"Some men want war for sordid, others for idealistic, reasons; some for personal gain, others for impersonal principle. But most of those who consciously want war and accept it, and so help to create its 'inevitability,' want it in order to shift the locus of their problems."
C. Wright Mills, The Causes of World War III, 1960
"If at the start this cancerous growth in the nation was not particularly noticeable, it was only because there were still enough forces at work that operated for the good, so that it was kept under control. As it grew larger, however, and finally in an ultimate spurt of growth attained ruling power, the tumor broke open, as it were, and infected the whole body."
Die Weiße Rose, Second Leaflet, Munich 1942
"We know that the harming or killing of men and women is wrong, and we are reluctant consciously to do what we know to be wrong. But when particular men and women are thought of merely as representatives of a class, which has previously been defined as evil and personified in the shape of a devil, then the reluctance to hurt or murder disappears."
Aldous Huxley, Words and Behaviour, 1936
“Once they’re in power, narcissists consolidate their position by firing everyone who challenges them. In their place rise a plague of toadies, opportunists, and enablers equally guided by self-interest and short on scruples. So you end up with these individualistic cultures with no teamwork and low integrity.
True narcissists, Professor Charles O’Reilly says, are self-serving and lack integrity. 'They believe they’re superior and thus not subject to the same rules and norms. Studies show they’re more likely to act dishonestly to achieve their ends. They know they’re lying, and it doesn’t bother them. They don’t feel shame.
But even worse, narcissists change the companies or countries they lead, much like bad money drives out good, and those changes can outlast their own tenure. Divergent voices are silenced, flattery and servility are rewarded, and cynicism and apathy corrode any sense of shared purpose in a culture where everyone’s out for themselves. In the extreme, they can destroy the institution itself.'"
Lee Simmons, How Narcissistic Leaders Destroy From Within, April 30, 2020
"Whoever today still doubts the reality, the existence of demonic powers, has failed by a wide margin to understand the metaphysical background of this war. Behind the concrete, the visible events, behind all the objective, logical considerations, we find that which goes beyond the merely rational: the struggle against evil, against the servants of the antichrist."
Die Weiße Rose, Fourth Leaflet, Munich, 1942
Stocks extended their rally today, in what appears to be a short squeeze, and a hand off of valuations at a near term top.
Gold and silver managed modest gains, as the Dollar continued to slump.
VIX fell to a surprisingly low mark, all things considered.
Is this optimism? Or short term market manipulation.
Gentlemen and ladies, place your bets.
My bet is on the continuation of the trends based on what is, rather than that which appears to be.
The first chart below shows the growing 'empire of lawlessness' being fostered in the US.
It is not all that hard to discover what is actually happening around the world, if you will open your eyes and stop stuffing poison into your minds.
But to maintain the courage to remain standing, when the love of most grows cold, one must fill their fearful hearts with faith and love.
Have a pleasant evening.
