The Manipulation of a Nation

About a year ago I was reading a story about a guy that was a -- I'm going to be forced to define him with the cliche -- "Master Manipulator." After reading the story I spent a couple months reading about manipulation arts and NLP and learning that, no matter how hard I try, I just do not have the mind to pull off this kind of control over people -- or to even understand the basics of it. Or, at the very least, I was not able to learn it from reading books and watching the occasional video. I'm much more of an experiential learner.

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When I was just a kid, maybe nine or ten, my cousin was in a horrible car wreck. She was driving home from work one day, sixty miles through small Texas towns, and a man turned across traffic in front of her, forcing her off the road onto the gravel parking lot of a meat packing plant. Now, with virtually no brakes on the loose gravel, momentum drove her at fatal speeds into the side of this truck turning into the parking lot.

Being just a kid, I didn't know any of the details of this at the time. I just knew that all the sudden we were in a hospital in Dallas where my cousin Tamara -- Tammy-toot to all her loved ones, for her proficiency at flatulence, was in Intensive Care after a wreck on her way home. Her left eye had come loose from it's socket and the nerve endings damaged so that she could never see again. Her left ear drum destroyed beyond repair along with nerve and muscle damage along her whole left side. For those of you who wonder if amnesia ever really happens outside of Soap Operas: when she woke up, she didn't recognize anybody, but looking up at the TV in her room, she knew Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippin playing basketball.

She was seventeen at the time, and her seventeen year old boyfriend sat by her side the entire time she was in Intensive Care. When she woke up and didn't remember anything about her personal life, however, I guess that was too much for him. He left.

She still doesn't remember anything about her personal life before the wreck. A trust fund was set up for her from her insurance policy. Because of severe brain damage from swelling after the wreck, it was not known if she would ever be able to fully support herself.

This was all explained to me mere months ago. All the really gritty, dirty details. What happened in the next ten years of her life finally let me understand this whole "art of manipulation" thing. And it opened up my eyes to the manipulation of our Nation.

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Fear Based Manipulation in Four Easy Steps:

Step 1: The Mental State of Your Victim.

My cousin was obviously in something more than a fragile state after her accident. Her life, as she new it, was over. Here future was torn to pieces. She was left with physical scars and disabilities that would make any woman in our beauty and independence based society squirm with self-loathing. She soon found herself undesirable and unlovable by the outside world. For a person who thrives on close and intimate relationships like my cousin, this left her in a state of fear. Fear that she would always be alone. Fear that she would never again be loved.

The Mental State of a Nation: After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the populace of the United States was left, first, in shock. In pure disbelief that anything like this could happen. That innocent people going about their lives could be turned into weapons against other Americans arriving at work in the morning. The people wondered how this happened. Why somebody would so senselessly kill people that they didn't so much as have personal offenses against. The nation was submerged in fear. Fear that this could happen again. Fear of something worse. The fear of suddenly realizing you are not invincible and immortal.

Step 2: The Wooing of Your Victim.

Soon a man entered my cousin's life. A man that pursued her despite her self-image of being undesirable. A man who told her she was beautiful in complete opposition to all the social standards of what beauty is. A man who loved her and wanted to spend time with her in spite of everything she believed about her lovableness. This man, he offered her everything her deepest fears told her she could never have again.

The Wooing of a Nation: After the dust settled and the smoke cleared our brave and valiant leader went, himself, to the scene of the crime. He climbed on the fallen ruins of the once tall and proud buildings, showing his strength over all the death and destruction. He looked straight into the camera, the eyes of the American people, and told us there would be nothing to fear in the future. That those who did this would pay. That we would hunt them down and make sure that our shores were never touched again by those wishing us harm. He declared a War on Terrorism. He promised America to return us to the safety and innocence of our youth.

Step 3: Isolation and Programming.

Soon after their marriage, David, my cousin's husband, moved her and their newborn child away from our family, away from everything she has always known. They moved to Arkansas. He bought a house about ten miles outside of a nothing of a town. David got a job in town and, since they could supposedly afford only one car -- despite my cousin's trust fund, which David obviously didn't want to touch -- my cousin was stuck at home, isolated from any civilization or socialization, to raise their children by herself. This is when an interesting and predictable form of emotional abuse began that I am going to refer to her as 'programming.'

• Return of Fear: Now that David has complete control over my cousin's life, controlling her socialization and activities through enforced isolation he began to bring back out the fears he initially quelled in her heart. He would tell her that she was ugly -- that there was nothing beautiful about her. He told her how he couldn't imagine how any man could ever find her desirable. How no man could ever truly love her.
• Dependency: With these fears brought back to the surface he began to instill a dependency on him in her. He told her how lucky she was that he was there for her. That, though she may not deserve it, he loved her. That, though she may not be beautiful, he would not reject her. he told her how lucky she was to have him because she would never find this kind of acceptance in any other man. And, with these wounds so close to the surface and isolated from all her loved ones, she was happy to have something, at least. Something is better than nothing. A bad husband is better than no husband.
• Victory of Love: And when she was close to breaking, when he could see it coming, or when it came faster than he expected and she threatened to leave he would declare his undying love for her. He would flower her with affection. He would promise that things were getting better, that he was just having a hard time at work and that they were turning a corner. He promised he would start treating her with all the love she deserved. If she would only not leave him, he would show her his full desire for her. For a while. Then we repeat.

This kind of programming behavior is probably not new to you. I am sure you have seen it before in abusive relationships around you or, God forbid, in relationships you have been in.

The Isolation of a Nation. The Programming of the Populace: After the September 11th 2001 attacks the people of America were afraid to travel. They were afraid that the same thing might happen to them, aboard a plane. They were afraid of the hostility and terror they would find among the people of the world. Stories of journalists and Americans around the world being kidnapped began to crop up. Not many, but just enough. The President asked "Why?" He asked, "Why do these people want to destroy us?" And the President rejected the views of the world at large. They hated us because we are so great. They hate us because we have more than they could ever have. Intense nationalism began to spread throughout the nation. People began to sing, again, the Star Spangled Banner at high school football games, hands over hearts. The people isolated themselves from the rest of the world -- a world they perceived as having rejected them.

• Return of Fear: A system was designed by the President to inform the American public of the level of threats of terrorist violence against them. A system to let us all know when we are in danger. This system, this color-coded catastrophe of a system, it does not work. It was most likely never meant to work. If the system was meant to be informative it could have easily been. The system, however, is most likely designed to bring about the emotional response of fear -- not as a rational information dispensing device. And soon the President looked straight into the camera again, from his office, directly into the eyes of Americans. He told us, here and there, the coming and escalating threats of violence against us. The government warned against traveling and told us all to be on the look out for those who might want to hurt us.
• Dependency: The President told us there was no other way. The administration and Congress told us that the only way to protect us was to take away some of the freedoms we hold so dear. They told us that we were lucky that they were looking out for us, because who else would? They told us that to not accept the passing of laws like the USA Patriot Act and laws to allow the unwarranted spying on communication between private citizens they could not protect us from all the people in this world that wanted to destroy us. With those scars and fears so close to the surface, the American public agreed -- some reluctantly, some enthusiastically -- that, yes, we must make certain sacrifices to our freedom in order to remain safe.
• The Victory of War: And when the American people grew tired of the impending doom, when murmuring begins to be heard among the populace, the President looks into the eyes of Americans again and declares a victory: the capture or assassination of a leading terrorist, the derailing of some major plan for another attack on our land. When the American people grow tired of the way things are, the President announces a new strategy, a new war, a new offensive that will make us all safe again. He promises, just as long as we do not loss faith in him, that things will change. That things have been hard, sure, but we are just around the corner from a real breakthrough. And things get better for a little while. Then we repeat.

Step 4: Control of the Prize

After a sufficient amount of time. After my cousin's spirit was broken and David felt safe that he could get away with anything, they returned. They moved back to the town our family has always lived in. But now, he is in control. My cousin now has two children, boys, with her husband. She works two jobs to support herself and the boys. David has a job, but he does not contribute to the family. Not financially and not in any other way. He drinks and gambles away his paychecks. He spends his nights with women and friends. He returns home every few days to reassert his dominance over the situation. And whenever my cousin has had enough, and she threatens to leave, all the programming has already been installed, and it is a quick little application to run. To remind her that she is unlovable, that she is lucky to have him around at all, that without him she would be alone like she deserves to be. After a while you don't even have to say these things, she knows to think them all on her own now.

My cousin raises their kids. Takes care of their house. Gives David a place to sleep when he is not in the bed of another woman. Gives David a fuck when he is desperate enough. Gives him access to his children, whom learn to treat their mother exactly as he treats her. She is his tool. She is his provider and lifeline. She is his slave.

Control of the People: To be fair, George W. Bush is no master manipulator. This story, not just on the person al level but also on the national level, is as old as our nation. As old as control has had to come through fear and propaganda -- since the public has refused to be lead by the club. With this fear programming thoroughly installed in the people, the populace agrees -- over and over -- to it's own manipulation and exploitation in the name of safety and nationalism

* * *

The real question, then, is why people do this? Why manipulate others? Power. Control. Creating easy personal benefit from the situation.

My cousin's husband, David, now has free reign of his life, to do whatever he wants. He has a house and a wife and kids that he never has to take care of, but they are his. He also has his nights and weekends (and his days between jobs) to do with as he pleases. To fool around with other women. To spend drinking with his buddies. And, most importantly, to feel like a man who controls everything around him.

President Bush has used the fear of the American people for similar gain for himself and those around him. To ensure control of major oil pipelines in the East (Afghanistan). To ensure control (note: not use of, but control) of one of the major supplies of oil for the world (Iraq). To ensure control of major shipping lanes for oil (The Straight of Hormuz). (Side Note: Remember, even if we do not consume Middle East oil, controlling that oil's use in the world is basically to control the world.) To ensure control over the American people (the USA Patriot Act: seriously, read it). To ensure financial gain for his friends and those who have helped him rise to power (corporate control in our current wars, along with the immense war spending with the so called 'Military Industrial Complex'). And, well... I guess we will have to see how the rest of this plays out, as I believe we are just at the beginning of things.

the Federal Reserve and inflation

The media is screaming RECESSION from the rooftops. The President is digging America further into debt to give "tax breaks" to American families in the hopes of staving off the coming doom. Market analysts and financial talking heads argue on all major news networks if the recession is coming or is already here. And the American people watch closely, wondering if it is finally time to panic or if it is just a slow news day and CNN and FOX News need something to fill the time between commercial breaks. There is nothing to fear, however, as the Federal Reserve has met today and plans to cut interest rates again to save us all from sure financial disaster! The stock market rebounds with its first gain in two weeks and the American people breathe a collective sigh of relief at knowing they once again can go back to their regularly scheduled programming with nothing to worry about.

But why? What has happened here? Why did the Federal Reserve cut interest rates? What interest rates? Is my credit card going to start charging me lower interest? What is a recession? Are we in one already? Should I be worried? Should I buy canned food and dry cereals? Should I stock up on water and stuff my money under my mattress? Is this the end of the world? It it?! IS IT!??!?

Firstly: no. You're credit card company is not going to start charging you lower interest. That is not the kind of interest rates we are talking about here. And, come on, when was the last time a corporation did something for its customers that was not really just a pretty PR spin on something bad they did to their customers? Secondly: calm down. This is going to be a lot easier to explain if you are calm and not stuffing valueless green papers under the covers of-- I'm just kidding! Of course the green papers have value! It was just a harmless joke--

If we are really going to see through this situation, however, let's start by looking at why the Federal Reserve has been lowering interest rates as of late, then we will move on to what effect it has on people like you and me.

The Federal Reserve admits, and it is all the talk of the nation, that is lowering interest rates because the economy is slowing down. I know that sounds scary and all, but please stop filling your cellar with dry cereal. Instead, let us look at what that means. A slowing economy is, obviously, an economy that is not growing as fast as it has been. That means that, yes, the economy is still growing, but just not as fast as people would like it to. But let's get rid of this clumsy word "economy" and figure out who these people are that want this economy to grow.

There are a bunch of people in the United States who own businesses. Lots of people own business, in fact -- or at least small pieces of businesses. Some do this through normal channels, by owning a business, but this is usually only the case for small businesses in America. Most people who own parts (or even majorities) of businesses do so through the stock market and other investment systems throughout the country. But who are these people who own businesses and pieces of businesses through the stock market and other investment systems? According to studies in 2001, the richest ten percent of the people in the United States own eighty-five percent of all stocks and ninety percent of all business equity (1).

Knowing that, let's get back to figuring out what a "slowing economy" means, seeing through this funny "economy" word. The American "economy" is basically made up of all financial transactions that happen in the United States (I swear I'm not talking down to you, I'm just trying to break this down so we can all understand it, myself included). If people are spending money, then the economy is active, and the people who own these businesses -- the rich people we discussed above -- are making money. However, if the economy is "slowing," that means people aren't spending as much money and these rich people are not making money as fast as they would like to be making money. So, yes, the economy is still growing, but these rich people are not making as much more money as they have decided they need to make. Because of the stock market and investment nature of the American economy, which will be discussed later, it is not simply enough for the "economy" to be doing well. For these rich people to see ever increasing gains off their investments, the economy has to constantly grow faster and faster.

That, basically, is our "slowing economy," and that is what the Federal Reserve is reacting to when it decides to lower interest rates. The Federal Reserve does this because it sees a slowing economy as a warning sign for a coming recession -- which is a period when, on average, these rich people are not making any money at all. This essay isn't about recession, so if you want to learn more about that, I suggest educating yourself elsewhere.

So we have a bunch of rich people who are not making as much more money as fast as they would like to be making more more money and the Federal Reserve reacts to this by doing something they call "lowering interest rates." These interest rates that are being lowered do not have anything to do with you and me, however. These interest rates are the regulated rate at which banks loan money to each other. Yes, you will notice that that rate is always lower than the rate at which the bank is willing to loan you money. The bank does not like you as much as the bank likes other banks. This might seem like a strange thing between two institutions performing the same function in a society based on competition, but that should just go to show that thinking about things is ridiculous and should not be attempted.

Anyways. We will not get into the sticky points of why, but this lowering interest rate has magical powers to add more coal to the American economic fire and keep it growing at a rate to appease the gods of incessant need for more making more money (at least for a little while, gods are known for never being appeased for long). This is when everybody cheers, lets out a soothing sigh and turns on the television to see what is on Must See TV.

End of essay, right? If only it were-- but we still have not discussed how this action of the Federal Reserve effects people like you and me (always look at things from both sides). I know, normally you think that the economy has been saved from frightening-recession and that is enough effect for you to worry about. But, remember, we are trying to see through these actions, not just go along with the uneducated viewpoint these more-more-money-wanters would be quite happy if we forever have. Don't worry, this won't take long.

There is one well known effect of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates that people rarely talk about, and I think that to the average American it might be the most important effect of all. Remember how earlier I told you I wasn't going to get into all the "sticky points" of how the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates magically puts more coal into the American economic fire? Well, I lied. Not really lied so much as just-- I wanted to save it until now! The Federal Reserve lowering interest rates basically means that the they are releasing more money into the American economy, which obviously has the direct result of making the money that we do have worth less than it was before this fictional money was created -- inflation. This is basic economics. So-- milk, bread, gas, everything costs more money. This might be evident by the continually lowering of interest rates by the Federal Reserve in 2007, and the 7.5% increase in inflation we experienced last year (and who among us received a 7.5% pain increase in the last year? In fact the average American has actually had a decrease in pay since the early 1970s when salaries are adjusted for inflation.)! It is a direct and predictable result of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates.

So, we have the rich who demand to make more and more money as fast as they can, and when that reality is threatened the Federal Reserve reacts by making the rest of us pay for it with rising costs of the necessities of life while these same corporations use this looming recession as an excuse to freeze wages. The rich aren't concerned, of course, as they will be making more more money fast enough that this inflation will never truly effect them. This is just one more way that the United States government, at the bidding of large corporations and the rich, abuses the people it so crassly claims to protect and defend for the gain of a few people at the very tip-top of the economic ladder. This is the very thing we can no longer put up with as a people, as a nation.

* * *

The answer to this is, however, is a little complicated, and could be an essay unto itself. I will attempt to address it in short here, though. The answer is not so much to change the actions of the Federal Reserve -- as it is simply playing within the rules of our economy -- but to change the very basic rules of our economy -- rules that our economy has only adopted in the past few decades. It is only in recent times that a company simply making money and steadily, though slowly growing has become not good enough. In modern times a company must not only grow, but grow faster than every other company and grow increasingly faster as compared to its previous self. This has become our way of life because those who control our economy -- the rich, once again -- no longer earn money by producing sellable products, but through investing in companies that may or may not produce products. Thus, to make money themselves, the rich must force these companies to continually grow faster and faster, to see greater and greater returns on their investments into these companies. It is obviously an unreasonable thing to expect every company, or even every "important" company in our economy to continually grow at ever increasing speeds, as their is only so much demand for any given businesses sector out there. This need for ever increasing growth has also been the cause of such moral catastrophes as the Enron debacle and the exploitation of the Latin Third World by way of NAFTA.

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Sources:
1. Power in America: Wealth, Income and Power, G. William Domhoff, December 2006 (Table 2: Wealth Distribution by Type of Asset, 2001) available at http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

A quick note on propaganda

Thursday morning, around three a.m. Easter Time, a small bomb went off in a New York City Army Recruiting office. The office was obviously unstaffed at this time and nobody was hurt. I'm sure you've heard of it already, it's probably the is only thing the news is talking about today. If you haven't heard about it, I'm guessing just turn on the TV and it will be like one of those real dramatic moments in movies when they turn on the TV and immediately the exact news story important to the story line comes on.

"If it is something that's directed toward American troops than it's something that's taken very seriously and is pretty unfortunate." Captain Charlie Jaquillard, commander of the Army recruiting officer for Manhattan

This is all pretty straight forward so far, right? Well... let's look at the facts. (1) The explosion was caused by a small bomb, as it only destroyed the front window and door of the facility. (2) The explosion happened at 3 o'clock in the morning, obviously a time when everybody knows the office is not going to be staffed. (3) Nobody was hurt.

I am in no way supporting these kinds of actions, because obviously the use of deadly force is dangerous even when you are very sure nobody will be harmed by it, and it simply plays into the propaganda machine as we will see here.

So, we have these facts, and we have the officially offered quote of the United States military suggesting that this attack may probably have been directed at "our troops." In what universe does it appear that this "attack" was directed at our troops? A small explosive was used at a time when the perpetrators were reasonably sure nobody would be hurt. It seems to me that if you wanted to attack our troops, that would be easy enough, and it would not take a brilliant military strategist to realize that no troops would be present at a recruiting office at 3am.

So why would a military officer even suggest that this attack was aimed at our troops? It is very simple, really. It is the exact same reasoning behind the inane Public Relations stunt that is "Support the Troops." It is a meaningless distraction from what it is our troops are actually doing (by order from much higher, obviously). Instead of taking the chance that Americans will ever question the actions of our military in foreign lands, why not give the people something they can say over and over again without thinking about if it actually means anything?

This attack was not against American troops, but why not use the opportunity to stir up some blind emotion supporting our military and distract people from the real issue that was most likely meant to be raised through this attack? This attack was most likely (guessing from the target) aimed at military recruiting, or possibly our military in general (the actions of it, not the people forced to carry out those actions). This is just another example of propaganda used to distract us from real issues... such as those actions that our military takes in foreign lands, suppressing and destroying people -- people just like you and me, except for they live somewhere else and through genetic isolation may look different from us.

* * *

This reminds me of the recent brilliant PR trick pulled by the Republican party -- and if this thing wasn't planned, then somebody should take credit for it anyways, and put it in a textbook. What bit of propaganda am I talking about here?

Remember how two weeks ago a very large group of the Republican party did not support John McCain? I know that may be hard to remember because we are pretty good at reprogramming ourselves as Americans. Well, if you don't remember it, just go find a newspaper or a radio program from a couple of weeks ago. Then comes this rogue New York Times story about how John McCain may possibly have had an inappropriate relationship with some who-knows-who. The next morning, all those radio hosts out there questioning if McCain was right for the Republican party, because he isn't Reaganesque enough, are spitting blood they are so mad that anybody dare attack 'their candidate' with such absurd and unfounded allegations! Now we have an audio army of talk radio hosts and party-line Republicans willing to support McCain all the way to the ballot box.

A beautifully played ploy. Propaganda at it's very finest.

Three things I learned this morning while attempting to bathe

1. While the bath tube may look of decent size, it narrows quickly as it gets deeper -- my ass does not.

2. Make sure the hot water heater hasn't turned itself off *before* taking a shower. It will run out as you go to rinse your temperature sensitive nether regions.

3. It is a ridiculous proposition to attempt to take a shower in a bath tube that does not have a shower curtain.