Thread by @tip_nz

"One man who stopped lying could bring down a tyranny."

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

"Totalitarianism at its essence is an attempt to transform reality into fiction."

Hannah Arendt

Lies have always been used in politics to cover up corruption and hide motives. In Nazi Germy, it was the idea of a superior race. In Soviet Union it was the belief state communism could work. Big lies lead to a stream of endless little lies which forms the pillars of State.

When society is captive by lies (e.g. inflation is transitory), what can be done to turn the tide back towards truth and freedom?

"If the fuel for growth of totalitarianism is weak and fearful individuals, then the cure is a personal revolution that takes place in hearts and minds and leads to an awakening of self-responsibility, courage and strength."

"The fundamental threat to living in the lies of totalitarianism is to live in the truth. It is to live as freely and authentically as possible, to boldly express our individuality and spontaneity, given its unpredictability is the greatest obstacle to total domination over man."

The fall of totalitarianism didn't happen because of political reforms, but because of individuals who were willing to live within the truth and maintain dignity in the face of perverse incentives (e.g. personal wealth and power).

The Plastic People of the Universe were a Czechoslovakian rock band who sang the truth. They were branded as mentally ill by the State and arrested. The people saw through the lie and decided to support the band. That trial marked the beginning of the downfall of totalitarianism.

"The band were unknown young people who wanted no more than to live freely in dignity. They had been given every opportunity to adapt to the status quo, to accept the principles of living within the lie and enjoy life undisturbed by authorities. Yet they chose a different path."

"People came to realise that not standing up for freedom of others meant surrendering one's own freedom."

Vaclav Havel

Totalitarianism systems condition their citizens to believe that the individual is powerless to effectuate social and political change because the fragility of the system takes only one logical mind to expose illogical lies (e.g. money printing is the solution to our crises).

I highly recommend watching this 12min video by @academyofideas called The Big Lie: How to Enslave the World