The Conformity Con

and other contrarian views

Progressive or Rightwing tribal allegiances counterbalance one another but align on the same bedrock bias: orthodoxy over dissent.

Conformity rules the roost, boosted by algorithmic reinforcement. Political correctness is a plague on both houses, capturing audiences with trends, both artificial and organic.

Compare traditional “conservative” societies (archaic tribes, the American South, old Quebec, Church and Crown…) with modern “progressive” conformism. In both cases it’s self-reinforcing, ostracizing dissent in the service of in-group bonding, power, advantage.

The progressive conformist feeds off collective dissent to invert the power base. Victimization under the ancien regime becomes the rationale for retributive justice, the power to ostracize in turn, even more self-righteously than their old oppressors, who become the new victims.

But this time will be different!

It’s the great march to the glorious future.

All aboard! – or you’ll get the black train to you-know-where.

In the progressive era, journalism has turned from the voice of scrutiny, the challenge of narrative, to enforcer of the New Improved Narrative, both safe and effective! (collateral damage ineligible for refund unless accepting participation in future trials. For other restrictions that may apply, see below).

Power is gained by those driving enthusiasm (both private and public) for the desirable product, service, or belief system: through crafty emotional message targeting and triggering.

“You get all the benefits!” (Our profits are none of your business).

“Be the change, the vanguard to a great society that respects and supports everyone, no questions asked. Be part of the righteous consensus against the old evil. (Vote for me!)

“Don’t be left behind. Act now!” (and we won’t come after you later.)

As for conservatism, what prevents it from its own repressions, rigid hierarchies, stifling social codes and taboos? Easy to dismiss them from afar, or to chafe under them inside the box. How many of the old rules came with good reason? For some Hawaiian societies, women were forbidden to eat bananas. Why was that? Typical patriarchal BS? Ancient wisdom of biochemistry? It started as a bawdy joke, and caught on?

I prefer inquiry and discernment, to conformity to either camp (the old guard or the vanguard). It’s neither “My country right or wrong” nor “You’ll own nothing and be happy.” When it comes to change, let’s talk. What change were you considering, exactly?

The Empire’s Grail

‘By now it’s clear even for the deaf, dumb and blind that this was never about the Iranian nuclear program, or the “effort” to construct a Trump-owned JCPOA 2.0. It is about the lifelong Zionist axis obsession: regime change in Tehran.

‘That is the Holy Grail, dreamed of since the late 1990s, capable of opening the door for the deeply troubled Empire of Chaos of Iran’s immense wealth in natural resources – from energy to rare earth deposits, thus prolonging the life of the multi-trillion-dollar-indebted Empire.

‘The extra bonuses are even more seductive: cutting off China from a matter of national security – energy imports – and from crucial New Silk Road connectivity corridors, in tandem with opening a monster abscess in Russia’s underbelly. A definitive trifecta blow, in one swoop, to three top BRICS – Iran, Russia, China; to Eurasia integration; and to the drive towards a multi-nodal (italics mine), multipolar system of international relations.’ —Pepe Escobar

Tears of the Crocodile

‘Israel erupted into a flood of crocodile tears today, claiming that the dastardly Iranians bombed a hospital. Man, talk about chutzpah! The Soroka hospital was damaged by a blast wave from an Iranian missile that directly hit the adjacent “Israeli army’s Command and Intelligence headquarters, known as IDF C4I, along with a military intelligence facility located in the Gav-Yam Technology Park.” No one in the hospital was killed by the blast wave.

‘This is a drop in the bucket compared to the carnage the Zionists have inflicted on Gaza. At least 36 hospitals in Gaza have been “bombed and burned” by Israeli military strikes since October 7, 2023. According to the UN Human Rights Office, between October 2023 and December 31, 2024, there were 136 confirmed attacks on 27 hospitals (plus 12 other medical facilities). The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 700 attacks on health care facilities occurred during this period—averaging about one hospital attack every 16 hours. Over 94% of all hospitals in Gaza are now damaged or destroyed, per UN statements.’ —Larry Johnson

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