'Death to dissenters. It's for your own good.'

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

I do find it somewhat perplexing — and occasionally amusing — how self-proclaimed freedom-loving liberals demand that others follow their path. At times, this is seen in a passive-aggressive manner. However, more frequently these days it's simply done aggressively; there's nothing passive about it whatsoever.

'That's my boy, Bart. Just comply. Life shall be easier then.'

It's no longer a case — as at least it seemed to be only a decade or so ago — of being open to alternative views when there is no conclusive evidence that one belief is the real truth, with all others simply wrong. No. The tone of this pugnacious proselytising wouldn't be out of place in the days of Europe's Reformation and subsequent Counter-Reformation.

Only EU can make the darkness bright

From an Irish perspective, more understandable as it is with its quite incestuous media and politics, we've seen it with Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic. I have tried, from afar, to provide a little bit of balance as regards the latter (see https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2022/01/covid-19-anti-vaxxers-immunity-my-chat.html).

With Brexit, OK, there is the old quip that Britain's, nay England's, difficulty is Ireland's opportunity. There is, after all, a long bloody history between the two islands (there's been much intermingling of a more peaceful variety, too). So, despite the better relations that have developed between them over the last couple of generations, many Irish still have a deep-rooted desire to see England fail.

Add in the fact that most of Ireland's agenda-setters naively see the European Union as a rock of rectitude and it's not surprising to find such a hostile attitude towards Brexit. (If I had to choose one over the other, seeing the direction of travel of the EU and playing the long game, I'd opt for Britain over a Europe dominated by France and Germany. For one, the traditional common law approach tends to defend the individual more so than civil law.)

Coming back to the pandemic and zooming out from Ireland to a global level, to go against the narrative of lockdowns being a necessary evil, that they were the 'only viable option', was akin to blasphemy. As early as March 2020 I questioned this wisdom in Coronavirus' collateral damage.

'These facemask fascists, rather than castigate others for not "complying", should stick a sock in it, quite literally.'

Some commentators who submissively went along with all this back then are now, however, trying to rewrite their own history.

Some, that is. Others, those who seem to think that covid-19 is the only threat to human life, appear to want to have indefinite lockdowns. 'Can't everybody just work from home?' Eh, no, they can't.

Such types also tend to be facemask fascists. 'I care about others, that's why I wear a facemask.' Wonderful. The snag here is that there is no conclusive evidence that a piece of cloth wrapped around one's mouth and nose is truly effective in reducing the spread of coronavirus.

Indeed, there are so many variables at play that any study showing a benefit in this regard comes with numerous caveats. (For a detailed breakdown of such studies carried out so far, see https://brownstone.org/articles/more-than-150-comparative-studies-and-articles-on-mask-ineffectiveness-and-harms/. Also, https://emilyburns.substack.com/p/no-masks-dont-help-keep-kids-in-school).

Thus, if people want to wear a facemask because it makes them feel safer or more virtuous, fine. However, this castigating of others who don't wear them, well, such facemask fascists should stick a sock in it, quite literally.

'A jab a day keeps Pfizer in play'

Then there are the covid-19 vaccines. Considering the number of breakthrough infections we've seen, this idea that prevails in significant quarters that an unvaccinated person is more of a risk to him/herself and society in general compared to a vaccinated person just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Personally, and so far it seems to be holding true, my immunity or whatever natural defences I have against covid may be stronger than that of many of those who have had multiple vaccines.

Yet, the covid-19 vaccine-mandate brigade continues to exert a significant influence across the globe. They insist that the benefits outweigh the risks in all cases, when there is strong evidence that suggests otherwise, particularly the lower down the age cohorts one goes. (For more on that, see https://brownstone.org/articles/are-the-covid-mrna-vaccines-safe/.)

Now, while not all who endorse compulsory vaccination and mask-wearing are woke, illiberal leftists, there does certainly appear to be a substantial crossover.

These attempts at control, to force submission and/or destroy the credibility of the dissenters match nicely with the woke ideology.

Such types talk of equality and freedom but on their highly prejudiced terms only. (I went into more detail on this in Drunk almost to death on the culture wars.)

Putting an optimistic spin on it, it would appear the ordinary Joe and Josephine don't really go along with those who follow a more militaristic line on the above and other similarly contentious issues.

The average, informed citizen seems to realise that these matters are more nuanced than they are often portrayed. It's not, so to put it, 'everything black, good; everything white, bad.'

The problem, particularly in the West, is that in the traditional media and politics — spheres that exert much influence of course — there's an over-representation of these illiberal liberals.

Thus, it's incumbent on those of us of a more balanced nature to push back at every opportunity. Death awaits us regardless, so we might as well go down putting up a fight.
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The West "woke" to its demise

@wwaycorrigan

[Listen to an audio version of this blog entry here.]

'Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.'

That's one of many maxims from Mark Twain. Were he to be with us today, it's safe to assume that he would be siding with the majority when it comes to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Dark days for the West. Is it capable of recovering its vigour? (Image from Pexels.)

Russian, rush out?

Personally, having become accustomed to being against most of the legacy media in much of their reporting and their general stance as regards the coronavirus pandemic, that I find myself largely in agreement with them now in terms of the anti-Putin coverage seems rather strange.

Reading the full translated text of Vladimir Putin's speech as he outlined his reasons for the assault, looking at things from a distance and being far from an expert on the subject, his pretext for war really does seem absurd.

For sure, as it is for most things in life and as history has repeatedly shown us, it's not a case of one side utterly evil, the other side without any fault whatsoever.

However, while Putin speaks of neo-Nazis in Ukraine who would love nothing more than to see Russia obliterated — of which there perhaps are such types at some level — it has been his own Adolf Hitler-esque utterances and actions that lead one to the conclusion that he has lost it.

'Decisively is the operative word here. Deranged and miscalculated as it may be, Putin has acted. He's not a ditherer.'

Had this been a preemptive hit one could understand it more so. Strike before being struck. Yet, from the perspective of facing an actual military invasion, Moscow's move was unprovoked.

Of course, those defending Putin's actions say that a gradual squeeze has continuously been put on Russia from the West, in various ways. The Kremlin's ability to push back has been getting weaker.

Also, Europe's dependence on Russian gas, a powerful card as it is for Putin, isn't going to stay in his hand forever. So, the thought process must have been, 'act decisively now, or never.'

Betwixt and be Twain

Decisively is the operative word here. Deranged and miscalculated as it may be, Putin has acted. He's not a ditherer.

OK, when one is a dictator of a relatively powerful state, one doesn't have to worry about following everyday rules and regulations, never mind international law. 

The West, on the other hand, with all the caveats in viewing it as one united bloc in mind, is often hindered by its own well-meaning but at times pernicious laws.

What's more, whilst Western leaders are quick to talk up the virtues of their democracy, freedom and pluralism, they tend to suffer from long-sightedness. That is to say, they come out fighting — in word if not in deed — where they see such values under attack afar, but do little to address falling standards at home.

Over the last few years, it's almost as if many in the West have felt the end of history actually has been reached. 

The agenda-setting comfortable classes and elite in high-income nations, rather than concern themselves with deadly issues such as actual war and vast inequality, have focused on what at best can be described as fringe issues (read identity politics in its various forms here).

Instead of being liberating forces, they've been putting up barriers where none had really existed. (See https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2020/08/forget-novel-coronavirus-novel-first.html and https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2021/06/hold-tight-worst-is-yet-to-come.html for more context here.)

Seen in such a light, Putin's decision to invade Ukraine and his threat to those in the West who may dare to physically counterattack makes some sense.

Politically, the West has been weakened on the alter of irrational wokeness. One could go as far as to say that many of the policies that leaders from Warsaw to Washington have been implementing of late go against the very values they claim to uphold.

In this sense, whilst condemning Putin's actions one can also take the time to, as Twain put it, 'pause and reflect' and ask what exactly our own camp is trying to achieve. Beware of that majority mob.
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Facebook: Wrong Way Corrigan — The Blog & IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz".

 

Coronavirus fallout: The virtue-signalling pandemic

There has been much comment in recent weeks about a coming great change in how we humans conduct our affairs once we get through this coronavirus chaos.

It's a belief that a return to the status quo before the virus crisis is practically impossible.

Colombia's tiendas are silent right now, but is there a brighter future ahead for all?

Our microscopic enemy is viewed as the necessary evil to make us alter our harmful ways. It's a comforting thought as many of us try to get through this uncertain and unsettling period. 

Maybe, just maybe, as Bill Gates advised a few years back, our leaders will focus more on ensuring we have healthcare systems that are better equipped to deal with crises like the one we're currently experiencing.

Health or wealth?

From a military perspective, many of the world's richest nations can, in the event of a threat, rely in double-quick time on very effective, ultra-modern attack and defence mechanisms. Yet, when it comes to the health of their citizens, they are found badly wanting.

It has certainly been eyebrow-raising to see how in these unprecedented times, basically at the mere clearing of one's throat (it wasn't a cough, honestly), trillions of dollars have been made available to help the most vulnerable in society when heretofore we were constantly being told the money simply wasn't there.

'There has been some nauseating taking of the moral high ground during this coronavirus crisis.'

On a broader scale, however, it would appear that many of those saying the world will never be the same again are the very ones whose lifestyles have been the most damaging to the planet and, by extension, human society. They are also the ones who, more than likely, will find it more difficult to change their ways.

The double-standard, do-gooder brigade you could call them.

Indeed, there's been an amount of virtue signalling during this time where anything up to a half of the world's population is in lockdown or quarantine.

'How come you've been out walking? Just stay at home, for goodness' sake. I haven't stepped outside the house for six days in a row.'

'Well done you. I hope you washed your hands well after having your food delivered by some random lad with perhaps questionable hygiene and/or social distancing standards.'

It's this nauseating taking of the moral high ground by some because they have been able not to leave their houses for days on end. 

The thing is, there's a fair chance that a number of those voluntarily (for in most countries, at the very least you're allowed out to get essential supplies) cocooning themselves at home for weeks isn't too far removed from their normal lives.

Not only can they work from home but they enjoy doing so. What's more, their house is their home, they feel entirely comfortable there.

Worthless

For others, and there are plenty of them here in Colombia, working from home is simply not an option. Also, their lodgings are just that, a place to sleep and perhaps cook, but were never envisaged as or equipped to be somewhere to spend the majority of their time.

You see, many of the strict temporary measures currently in force across the world have been taken by relatively well-off people in rather comfortable environments. They have little to no idea of what it's like to truly struggle.

'Without recalibrating our values we're set to continue where we left off.'

Those who do struggle to make ends meet — some temporary government support that's really only tokenism to get through the lockdown aside — are feeling it the most right now, and always have.

They don't have the luxury of trying to change their lives 'for the betterment of all on the planet' post this coronavirus crisis. It will be a case of trying to get back to mediocrity whenever the normal rhythm returns.

If our wealthier folk do really try to change their lives, cut out the excessive materialism, reduce overall consumption, then, in theory, there should be more resources to go around to improve the lot for the less well-off 80 per cent. A more balanced wealth distribution that is to say.

Yet, in a world where many in that 80 per cent bracket worship as gods outrageously paid young men kicking a ball of air around a field or an equally overpaid person who looks good on the big or small screen, it's hard to be too optimistic.

Without a significant recalibration of our values, we're set to carry on where we left off before coronavirus got under our collective skin.
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