Must be the Season of the Witch

It may be that humans are hard wired to seek and serve shamans, witch doctors, priests, psychics, holy men of any sort cloaked in various disguises. We seem to love ritual, superstition, and the idea that certain others have inside knowledge we could never understand. Perhaps it is because it is part of the state of being alive and human to feel like there is more to the picture than meets the eye. Many things in our lives point to that concept. At least it is so in my life.

A certain defensiveness goes with that. What I consider to be misguided use of the Bible, Koran or even the Constitution is to some grounds for a fight. Usually these things cannot be reasoned out because the book or document itself becomes a talisman by many, and usually they know nothing of the history of the item, or its contents.

How many have sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States who have never read it, and don't grasp its intent? Or don't agree with its intent? Two of the last two presidents, without a doubt.

People have been ruled by these things throughout history, although some of those who wrote our constitution were attempting to break that spell. Their work was monumental and extremely clever, but as far as it ever really taking hold in a durable fashion, I'm afraid they failed. Even at the outset, compromises which were completely against the philosophical basis of the document were made which haunted us ever since.

Over time, people have become even less ready for such a radical departure from rule over their lives by charlatans and thieves chanting gibberish, wearing impressive robes, and claiming special powers or knowledge. Even the civilizations of ancient Mexico and Central America were run by rulers who were in league with mystics and priests. No one dared question too much in Aztec related civilizations any more than in the lands of the Inquisition.

Although times have supposedly changed, they really haven't. Probably more people are radically religious than they were in much of the early United States. If they aren't hard core in one church or another they are largely in superstitious awe of science. The way the words "scientist" and "science" are bandied about, they've lost much of their meaning.

When politicians use the terms "science" and "scientists" they tend to cast a mystic twist on it. I don't really know what constitutes a scientist as opposed to someone simply trying to figure something out, unless it is that a scientist must have some connection to government and supply an excuse for robbing citizens.

Since those scientists who dispute the findings of scientists who provide those in power with excuses to grab more power are shut up, and dismissed as quacks or non-existent, regardless of reason or documentation, one can only assume that their dissension disqualifies them to be called "scientists".

Part of that hard wiring seems to include a need for words which identify nebulous, larger than life, things not understood by the masses. Yet the masses will believe whatever is said about such things. The economy for example. No one knows what that is any more. We just know it needs fixing, jump starting, stimulating, and some kind of vague sacrifice that we all must make in order to appease the angry forces which control it.

I was an econ major (among other things) and I can't say any more what constitutes the economy. Well, I guess I could, and have, but I could not say in terms that take into account a world run by thugs. Free market economics, contrary to popular (fallacious) belief, is not predicated upon thievery, dishonesty, or force. The system which has evolved is largely based upon those things. That and the old trick of the mystic shamans in impressive robes casting spells and incantations.

Today, in America, those charlatans have titles like secretary of the treasury, chairman of the Fed, etc. And people sincerely look to them as supernatural beings who will make it all better, ignoring the fact that those are really the people who made it what it is.

I keep hearing news people say things like, "the greed in the banking industry that created this crisis". It was not so much the greed in the banking industry as it was the corruption and abuse of power in government. And the incredible belief on the part of many in the public that they could live well beyond their means and that it was their right to do so. It's hard to con an honest person. One who is not expecting something for nothing.

We do not have an economic crisis so much as we have a philosophical crisis. When society ceased to build upon the idea of maximizing the freedom of, and protecting the rights of the individual in favor of making the individual subject to the whims and wishes of the collective, the die was cast.

That necessitated an increase in the power of a ruling class to decide what was for the "higher good". Goodbye limits which were so carefully and strictly placed on the central government. Some people like it and enjoy fitting in. They don't mind all the intrusion into everyday life. Those are the same ones who aren't troubled by random roadblocks in the name of the better good, or licenses for everything from doing business of any kind to fishing.

The fastest growing religion in the country is collectivism. It's a sort of worship of government. Very little thought is given to the wasted time and money spent on things which, given the choice, few would be willing to reach into their pockets to fund. I'd rather no relative of mine be a prostitute, but I'd not pay to arrest someone who chose to do that. I'd kick her off my street if she was parading and soliciting but that's another issue. Same for much in the realm of drugs.

I'd not willingly pay a dime to support any other country. Certainly not to bring in lunatics from the fanatic groups of the mid east. All the money from us which has gone into building up the power of religious fanatics and religious states is baffling. Most of what is done with tax money I'd not pay for given a choice. Roads and DEFENSE, not the evangelical spread of "democracy" (whatever that even means when coming from the puppets in DC) Selling bullets is big business. Maybe it is a gift to some new modern gods.

Government has done far more to promote drug trade than to stop it, yet they've used it as an excuse to infringe on the rights of all.

I'm not one of those who goes along with that line about not being bothered by searches if I have nothing to hide. I don't recognize the right of the government to make me prove innocence or ask permission to live free. Of course, there are those who love to play devil's advocate when a statement like that is made, because they do not grasp what freedom means. They assume that means you step on the rights of others. It doesn't. Just the opposite.

But being free means you may not choose to worship the larger than life spectacle which assures us we are in crisis if they don't do something very stupid with our money and our lives. The smokescreens todays shamans use to avoid being seen for what they are astound me. Like the latest one with the guy who is attorney general trying to stir racial animosity. If race shouldn't be an issue then don't insist on making it one.

I figure that was just payback to Jesse and Al for supporting Obama's candidacy. His victory could have potentially hurt their business tremendously had he played it straight. But he isn't. His cabinet reflects his agenda, so he bears responsibility. I do not hold him responsible for the idiocy of Congress, but his philosophy is of the same totalitarian bent.

No need to worry. If we all just hope and believe, spending by an institution which creates and produces nothing will reduce its debt and make it worth more, and that will make it better for all the people who have nothing whatsoever to do with the "public sector". Who first came up with that BS of public sector and private sector in economics. Was it Keynes? Maybe Galbraith or possibly Stalin. The only sector that creates is private unless you nationalize all producers. And then you stifle true growth, innovation, and motivation. It doesn't entirely eliminate it, but enough to make some people go underground.

One example is the green energy bit that these thieves are blubbering about. No question there is energy to be had in the wind for example. Also no question that current designs suck. But GE makes those things and stands to benefit by federal programs designed to keep the same basic technology, just more of it. It's voodoo engineering.

We got voodoo science, voodoo engineering, and voodoo economics. It's definitely the season of the witch.