bad guys” rather than against anyone who those in
power don’t like. History has shown that this is
never the case. Just one
example is how Martin Luther King was monitored by the FBI, and they
attempted to use personal information gathered to undermine him publicly.
When you take away the right to privacy, it is all too tempting to misuse
the information. Who watches
the watchers? Usually no one. 7)
That the end justifies the means When a criminal acts with an end
in mind without being concerned about the consequences, or feeling any
empathy for those hurt along the way, we call that person a psychopath, or
sociopath. When this occurs in
business, government or foreign policy, we call it “strong
leadership.” In intelligence terminology, an
action that is taken with the view that the end justifies the means
generally results in “blowback.” This means that it causes unexpected
consequences, sooner or later. Let’s
recall some examples of ends: backing the Shah of Iran, invading The consequences of these actions
are decoupled from the original ends by the spin masters.
Put them together, and you’ll see that the answer is to consider
both the means and the ends – be guided by morality rather than
expediency. 8)
That education helps us to think clearly and be
successful The purpose of education is
two-fold: to inculcate government-approved core values and provide
children with the basic skills needed to become malleable corporate drones
and consumers. The education system does not
appear to promote clear thinking. Discussion
of the lyrics of rap songs in English classes doesn’t help that, or
build literacy. A large number
of young people finish their education without the ability to critically
analyse an issue, or think for themselves.
Fresh young minds with potential to do amazing things, well trained
performing monkeys out the other end of the process. 9)
That a good job is the answer to prosperity That you have a good job is
important to the government in the same way that a house full of valuables
is important to a burglar. It
sets you up as a nice fat cash cow. They
will be able to skim off your money before you even see it, and you have
extremely limited tax deductions. Prosperity comes from sources
outside of a job, such as investments or business.
Not many people get rich on their salary, unless they are corporate
officers who loot shareholder funds. 10)
That
we can trust those in power, in government and large corporations, and
they have the answers Most people in power are not
evil, and most governments in first world countries are generally somewhat
less despotic than those found elsewhere due to safeguards that are in
place. Nevertheless, power means
imposing the will of one person on another.
This is generally to the benefit of one person, and the detriment
of another. In financial
terminology, this is called a conflict of interest.
There is a mismatch in the interests of those in power and the
ruled. Generally, mainstream
political parties have a vested interest in maintaining this system.
In the same way, corporations actively maintain the status quo to
their own benefit. Competence is different from
position. Generally the two
don’t fit too well together. Think
about where you work – is the smartest, most capable person in charge?
No, you have the Pointy Haired Boss instead. In summary, don’t assume that anyone in power will act in your interests. Think for yourself, and don’t accept answers at face value. John Locke (a pseudonym) is an Australian IT consultant, free market enthusiast and investor.
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