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The Principles of Control

by Charley Reese Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003 at 5:11 PM

The first principle of people control is not to let them know you are controlling them. If people knew, this knowledge will breed resentment and possibly rebellion, which would then require brute force and terror, and old fashioned, expensive and not 100 % certain method of control.





The difference between true education and vocational training has been cleverly blurred. Here are a few tips on how smart people can control other people. If any of this rings a bell - Well, then wake up!

The first principle of people control is not to let them know you are controlling them. If people knew, this knowledge will breed resentment and possibly rebellion, which would then require brute force and terror, and old fashioned, expensive and not 100 % certain method of control.

It is easier than you think to control people indirectly, to manipulate them into thinking what you want them to think and doing what you want them to do.

One basic technique is to keep them ignorant. Educated people are not as easy to manipulate. Abolishing public education or restricting access to education would be the direct approach. That would spill the beans. The indirect approach is to control the education they receive.

It's possible to be a Ph.D., doctor, lawyer, businessman, journalist, or an accountant, just to name a few examples, and at the same time be an uneducated person. The difference between true education and vocational training has been cleverly blurred in our time so that we have people successfully practicing their vocations while at the same time being totally ignorant of the larger issues of the world in which they live.

The most obvious symptom is their absence of original thought. Ask them a question and they will end up reciting what someone else thinks or thought the answer was. What do they think? Well, they never thought about it. Their education consisted of learning how to use the library and cite sources.

That greatly simplifies things for the controller because with lots of money, university endowments, foundations, grants, and ownership of media, it is relatively easy to control who they will think of as authorities to cite in lieu of doing their own thinking.

Another technique is to keep them entertained. Roman emperors did not stage circuses and gladiator contests because they didn't have television. We have television because we don't have circuses and gladiator events. Either way, the purpose is to keep the people's minds focused on entertainment, sports, and peripheral political issues. This way you won't have to worry that they will ever figure out the real issues that allow you to control them.

Just as a truly educated person is difficult to control, so too is an economically independent person. Therefore, you want to create conditions that will produce people who work for wages, since wage earners have little control over their economic destiny. You'll also want to control the monetary, credit, and banking systems. This will allow you to inflate the currency and make it next to impossible for wage earners to accumulate capital. You can also cause periodic deflation to collapse the family businesses, family farms, and entrepreneurs, including independent community banks.

To keep trade unions under control, you just promote a scheme that allows you to shift production jobs out of the country and bring back the products as imports (it is called free trade). This way you will end up with no unions or docile unions.

Another technique is to buy both political parties so that after a while people will feel that no matter whether they vote for Candidate A or Candidate B, they will get the same policies. This will create great apathy and a belief that the political process is useless for effecting real change.

Pretty soon you will have a population that feels completely helpless, and thinks the bad things happening to them are nobody in particular's fault, just a result of global forces or evolution or some other disembodied abstract concept. If necessary, you can offer scapegoats.

Then you can bleed them dry without having to worry overly much that one of them will sneak into your house one night and cut your throat. If you do it right, they won't even know whose throat they are cutting.

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sounds...

by Sheepdog Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 at 10:39 PM

...fairly contemorary to me.

But you left out the fear factory where we are told that evil lurks beyond the light and only our leaders can protect us.

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OK, this tiresome attitude

by Barney Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 at 10:53 PM

You can either stand on the sideline complaining about how crap "the system" is or you can get involved in society and make a decent life for yourself and your family. We have really come a long way since the 19th century - not to mention the 10,000 years or so of history prior to that - and the society we have created for ourselves provides unprecendented levels of freedom,comfort, security and human dignity for everyone, including the sick.

So, you can either complain about how crap "the system" is or you can come up with a better alternative.

What you really should do is join the Peace Corp and go abraod to help those who are not fortunate enough to live in a society like ours.

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But, Barney...

by nonanarchist Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 at 11:23 PM

...they already think they have better alternatives.

Socialism.

Communism.

Anarchy.

They really, honestly, truly think that any one of these is superior to what we've got now, all historical evidnece to the contrary.

No, any failures already experienced by these systems is because they weren't implemented "purely".

Next time, they'll do it right. Honest.

Furthermore, they just plain like complaining. They remain convinced that the current system is evil, that they are being "repressed", that fascism is just around the corner if not here already.

So they sit around and talk about it.

That's as close as any of them are ever going to get to taking action to bring about their "perfect societies".

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no clues for the ignorant

by more rational Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 6:13 PM

Barney and nonanarchist are just defending their decision to be apathetic or to participate within the system, by claiming that there are no projects that promote a better society. Barney is also encouraging atomization -- to think of your entire world as "your family" rather than your community or your land or planet. You're both tools for the status quo.

There are many efforts to counteract the horrible damage inflicted on society by business. There are organizations that educate workers exploited by sweatshop businesses. There are ongoing fights against Wal-Mart. People start businesses that try hard to make products without relying on the extreme exploitation of their workers. Pacifists have valiantly fought, at all levels, against the gigantic corporate welfare program called the Military-Industrial War Machine. Liberals are (finally) starting to identify social leeches like Enron, Bechtel, and Haliburton for what they are -- business-class parasites on the regular folks who have to fly coach.

The alternative to this crap is simple: stay the course. Keep reducing pollution. Keep improving education. Keep hammering at GW Bush and his asshole friends. Keep protesting the war. Keep fighting for more library hours. Keep arguing for a balanced budget. Keep looking for sweatshop-free products. Keep going to the PTA. Keep on telling each other that if it weren't for us, the boss wouldn't be making his money. Keep on starting the projects that are going to change the world.

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^

by nonanarchist Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 7:04 PM

"... by claiming that there are no projects that promote a better society."

Uh, no, that's not what I said. Perhaps if you'd actually read what I wrote, instead of knee-jerking as soon as you read the byline on my post, you'd have noticed that.

I wrote that socialism, communism, and anarchy are demonstrably failed political systems that have no chance whatsoever of producing the kind of opportunities for success that capitalism has, that their adherents attempt to explain away their failures, and that the closest any one of their proponents will ever come to action is sitting around and talking about it.

Clear now?

Sheesh...and you call ME ignorant...

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hey shithead

by daveman Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 9:56 PM

Define the word "success" for me "nonanarchist"

Is it the same for you as for everyone else?

Please elaborate on your point.

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Circle going nowhere

by Barney Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 10:41 PM

This argument is going nowhere. especially when leftist psuedo-intellectuals are putting words in my mouth. I was not advocating "atomization", I was saying that when one has a family of their own their view of the world alters radically. That's why the only people complaining about "the system" are young single people....

The rest of us know that we've never had it so good, and we are ever mindful of the nightmare that was human existence in times past. We all want a better world, but let's hold off on the US for a while, at least until we manage to help the rest of the world to lift itself out of poverty.

Of course, as we all know, the only way achieve that irrevocably is through capitalism.

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Hey, daveman (anybody remember when that handle was being used by a cool guy?)

by nonanarchist Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 11:23 PM

My definition of success:

To be able to do what you want (within reason...no armed robbery, etc.). To rise to whatever level you wish...whether in business, the arts, science, whatever. To provide comfortably for your family. To be secure in your future. To be able to enjoy life.

Now: kindly point out to me any of the wonderful socialist and communist societies where this definition is valid. Don't bother looking for anachistic societies; there haven't been any worth noting.

What's your definition, potty mouth?

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What light through yonder window breaks?

by Viewpoint Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 at 11:58 PM

Interesting. The salesmen for the Status Quo are studiously avoiding the very realy issues implied in the article heading this thread.

You can be a slave, or you can be free.

The price of freedom is a lot of hard work. Educate yourself. Read, Ponder, Act.

Think for yourself.

That is the first revolutionary act. It is perhaps the most revolutionary act as all others follow it.

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but Mr. Viewpoint

by Sheepdog Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 12:05 AM

Why think for ourselves when we have Airman Airpockets and But Admirer spinning their self congradulatory opinions as the only riech answer? That would be un American....

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Twlight Zone

by barf Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 12:18 AM

>The first principle of people control is not to let them know you are controlling them.

This statement is the first sign of pananoia. It goes down hill from there.

Nice fluff piece for the congregation of those who are already believers. Spaghetti dinner in the fellowship hall afterwards.

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nessie says

by Sheepdog Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 12:23 AM

If you are paranoid, you only need to be correct once.

And because you may be paranoid ( I do a humble bow ) it does not mean that forces are not aligned against you.

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also....

by Sheepdog Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 12:29 AM

he commented that people who are not paranoid are called victims.

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TZ

by barf Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 9:36 AM

>nessie says

Who cares?!?

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Translation

by Translator Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 2:38 PM

Barf's barf amounts to: Don't look at that man behind the curtain!

Stop thinking it hurts.

Go back to sleep.

All is well - trust me I'm from the Government.

I won't cum in your mouth.

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Translation

by barf Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 3:09 PM

No, really what it means is what it says, that is, I don't care what nessie said.

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I come here to IMC every day...

by Max Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 at 4:28 PM

and exert my control over the mindless leftists. It's a lot of fun. I say "jump" and they say "how high?"

I have them all believing that corporations are the evil beasts hell bent on destroying the world, and that socialism and anarchy are the ways of the future.

The author has one thing right about control though. Amuse them. And with leftists, the task is fairly easy.

Simple minds are simply amused.



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so wrong

by more rational Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 12:47 AM

Barney - I've been to many anti-war demos and know that a lot of people there are parents. They bring their kids. Most of the people showing up are middle aged.

Also, many of the progressives I've met are scientists and engineers, or have science and technology educations. They're technical people who dare to dream a future where technology is put to use for human betterment, and not war.

Some are also poets. Shakespeare was a poet.

Your faith in capitalism is misplaced. A more "pure" form of capitalism was brought to its knees in the Great Depression, and rescued by the expenditure of WW2, and the institution of vast social programs that redistributed wealth to the working people.

Corporations are not "evil," they are amoral - they act in their own interest to make a profit and accumulate capital. They make their money by extracting resources from the planet, applying human labor and technology to them, creating "value," and then returning the resources to the earth as garbage. Somewhere in there, human psychology creates the Hummer and prices it at 50k, cheap food, and also creates poverty, pollution, and the defilement of the earth.

The idea that "everyone can be rich" is a fantasy. The idea, however, that nobody should be excessively poor, is an achievable goal. Look at Canada. I got lost in a "ghetto" up there once, and didn't realize it for a while, because it was relatively clean and felt safe.

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about Paranoia

by Enlighten the Truth Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 1:42 PM

1)paranoid ~ a medical term applied to someone who mistakenly fears being persecuted by others... followed, spied upon, stalked, threatened, etc.

2)opposite of paranoid ~ sorry, there is no medical term in the English language for someone properly reacting to ACTUAL persecution. Some say 'cautious' is the word, but ONLY the victim seems to use that word, usually in self defense against suggestions of being paranoid. Why? Our civilization, certainly as exemplified by professionals within law enforcement, the courts, and medical institutions, simply does not want to believe in conspiracy or bogeymen. If you ask for help, you are simply dismissed as being paranoid, even if you have proof to the contrary -- they don't want to hear it, and the victim is victimized a second time in a whole new way.

On the other hand... metanoia is an illness defined as 'the belief that everyone is good/benign and the world/universe only wants to help you' regardless of the reality. This is the TRUE opposite of paranoia but represents an inverse illness. Excuse me for saying it, but this would seem to be the state of mind of all law enforcement, media, and medical professionals: thus by their behavior, it is THEY who are mentally ill!

Paranoia is, unfortunately, a necessary part of antagonist-based problems. Normally, and according to most dictionaries, the terms imply an irrational belief or state of delusion, believing in the reality of an imagined situation. But this is problematic and inappropriate to persons who actually face a real problem ó one not imagined. Third persons not experiencing or witnessing first hand the reality of the victim, in absence of such evidence, all too easily assume the iones.

Specifically, paranoia is marked by heightened awareness, increased caution, and machinations over uncertainties and suspicions about the true nature of events and intentions of persons encountered in day-to-day experiences. A paranoid individual literally looks over his shoulder, continually wanting to know who is doing what, and what potential danger or dark purpose may be associated with it. Often, otherwise innocent activities take on a sinister potential when filtered through an activated imagination (which, in real situations of danger not born of paranoia, is a necessary step in order to foresee dangerous possibilities.) The problem is, that in terms of behavior, there is absolutely no visible behavioral difference between a delusional paranoid with a mental problem and a person experiencing the actual events in a real life-threatening situation. It is differentiated only by point of view (POV.)

Unfortunately, a basis for ascribing the paranoia term to those with real life situational experiences is all too easy to embrace. If one really is being followed, investigated, or pursued, paranoid behavior is not an illness, but merely an appropriate behavioral response to real experiences. But, as the behavior is observable and the experience driving it is typically not visible, there is a kind of flip-flop of truth and logic in place. While true paranoia is not common, nor natural in the mentally healthy, these same individuals will, under the uncommon circumstance of a true problem, naturally exhibit the same traits.

This can result in travesties of justice. Paranoia is all too often the first assumption made by professional law enforcement and others when called upon for help. As soon as you mention being followed or other atypical situations, you earn the label of paranoid, and thereby become discredited and ignored within social systems. This means not only receiving no help or useful sympathy when most needed but also, it often means actual persecutions and endangerments of all manner. Anything from hurtful jokes to forced treatment within the mental health system can result.

Society simply wishes to deny the possible existence of bogey men and dark conspiracies so much it refuses even to name the concept. But conspiracies and antagonists do exist.

Excerpt from the book The Professional Paranoia.

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Oh that's rich

by fresca Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 2:22 PM

"But you left out the fear factory where we are told that evil lurks beyond the light and only our leaders can protect us."

That's rich, coming from the guy who fears just about EVERY movement outside his house and every typed word on the computer is more proof of a constant onslaught of conspiracies against him.

Christ, sheep, considering how many hours you claim to be "researching" your fantasies you spend nearly all day manufacturing fear.

I believe you thrive on it.

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Freca , freca fresca

by Blue key Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 3:12 PM

"Christ, sheep, considering how many hours you claim to be "researching" your fantasies you spend nearly all day manufacturing fear. "

And…

What about you?

How many hours, day’s mouths you spend in IMC "fighting" with your personal ghosts in a irrational battle.

What is you bizarre propose?

Fresca, you’re truly ill.

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Gotta be kidding me

by fresca Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 5:28 PM

Blue Key...or should I call you sheepdog?...how much time do you think it takes me to post about 10 times (at max) here throughout a day.

Now how long do you think it takes sheep, er, you, to scour the internet and KPFK archives and Chomsky "books" and any number of other sources of conspiracy and delusion only to colate and copy and paste them all back here?

Face it...I'm not the one living in some state of obsessive compulsive fear of "them".

My biggest fear at the moment is whether the Ynakees are going to win or lose...not some utter nonsense about the "NWO" and Chemtrails.

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fresca

by fresca Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 5:36 PM

Yankees are gonna win.

Told ya buddy, it's the damn pinstripes.

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Freca , freca fresca

by Blue Key Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 7:02 PM

“Blue Key...or should I call you sheepdog? “

I’m NOT sheepdog.

“...how much time do you think it takes me to post about 10 times (at max) here throughout a day. “

I don’t know…Maybe all day?

“Now how long do you think it takes sheep, er, you, to scour the internet and KPFK archives and Chomsky "books" and any number of other sources of conspiracy and delusion only to colate and copy and paste them all back here? “

Obviously, asses don’t learn.

“Face it...I'm not the one living in some state of obsessive compulsive fear of "them".

I’m NOT.

I’m happy.

I’m fine.

I’m a free spirit .

And...what about you?

You fight day by day with your personal vision of you bizarre reality .

Face it...Fresca, you live in a perpetual state of denial. Sad.

“My biggest fear at the moment is whether the Ynakees are going to win or lose...not some utter nonsense about the "NWO" and Chemtrails. “

Terrible!!

Little tiny brain. !!!

What a fucking loser!!!!

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well

by fresca Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 7:06 PM

"Yankees are gonna win.

Told ya buddy, it's the damn pinstripes.

"

You're probably right. Although it's probably more due to Jeter and Rivera than the pinstripes, but who knows?

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Blue Key

by nonanarchist Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 7:29 PM

"You fight day by day with your personal vision of you bizarre reality .

Face it...Fresca, you live in a perpetual state of denial. Sad."

[...]

"Terrible!!

Little tiny brain. !!!

What a fucking loser!!!!"

Tell me this...what is it about you libbies/annies that forces you to think that anyone who disagrees with you is a loser, unintelligent, in denial, and disconnected from reality? Not to mention a paid shill, Brown Shirt, etc.

Can't you understand that we Just. Don't. Agree. With. You.

And for reasons that are quite clear and firmly grounded in reality.

Why can't you understand that? Are you so arrogantly sure of your superiority that anyone who doesn't agree with you must be damaged goods?

Please explain this mindset. It's truly baffling. Your tolerance for other viewpoints is remarkably underwhelming.

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Your last drivel

by Mirror on the wall Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 at 11:56 PM

Hi, nonanarchist, nice to meet you!

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The Mirror Crack'd

by nonanarchist Friday, Oct. 24, 2003 at 7:56 AM

Why is it drivel?

Don't just hurl pointless insults. Tell me why.

You do have an actual reason for insulting me, right? It's not just a knee-jerk reaction? You actually disagree with what I wrote, and have valid reasons for doing so?

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