It is one of the essential roles of the movement’s leadership to detach their followers from reality. The quality of ideas seems to play a minor role in mass movement leadership. What counts is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of the opinion of others, the single handed defiance of the world.”
Eric Hoffer, The True Believer, 1951
“An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but the only sign it will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah."
Matthew 12:39
"The more selfish you are, the more involved life becomes. The one who does most to avoid suffering is, in the end, the one who suffers the most: and his suffering comes to him from things so little and so trivial that one can say that it is no longer objective at all. It is his own existence, his own being, that is at once the subject and the source of his pain, and his very existence and consciousness is his greatest torture.
Thomas Merton, The Sign of Jonas, 1953
"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man."
Samuel Johnson, Anecdotes of the Revd. Percival Stockdale, 1809
These individuals fear that introspection will expose their fragile self-worth. Their outward arrogance serves as a protective layer over deep-seated insecurities. Rather than confronting their true selves, they construct grandiose self-images and project their fears onto others. This projection manifests in accusations and erratic behavior designed to maintain control and avoid feelings of insignificance. Attention — positive or negative — is their lifeline; they will go to great lengths to ensure they are noticed.
Ultimately, their behavior is the antithesis of true leadership, which is rooted in service to others. As philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer noted: 'Where there is a great deal of pride or vanity, there also will be a great desire for vengeance.' Given their destructive nature, the best course of action is to avoid them entirely."
Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, Unmasking the malignant narcissist, February 2025
"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that Love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.”
Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island, 1955
The PPI came in this morning on the higher side of inflationary.
Stocks flopped into the weekend, although there some half-hearted attempts to support them.
The Dollar chopped around as usual, and ended largely unchanged.
Gold and silver rallied sharply, going out on their highs.
Silver is on its way to triple digits.
Bitcoin continues to wobble within a relatively tight trading range.
Playing that range has been a modest but steady source of income for my trading account.
And the wiseguys are playing it as well, and this is probably the reason for it.
People are losing their moral compass, mesmerized by a torrent of lies and distractions.
There is a cult like minority that has pledged to worship the darkness. All they have are delusions and lies and temptations.
The sign of Jonah. Three days of darkness and terror. And then comes the dawn.
All things of the world must pass. The proud and powerful are passing, and will soon be a distant memory.
Nations fall, and their high ambitions are nothing but a dissipating vanity.
"Let us feel what we really are — sinners attempting great things. Let us simply obey God's will, whatever may come. He can turn all things to our eternal good. Easter day is preceded by the forty days of Lent, to show us that they only who sow in tears shall reap in joy. The more we do, the more shall we trust in Christ; and that leads to soothe our selfish restlessness, and forget our fears, in the vision of the Incarnate Son of God." John Henry Newman
Have a care for your soul, and the love in your heart.
Have a pleasant weekend.
