It’s becoming more clear every day that our predilection to interact by means of identifying with ideas and then battling to have our ideas prevail does not address any of the dire circumstances we find our selves in.

I see this as it touches on each of us as individuals. It divides us from each other, even as it divides our own selves. It promotes a view of the world and how it works that does not function. If it did, no one would need to convince me. It would be clear. Problem solved….

Instead, this view that we are separate and surrounded by problems in need of solutions that we then argue over and attempt to gather adherents for, has led to an escalating worsening of our conditions by any measure we care to take.

As you look at what I present here, and on my other sites, if there’s one thing you glean from any of this:

None of it is intended to persuade!

If you’re looking for more of the same, for another package of opinions to add to the pile of consumable roles to try on.

You will be disappointed.

These aren’t opinions. These are descriptions. There’s a difference.

This difference is significant.

You will either bring some outside measure to validate what you find here or you will look and see for yourself. Either way, I have no control, and the illusion of persuasion – along with its powerful cousin coercion – won’t change that.

You will believe what you believe.

Perhaps you will find somethings here that resonates with your own understanding. There is a big difference between that and a passive consumption of opinions and information.

One way to tell the difference is to look at assumptions made regarding your intelligence. Look at any advertising.

Advertising assumes you are inadequate, stupid.

Advertisers count on it. If you can’t be persuaded that you are stupid, and therefore available to control, you are no good to them. Their attacks on you, no matter how sweetly they may be couched as only wanting to help you, signal to anyone who trusts their own mind that,

Your well-being is the last thing they care about.

This is true no matter what the source of the attempt to persuade.

If someone or some institution seeks to persuade you of something, look deeper.

How are they invested in keeping you down?

One of the ways we are discouraged, dissuaded from asking this question and seeing how widespread this is, is by the underlying invitation to complicity that comes with each appeal.

“You know you do this too.” They say.

“How else can you possibly live?” They demand.

“Trust me…”

“This time it will be different,”

It’s the toe-in-the-doorway. If they can get you to accept this, they’re in.

We have a choice.

One of the few actual choices available once we begin to see through the camouflage of unlimited free choice always before us, “Just take advantage of this limited-time offer…”

No one can change our minds.

We can only be taken if we give away our own strength.

We don’t owe anyone an explanation!

Explanation is another part of the bait-and-switch. Explanation puts us on the defensive. It doesn’t work. The only way it can appear to work is if we align our selves with those seeking to take advantage of us. Once we succumb to explanation we’re playing their game.

It’s a game to them. To me it’s my life.

We may be surrounded by this noise. It is meant to seem impenetrable. That’s the underlying despair its generators rely on to keep us focused on satisfying their desires over meeting our own needs.

The story goes,

“Don’t despair!

Let us sell you hope!

Anything else would be giving up.

Follow me!”

It’s a lie all of it.

You can discover this on your own.

One clue can be found in the glimmer of joy that comes when we begin to see through their act….