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A Great Madness Sweeps the Land (Charles Hugh Smith)
Of Two Minds Blog ^ | December 13, 2022 | Charles Hugh Smith

Posted on 12/20/2022 8:14:17 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin

Those who see the madness for what it is have only one escape: go to ground, fade from public view, become self-reliant and weather the coming storm in the nooks and crannies.

A great madness sweeps the land. There are no limits on extremes in greed, credulity, convictions, inequality, bombast, recklessness, fraud, corruption, arrogance, hubris, pride, over-reach, self-righteousness and confidence in the rightness of one's opinions. Extremes only become more extreme even as the folly of previous extremes wearies rationality.

Imaginary sins are conjured out of thin air to convict the innocent while those guilty of the most egregious fraud and corruption are lauded as saviors.

The national mood is aggrieved and bitter. The luxuries of self-righteousness, indignation, entitlement and resentment have impoverished the national spirit. Bankrupted by these excesses, what little treasure remains is squandered on plots of petty revenge.

Blindness to the late hour is cheered as optimism, confidence in the false gods of technology is sanctified while doubters of the technocratic theocracy are crucified as irredeemable infidels.

Witch-hunts and show trials are the order of the day as those who cannot stomach the party line are obsessively purged, as healthy skepticism is condemned as a mortal sin by brittle true believers who secretly fear the failure of their cult.

Mired in a putrid sewer of suspected subversion and disloyalty to The One True Cause, heretics are everywhere to those caught up in the mass hysteria.

In this choking atmosphere of toxic hubris, self-righteousness, indignation, entitlement and resentment, humility is for losers, prudence is for losers, caution is for losers, skeptical inquiry is for losers.

Completely untethered from cause and effect, those confident in the inevitability of a glorious future of unlimited expansion cling to past glory as proof of future glory, even as their hubris leads only to a treacherous path of decay and decline. As they stumble into the abyss, their final cries are of surprise that confidence alone is not enough.

Those who see the madness for what it is have only one escape: go to ground, fade from public view, become self-reliant and weather the coming storm in the nooks and crannies where cause and effect, skeptical inquiry, humility, prudence and thrift can still be nurtured.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Society
KEYWORDS: crimes; greed; punishment; selfreliance; theonetruecause
A kernel of HOPE, here. Don't read this if you're already suicidal about the current state of affairs. ;)
1 posted on 12/20/2022 8:14:18 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

He certainly likes adjectives. But Smith is right that irrationality is on the rise like never before. The left doubles down on double downing is a tell tale sign. No moderation... ever.


2 posted on 12/20/2022 8:20:26 AM PST by BEJ
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To: BEJ

Yep. With worse things to come...


3 posted on 12/20/2022 8:28:32 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Bflr


4 posted on 12/20/2022 8:32:27 AM PST by sauropod (Fascists also buy Comcast cable packages" - Olby - Wanna buy mine?)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

So. From this I conclude, you can’t “beat’ the Madness (or Great Delusion?), you CAN hope to keep a low profile, and elude it, and survive. Madness seems to always consume itself and be destroyed eventually.


5 posted on 12/20/2022 8:34:48 AM PST by William of Barsoom (In Omnia, Paratus)
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To: BEJ
The whole phony "climate crisis" circus is an example of mass psychosis along with it's concomitant "renewable energy" fraud, and EV scam. There are so many ways that windmills and solar panels are inferior to fossil fuel generation and EV's are inferior to ICE vehicles I'm not going to bother to list them; however, apparently a significant fraction of the younger generation believes uncritically in this garbage.

I read that the biggest concern (80%) of americans is the economy, but assuming minimal election fraud (yeah right - I know) the Democrats who are the sole authors of the economic mess we're in now did not get their heads handed to them as they should have.

The emperor is neekid, and the fools still see his clothes.

6 posted on 12/20/2022 8:35:06 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
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To: William of Barsoom

That’s how I’m reading this piece.

IMHO, keeping below the fray is always a wise alternative, in good times and in bad. ;)


7 posted on 12/20/2022 8:39:36 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: from occupied ga

I agree about climate crisis. It’s as phony as the day is long. But it’s almost an unquestionable religious belief today. Many people listen to the msm narrative and believe it’s the truth. They are gullible and never question. And they will be manipulated because of that... sad.


8 posted on 12/20/2022 8:52:42 AM PST by BEJ
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

“Those who see the madness for what it is have only one escape: go to ground, fade from public view, become self-reliant and weather the coming storm in the nooks and crannies.”

It’s only a temporary escape, a tactical retreat. Eventually “they” will find you.

Our only hope is that this cultural revolution will end up consuming itself. Just like the French revolution, and Mao’s cultural revolution did.


9 posted on 12/20/2022 8:53:43 AM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how thery control you. )
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To: aquila48

Our only hope is that this cultural revolution will end up consuming itself. Just like the French revolution, and Mao’s cultural revolution did.

____________

many will die


10 posted on 12/20/2022 8:57:32 AM PST by Chickensoup (Genocide is here. Leftist extremists are spearhheading the Genocide against conservatives. )
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To: from occupied ga

“The whole phony “climate crisis” circus is an example of mass psychosis”

I doubt that many ordinary people believe that we have a climate crisis.


11 posted on 12/20/2022 9:15:01 AM PST by cymbeline
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Fading...
12 posted on 12/20/2022 9:16:04 AM PST by Dust in the Wind (Vote anyway)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Ah, but if you are suicidal and in PRC (Politically Repressive Canaduh), the gubmint will help you achieve your goal! It's called MAID (medical assistance in dying) and FedGouvCan is thrilled with the new, expanded pogrom, er, program!

It has recently been expanded to include those as young as 16, and to those suffering mental illnesses, like depression. Best of all, the 10 day 'cooling off' period has now been removed! You wake up at 6:00 AM and decide to remove yourself from the gene pool, and by noon, you can have a 'doctor' finish you off! Ah, the joys of gubmint health care!

FedGouvCan is so proud of the expanded pogrom, that 'cousellors' from Veterans Affairs Canaduh (VAC) even offer it to Canadian military vets who contact VAC, seeking mental, physical, financial, etc. assistance! FedGouvCan: Treating Canadian vets with the respect and dignity that Prime Mistake True-dolt feels they deserve! What a Man! What a country!

</sarc>

Here is a video from 2018 of Prime Mistake Justin Castro explaining why his gubmint was fighting certain veterans groups. He also talks about giving $10M CDN to Omar Kadr because he was 'tortured'.

You will note that Prime Mistake Cockwomble Castro also speaks of 'services' available to vets for their 'lifetime'. I guess one of those services was offering 'Medical Assistance In Dying' to them! After all, FedGouvCan has to save money on Vets, so they can PAY TO IMPORT UNEDUCATED PEOPLE FROM FOREIGN LANDS THAT HAT OUR CULTURE! Priorities, priorities!

LET'S GO TRUE-DOLT!
TUCK FRUDEAU!

13 posted on 12/20/2022 9:34:37 AM PST by A Formerly Proud Canadian ( Ceterum autem censeo Justinius True-dope-us esse delendam)
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian

Yep. The insanity has spread world-wide. :(


14 posted on 12/20/2022 9:55:14 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: cymbeline
Depends on what you mean by ordinary: look at this table to see that the younger (and obviously more gullible) people do indeed believe in it. In short, the younger the dumber.
15 posted on 12/20/2022 9:59:37 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruQsv709MA0

And slowly you come to realize
It’s all as it should be
You can only do so much
If you’re game enough
You could place your trust in me

For the love of life
There’s a trade off
We could lose it all
But we’ll go down fighting

And what of the children?
Surely they can’t be blamed for our mistakes

And slowly I’ve come to realize
It’s all as it should be
That hiding space, a lonely place
How can the right thing be so wrong?
I’ve found mistakes where they don’t belong

For the love of life
We’ll defeat this
They may tear us down
But we’ll go down fighting
Won’t we?


16 posted on 12/20/2022 10:06:45 AM PST by conservativeimage (For the love of life there's a trade off. We could lose it all but we'll go down fighting. Won't we?)
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To: from occupied ga

Your post is greatly appreciated.


17 posted on 12/20/2022 10:10:29 AM PST by Chgogal (Welcome to Fuhrer Biden's Weaponized Fascist Banana Republic! It's the road to hell..)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Thanks for posting. This guy has articulated a lot of what I have been thinking.


18 posted on 12/20/2022 10:57:35 AM PST by CheshireTheCat ("Forgetting pain is convenient.Remembering it agonizing.But recovering truth is worth the suffering")
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To: from occupied ga

“the younger the dumber.”

The document you referenced tabulated attitudes. For instance, “climate should be top priority”, “engaged on social media”, “should prioritize alternative energy”.

I’d like to know how they’ve changed their lifestyle lately. Bought an EV? Also, they don’t realize what would happen if they had to use only green energy.

These folks are buying lots of non-green SUVs.

Our public voices orchestrated and embellished by the media are a very powerful influence for good or bad.


19 posted on 12/20/2022 11:37:32 AM PST by cymbeline
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To: cymbeline

Typically climate fanatics don’t want to change their lifestyles. They want the government to force you to change yours


20 posted on 12/20/2022 1:31:23 PM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
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