A lot of people asked me why I posted about ignoring the Ukrainian/Russian war.
I don't know war, but I do know media, and everything about how the war is being covered is sending up major red flags to me.
Two quick examples:
1. Hero stories popup immediately, that end up not being true.
The 13 guards telling the Russian naval ship to fuck off (turns out they surrendered), the "Ghost of Kyiv" (doesn't seem to be true), the sunflower seed story, etc...
MOST telling, media runs them uncritically.
2. The biggest weird thing to me: no one stopped buying oil/gas from Russia.
Germany said they will keep buying.
US State Dept went so far as to say, EXPLICITLY, that sanctions are designed to NOT stop the flow of gas.
What? Those exports are 30% of the Russian economy.
I have no doubt that real Ukrainians civilians are dying and suffering on the ground, and that sucks.
But do these actions seem like the actions of warring states?
No.
In the American media, it seems like a spectacle put on to either distract or "manufacture consent."
I'm not going to fall for it.
The primary power media--and it's masters--have over us is our attention.
I choose to not give it to them (yes trolls, aside from writing this, lol).
Today I'm feeding my cows, going to BJJ and being with my family.
For the same conclusion from an actual military combat vet, see this thread:
My friend @ChrisWillx gave a name to a feeling I've had but not articulated:
The "Fuck You Family."
TL;DRL: "Fuck you money" gives freedom, but a family can give the deepest and most fulfilling "fuck you" freedom.
I think he's right.
A 🧵 on this idea & my thoughts:
First, his text to me:
"Fuck-you money” is a meme but it’s also a truth.
There is an amount of wealth you achieve and typical restrictions and conventions no longer apply to you.
You don’t need to suck up to the gatekeepers.
You don’t need to do things you don’t want to do.
Similarly, “fuck-you freedom” is like from fuck-you money.
Its achieved by cultivating a lack of reliance on other groups. There are no restrictions on what you can do.
If you’re sufficiently well structured, you don’t need to care about the economy, the grid or the world.
1. It's NOT easy to get good info about self-defense, especially for civilians.
Many reasons for this:
-companies just want to sell shit
-no good beginner resources
-lots of idiots posting stupid shit 🤣
-And the biggest one: “gun guys” not understanding what civilians need
2. Gun guys think about guns from the perspective of competition shooting, or combat, or hunting, or personal preferences.
It’s very hard to find someone who really knows guns, but also understands what a regular person needs.