Thank you, I appreciate this perspective and tend to largely agree with it although IMHO it has some blind spots that make it not as penetrating and helpful as it could be. Before i get to these blind spots I would first like to humbly point out that the corporate-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-empire pro-Wall St. pro-war pro-military-industrial-complex ultra-zionist pro-ethnocide pro-Big Pharma anti-workers right-wing DNC and harris are NOT anywhere remotely 'left wing', and this is largely why the people hate them, they're representitives of the billionaire class, not of the people.
Yes, even though the narrative managers in the billionaire-owned propaganda media constantly lie and present them as "the left", right-wing DNC and Harris have nothing even remotely to do with the left and in fact hate and viciously attack the non-billionaire anti-imperialist Left relentlessly and do everything in their power to destroy the left. I don't mean to belabour this point and i wouldn't normally mention it, but since you (along with the billionare-owned propaganda media) insist on calling the leftist-hating ultra-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-war pro-Wall St. pro-ethnocide DNC "the left" then something in me felt it had to speak up to counter that profoundly harmful misrepresentation that misguides us so deeply and prevents any real left alternative to the two pro-billionaire right-wing factions of the empire (liberal and conservative).
IMHO there seems to be a profound misunderstanding and ignorance about the nature of the two factions of the elite who are fighting among themselves for domination over humanity and the planet's resources. See here https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-choice-this-election-is-between for a very insightful and eye-opening essay that breaks down exactly the nature of the two elite factions that were competing in the billionaire's "elections", by the wise Chris Hedges. In my view this is one of the most important essays published in recent times for anyone who wishes to understand what is actually happening in the west today, the internal struggle within the elite between the two factions of the ruling class, the two faces of capitalism fighting among themselves for supremacy (who will be the elite group who will be the top dog, plunder the planet and dominate humanity), which is what this billionaire's sham "elections" is all about.
IMHO, the nature of the two factions of the elite really should be basic knowledge for all americans and westerners, because there is so much mislabelling of the elite's two capitalist factions that are fighting for supremacy among themselves (even going as far as labelling the ultra-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-militarized empire pro-Wall St ultra-zionist right-wing DNC and Harris as far-left communist!!!) and so much misunderstading of what is actually going on, misunderstanding which is fully capitalized upon by both factions of the ruling class and their propagandists to sell us their fake narratives as if this or that faction of the corporate-capitalist elite is on the side of the people. Really a very important and highly recommended essay.
I would also highly recommend this profound essay by the brilliant Caitilin johnstone that skillfully breaks down both the trumpism and anti-trumpism echo-chambers (or 'reality filters') that we're funnelled into by the billionaire ruling class. Half the population into this echo-chamber and half into the other, and pitted against each other by the ruling class and their propaganda media, to make sure we are identified with one or the other of the billionaires' factions, with one or the other of their puppets that they allow us to choose between in their sham ruling class "elections" https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/both-trumpism-and-anti-trumpism-are
Then there is this very important essay from wise elder John Spritzler that shows how trump is part and parcel of the ruling class and how we are being played by the manipulative narratives that have been carefully crafted around him that paints him as an "anti-elite rebel" when he is anything but that, but is IN REALITY just as pro-billionaire and anti-humanity as all right-wing american presidents (liberal or conservative) https://johnspritzler.substack.com/p/the-billionaire-class-is-no-more
IMHO, americans are being profoundly propagandized, emotionally-manipulated, kept ignorant (of the empire's global mechinations), distracted by the partisan theatre and directed to fight over the question of what should be the color of the shoes of the person who rapes, plunders, enslaves, exploits and mass-murders humanity, should it be red or blue? That's the only question we get to have a say over in the american billionaires' sham "elections", to decide over the color of the shoes of the global murderer, thief and rapist. Not whether the murder, theft, enslavement and rape should take place, that's not within the realm of allowed "debate", but only whether he should wear red or blue shoes while on his global exploits..
We're propagandized, deceived and distracted into fighting over which of the billionaire's representatives we prefer to lead the global capitalist militarized empire and its plunder, mass-murder and rape of life on earth to enrich the few ultra-rich and cement their domination over life...
TRUMP AND HARRIS ARE TWO FACES OF THE SAME GLOBAL CORPORATE-CAPITALIST BILLIONAIRE'S MILITARIZED EMPIRE, THAT TURNS THIS PARADISE PLANET INTO A DIVIDED WARRING HELL, TO BENEFIT NO ONE BUT THE CONTROL OF A FEW ULTRA-RICH OVER HUMANITY AND THE PLANET'S RESOURCES.
Yes, they have differences in temperament, one is a psychologically-undeveloped wounded narcissist bully (who buys his trophy wives off of the playboy catalogue and has fake loveless abusive "marriages" with them until they get wrinkled and are replaced by the next trophy wife that this wounded man-child buys) and the other speaks more of compassion and caring, but beyond their differences in temperament, both of their administrations acted in almost identical ways when it comes to securing the narrow selfish interest of the few ultra-wealthy and the control of their global corporate-capitalist empire over humanity and the planet's resources
Both trump and harris continued 99% of the pro-empire pro-billionaire global terror, plunder, mass-murder and domination policies of their predecessors. Yes, despite the massive and intense QAnon/MAGA marketing deception that falsely sells trump as "anti-elite rebel", trump's admin was NOT a deviation from these policies, but a continuation of them. If one looks at his ACTUAL actions (not the fake narrative that was carefully crafted around him but his ACTUAL actions) then it's plain to see. And yes, despite the propagandists in the billionaire's liberal media selling us the corporate-capitalist pro-war pro-empire right-wing democratic party as supposedly more compassionate and caring, if one looks at the ACTUAL actions of the administrations headed by a capitalist right-wing liberal then it is clear that they are just as murderous as conservatives are and work just as much as conservatives to advance the narrow interests of the ultra-rich corporate-capitalists and their domination over life on earth.
And if there's an interest, I wrote a bit about how the capitalist billionaire's global empire functions (regardless of whether it is the empire's conservative or liberal in the white house) here https://substack.com/home/post/p-150090964
Religious fundamentalist tribalism, hatred & war, coupled with billionaire greed, cruelty and relentless attack on workers & the poor to squeeze as much as possible out of us for the ultra-rich republican billionaire predators, all of it infused with a bullying fascist mentality of brutality, cold-heartedness and lack of empathy inspired by the infantile emotionally-stunted narcissist in chief - that's the AntiChrist trump presidency in a nutshell.. (though it was cleverly marketed to the people as something very different). And unfortunately the right-wing DNC don't offer a much better alternative, but are nothing more than right-wing republicans who use a politically correct language, they simply use the right pronouns as they carpet bomb humanity and squeeze every last drop out of us for their billionaire ruling class..
The entire corporate-capitalist two-party system (the two factions of the ruling class) is corrupt to the core and is not here to serve life but only to serve psychologically-undeveloped unconscious God-ignorant Loveless capitalist billionaire abusers..
In a nutshell, in the election, you saw our options were limited to two substantial evils. Even the lesser evil (if there is one) leaves us between a rock and a hard place. The house is on fire, and the warmth of consumerism lulls us within -- we're watching Rome burn. I get it -- makes sense. What narrative accurately gives context and truth, to this sense of reality? Where is the "heat" most convincing? Who would recognize it early, why? Where can relationships be fostered to work around despair and apathy? What can we learn from recent political successes (without the color of judgement)?
I see what you're saying.. and it's good to hear an outside perspective.. I agree with much of it. However, there's a turn you take and build on that I think is a major flaw or omission in your hypothesis. 'Meeting people where they are' is a logical.. or rather psychologically and emotionally smart place to start.. likely the only place. However, as to each individual's "idea" of evolution and their "natural pace of change": It's becoming more clear- that pace isn't sufficient to counter the pace of ecological degradation- which is, of course, in part caused by denial and misinformation.. and, sure, out of discomfort and fear of chaos.
Yes, it's a delicate and clearly difficult task to help them see the precariousness of OUR dilemma without them closing off or running into the woods (or at me!) with their guns. But, myself and 150million others (in this country) are not willing to wait through their "pace" while things become more severe and irreparable. And catastrophe is an unpleasant motivator. A solution needs to be found. Politically, financially, nothing of consequence happens without their consent and votes.
This really resonates with what I am seeing! Thank you for putting a rational perspective on this. Too many friends and relatives are alienating one another over this....
Jeff, this is too soon. Some 75+ million of us are grieving. Telling us why without insights or practical guidance on how to meet the moment, days and years ahead . . . lands as insensitive. Please honor our collective grief. It has only been a few days. Even the therapists I know are struggling and overwhelmed. Meet us where we are, please. I adore your work. Thank you.
I hear you, but you are doing the same chiding and reprimanding that I am talking about. The same ‘you are out of line’ argument that lost the left some part of the country. It is entirely healthy for you to grieve, and entirely healthy for me to not grieve, and to express my ideas. It's a democracy. Each side loses about half of the time. It won't stop progress, if its intended to happen. It will actually consolidate it, because each step away from it is when the integration happens on a grassroots level. If there is no step back, there is no real step forward. blessings, Jeff
I'm not seeing accountability from you. I am seeing you project on me; there is no tone in my reply, other than a request for mercy and compassion from a white male. It is you who is chiding and reprimanding me for asking for compassion in this, our darkest hour. You also are speaking from a place of absolute privilege as a Canadian. Please reflect.
Labels separate. Jeff is a human, just like you and I, nothing more, nothing less. He happens to be white, happens to be male, happens to live in Canada. Nothing about that makes him more or less capable of sharing thoughts. His thoughts COULD be viewed as insensitive for lacking the insight you hoped for. On the other hand, his thoughts could be viewed as a first attempt to gain more understanding. Here, we have multiple truths.
We all want to consider ourselves skilled at identifying and rejecting falsehoods. Yet, our responses often seem loosely connected—and perhaps even forced—as we feel compelled to dig in and defend what feels most familiar or resonates deeply with us. Our beliefs, shaped by adopted ideas and personal experiences, influence our sense of truth and falsity. And let's admit that our personal "truths" are as often about asserting influence and power as they are about serving the common good, gaining understanding, collaboration, or compromise. Ask any couple about the trivial arguments that spiral out of control into power struggles, where the real issue becomes less about what’s right and more about who’s "right" or who’s the proper victim. Now, extend this dynamic to societal problems with far greater stakes, involving people who don’t even know each other.
Morality and reality are skewed from both ends by competing truths. Getting to what's best and right requires more than one's critical thinking or merely accepting the perspectives of individuals, minorities, or majorities as definitive arbiters of truth. It demands a deeper, more nuanced approach: listening to various viewpoints, engaging with differing persuasions, evaluating conditional offers, and carefully navigating the complexities of multiple truths. With this, we avoid divisive power struggles that default to simplistic and sometimes corrupt conclusions.
I heard your truth, and I understand your truth. I heard Jeff's truth, and I (think) understood his truth. Many of my family, friends, pastor, church community, etc., voted for Trump, while I did not. I want to appreciate their Truth without relinquishing my own. Why? Because they are reasonable, honest, loving people I love and respect.
"It won't stop progress if it is intended to happen." . . . . . who do you think is making the intention? You, like millions of people, are still holding onto the idea of a "Grand Plan" and of some Being working that plan out in spite of what we do. We, as a race, need to wake up to the understanding of what it actually means to have free will. It means that even if there is some "Grand Plan", it requires our participation to come to reality. We each need to make a decision individually to go along with that plan. If we don't there is no Super Being that can overrule our free will and make it happen in spite of us. And if we can understand this, then we have a responsibility to speak up and help others come to an understanding also. Sitting back and saying "It's all part of the plan" is not helping. Yes, when Trump starts using his power to implicate his "plan", many of those who voted for him WILL wake up and begin to understand what they did. But it will be mostly likely at the cost of a huge amount of suffering that could have been avoided.
And if any new understandings do come out of this tragedy, all that it means is that our precious gift of free will empowers us to be able to always start over afresh.
It is our free will that gives us the power to rise again, and NOT some "progress that is intended to happen".
I agree, I found this incredibly insensitive, condoning, forgiving, and apologetic of Trump. It is strange too because he has been so critical of Tolle, but this message seems to give Trump a pass with flying colors.
I hear you. I critically reviewed Tolle’s teachings for some time. The more neutral question of why people liked Tolle’s message would have been a very different piece.
I am surprised you read any free pass for Trump. I thought the article intended to clarify what motivated the people who voted for him. If we can understand each other better, it helps to see the humanity in each other.
It might be too soon for some, for others it might be a helpful, well-timed perspective to make sense of it.
It's hard to be authentic and sensitive to everyone all the time. I think this author is being congruent with what he preaches and I congratulate him for it.
I do not know what his views are on Trump. Perhaps he was more concerned about the voters psyche than the study of the elected candidate. Perhaps he knows more about Tolle than about Trump.
It feels like you need him to criticise Trump in the same way as Tolle?
When I said I feel he is congruent, I mean he seems to express authentically, without fearing disapproval or loosing fans. I might be wrong, but I felt his writing has always been about finding strength in accepting reality as it is rather than trying to turn reality in a fairy tale version. So trying to make sense of something that surprises many, should help to get in touch with that reality.
Would it make you less scared if more people would share your concerns and see Trump as the evil man you experience ? Would you feel more protected if others would agree on the danger ahead? Do you feel we are blibdly heading into the abyss ?
Could it be that what you experience right now, is a shared experience ? Perhaps not for the same reasons but the same despair and need for reassurance?
Kelycya, I agree with you. I am not open to centrist views in times of extreme shifts to the right; it normalizes and desensitizes the oppression, authoritarianism and fascism. It enables and emboldens the oppressive behavior.
"Neutral" and "centrist" in times of injustice are the same. If you are centrist in situations of injustice . . .
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” — Archbishop Desmond Tutu
How might we make progress now? To avoid centrism, could we start by identifying variations of extremism and their connection to shifts so we have a common language and gain context? Given the historical context, I understand Tutu. I’m not entirely convinced that I perceive the elephant and the mouse as vividly as he did. I know my truths are limited to my life, not in running this world. Still, they are grounded in engagement.
I support human evolution. As for this " Kelycya, I agree with you. I am not open to centrist views in times of extreme shifts to the right; it normalizes and desensitizes the oppression, authoritarianism and fascism. It enables and emboldens the oppressive behavior.
"Neutral" and "centrist" in times of injustice are the same. If you are centrist in situations of injustice . . ."
Sometimes one is a "centrist" not because they are neutral but because they are of the view that there are equal amounts of oppression, authoritarianism and fascism, on both the left and the right. I agree with you about fighting against injustice, but not everyone agrees with respect to that which is just/unjust. Some people see that in both places.
Jeff Brown, once upon a time, I hired you and worked with you as a client. I trusted you. You helped me at a pivotal time in my life. I will always be grateful for that. But the way you have shown up for me online in this forum . . . I have to say that I have not felt emotionally safe.
The first words to me in the thread above: "I hear you." And then you proceeded to not listen to a word I said. I asked for compassion and got none. Maybe you don't have that to offer right now. But you teach embodiment and a grounded spirituality. And you teach others to call out spiritual teachers when they are incongruent.
So perhaps you will reflect: When a woman says she is grieving and asks for compassion . . . BELIEVE HER. STOP. Listen, deeply listen. A rapist just won the U.S. presidency. A lot of women have an issue with that. Do better with holding space.
As for both-sides-isms, equal amounts of oppression . . . that line of reasoning does not work on me. It's a moral equivalency fallacy. Harris is not a convicted felon nor a rapist. I cannot join in the mental gymnastics to give power to a malignant narcissist and justify that. Too many people will suffer due to the lack of empathy.
As for a lot of people having watery ethics, morals and integrity, not my monkey, not my circus. I am clear on my values and who I am. Also I have a background in political science. And subscribe to a classic view of fascism as an ideology of the far right.
Wishing you kindness, Jeff Brown. I hope you find your way out of the MAGA cult and the spell breaks.
I agree to disagree. I see a giant blind spot in your language and reasoning.
By not taking a clear stand against Trump and a dangerous right-wing ideology, you are on the side of the oppressor.
By being silent about a rapist and misogynist ascending to such power, you are complicit in your support. And you have abandoned women. You are not embodying your own teachings in an Apology to the Feminine from the Divine Masculine.
I saw that you are in search of new language. You cannot escape fascism by dressing it in new clothes. And trying to make it sound more appealing. Or by encouraging people to embrace their oppressors. A boot on my neck is still a boot on my neck whatever new language you invent to make this more palatable for you, in service of your ego.
All of us are grieving in our OWN ways. When you read the title of Jeff’s post, you should have scrolled on if not yet ready to read it, and allow the rest of us to find comfort and a little enlightenment in it. Not everyone is experiencing the situation just as YOU are.
We MUST be willing to take a deep look at WHY so many turned in this election! It’s futile to only blame Trump. When you are ready, Open your mind and be willing to listen, with compassion, to people in those demographics who surprised us with their vote.
Primal anxieties beget primal choices. If anyone thinks that creating chaos will lead to more people crawling on their knees begging for support, they don't understand humanity. The more chaotic they make it, the more inclined most humans are to turn to the right and to seek comfort in familiar places. If you want to pull us out of caveman consciousness, stabilize the world we live in so we feel safe enough to choose from a different place.
I agree with much of what you say here. However, feeling disenfranchised and being disenfranchised are not equivalent. People need to take agency and educate themselves about elections and candidates, and vote. And not just for president.
I actually believe it's a lot simpler than this. Right wing media in the US has become even more powerful than the mainstream outlets. Fox news was founded in the late 1990s. Since then, people have been pounded with messages of hate, fear, bigotry, misogyny, nationalism, white supremacy and tribalism from them and now many other major conservative networks. And don't even get me started on the social media, or twitter influence. Maybe Trump won because a good broad section of our population is just brainwashed.
Perhaps the ultimate reality is that the entire power-broker and divide-and-conquer system is brainwashing, no matter which side of the aisle you are on. I can just as easily identify brainwashing and diversionary cliches on the left as the right.
Absolutely, there can be brainwashing on both sides. The left wing has no major influence here in the US. The democratic party works hard to suppress progressive candidates and our legacy media is controlled by major corporations who protect their monetary interests. I was just trying to point out that where people are getting their main sources of information is having a huge impact on us too.
You make some good points here. But as I was reading this, what kept coming up in my mind is that these very same arguments could also very easily be use to explain why Hitler was allowed to gain power in Germany. It comes across as a bad case of hindsight, and it really seems to ignore what kind of person Trump actually is, just as using these same reasons to explain Hitler's rise to power completely ignores what kind of person he actually was.
I truly believe that the greater emphasis had to be put on continually exposing Trump's fascism and the very direct threat that it is to America's democracy and the safety of the world in general. The American voters didn't listen, but that doesn't lessen the fact that it absolutely had to be done.
The continual price of freedom, human rights, and democracy is eternal vigilance. And part of that vigilance is a duty to speak out when these values are under threat.
The Democrats did exactly what needed to be done. Just because they weren't listened to does not mean that they were wrong.
I just finished watching a news report about how the Pentagon Officials are having meetings to come up with a plan to stop Trump from using American troops against their own citizens. Trump has repeatedly spoken publicly about how he wants to do this very thing, and they are taking it very seriously. This is how real they believe the danger is.
Usually I find a lot of ideas in your writings that are very helpful and very thought-stimulating, but it seems to me that you really missed the mark on this one,
America, and by extension, the world is in a very dangerous time right now, and your remarks about what we all did wrong come across as very petty and unhelpful.
Hi..seemed to me Jeff wasn't so much emphasising g what anyone did wrong...but, as his title said " why Yeump won" Personally, as a more emotionally removed UK...I found it a fair and balanced analysis.
And ..the danger you see USA is in is nothing compared to the danger people in Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon, Sudan, Afghanistan etc etc and people fleeing their homes are in...most of which are shored up and continued by USA military.
Now you are making assumptions about me. There is an implication here that I think less about the dangers that people in other parts of the world are experiencing than I do about the dangers that I see in the U.S.A. I said nothing of the sort. You know absolutely nothing about what I think or feel in regard to these other dangers because I wasn't speaking about them in my comment.
Please do not put words in my mouth.
And dangers in other parts of the world do not cancel out or take anything away from this danger. One person's suffering is not lessened by making statements about how others have it worse.
I would agree that there were social conditions that allowed Hitler (and those types) to rise, regardless of how awful he was, the people supported him so, reflection on why is important, no?
Jeff, I DO understand what you are trying to say here, but it still comes across to me as too much finger-pointing and hindsight. Yes, your reasons about how so many were unable and unprepared to see past their own concerns and worries and missed the dangers of what they were doing with their votes are valid, and yes, there were so many points that were not presented well in this election. And hopefully we can learn to present these points better.
I do agree that Democracy spoke through this majority vote for Trump, but I do not agree that there is some kind of intended plan that will somehow win through in spite of this setback. Progress cannot happen without our participation. What is needed at this time is an even stronger determination and intention to participate with a strong spirit and a good heart for all. We may be in a very dark tunnel and it may be a while before we finally even begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
But until we do, we have the flashlights of our inner light to guide us forward.
Today on YouTube I came across a video that speaks very eloquently on this very topic, and if it is allowed, I would like to share the link to it here for all to watch. It is definitely worth it!
This gives more depth to our understanding of how so many can be completely alienated from the democratic pursuit of a more perfect union. What still isn't clear is how to get anywhere from here. The left was both too liberal & too moderate. Money still calls the shots & what's it going to take to get a large enough, authentic investment in humans? Hopefully we can get serious about supporting trustworthy leadership, but the ideas of traditional progressives don't seem to be enough. I hope we can find the spiritual fortitude that we need.
Thank you, I appreciate this perspective and tend to largely agree with it although IMHO it has some blind spots that make it not as penetrating and helpful as it could be. Before i get to these blind spots I would first like to humbly point out that the corporate-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-empire pro-Wall St. pro-war pro-military-industrial-complex ultra-zionist pro-ethnocide pro-Big Pharma anti-workers right-wing DNC and harris are NOT anywhere remotely 'left wing', and this is largely why the people hate them, they're representitives of the billionaire class, not of the people.
Yes, even though the narrative managers in the billionaire-owned propaganda media constantly lie and present them as "the left", right-wing DNC and Harris have nothing even remotely to do with the left and in fact hate and viciously attack the non-billionaire anti-imperialist Left relentlessly and do everything in their power to destroy the left. I don't mean to belabour this point and i wouldn't normally mention it, but since you (along with the billionare-owned propaganda media) insist on calling the leftist-hating ultra-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-war pro-Wall St. pro-ethnocide DNC "the left" then something in me felt it had to speak up to counter that profoundly harmful misrepresentation that misguides us so deeply and prevents any real left alternative to the two pro-billionaire right-wing factions of the empire (liberal and conservative).
IMHO there seems to be a profound misunderstanding and ignorance about the nature of the two factions of the elite who are fighting among themselves for domination over humanity and the planet's resources. See here https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-choice-this-election-is-between for a very insightful and eye-opening essay that breaks down exactly the nature of the two elite factions that were competing in the billionaire's "elections", by the wise Chris Hedges. In my view this is one of the most important essays published in recent times for anyone who wishes to understand what is actually happening in the west today, the internal struggle within the elite between the two factions of the ruling class, the two faces of capitalism fighting among themselves for supremacy (who will be the elite group who will be the top dog, plunder the planet and dominate humanity), which is what this billionaire's sham "elections" is all about.
IMHO, the nature of the two factions of the elite really should be basic knowledge for all americans and westerners, because there is so much mislabelling of the elite's two capitalist factions that are fighting for supremacy among themselves (even going as far as labelling the ultra-capitalist pro-billionaire pro-militarized empire pro-Wall St ultra-zionist right-wing DNC and Harris as far-left communist!!!) and so much misunderstading of what is actually going on, misunderstanding which is fully capitalized upon by both factions of the ruling class and their propagandists to sell us their fake narratives as if this or that faction of the corporate-capitalist elite is on the side of the people. Really a very important and highly recommended essay.
I would also highly recommend this profound essay by the brilliant Caitilin johnstone that skillfully breaks down both the trumpism and anti-trumpism echo-chambers (or 'reality filters') that we're funnelled into by the billionaire ruling class. Half the population into this echo-chamber and half into the other, and pitted against each other by the ruling class and their propaganda media, to make sure we are identified with one or the other of the billionaires' factions, with one or the other of their puppets that they allow us to choose between in their sham ruling class "elections" https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/both-trumpism-and-anti-trumpism-are
Then there is this very important essay from wise elder John Spritzler that shows how trump is part and parcel of the ruling class and how we are being played by the manipulative narratives that have been carefully crafted around him that paints him as an "anti-elite rebel" when he is anything but that, but is IN REALITY just as pro-billionaire and anti-humanity as all right-wing american presidents (liberal or conservative) https://johnspritzler.substack.com/p/the-billionaire-class-is-no-more
IMHO, americans are being profoundly propagandized, emotionally-manipulated, kept ignorant (of the empire's global mechinations), distracted by the partisan theatre and directed to fight over the question of what should be the color of the shoes of the person who rapes, plunders, enslaves, exploits and mass-murders humanity, should it be red or blue? That's the only question we get to have a say over in the american billionaires' sham "elections", to decide over the color of the shoes of the global murderer, thief and rapist. Not whether the murder, theft, enslavement and rape should take place, that's not within the realm of allowed "debate", but only whether he should wear red or blue shoes while on his global exploits..
We're propagandized, deceived and distracted into fighting over which of the billionaire's representatives we prefer to lead the global capitalist militarized empire and its plunder, mass-murder and rape of life on earth to enrich the few ultra-rich and cement their domination over life...
TRUMP AND HARRIS ARE TWO FACES OF THE SAME GLOBAL CORPORATE-CAPITALIST BILLIONAIRE'S MILITARIZED EMPIRE, THAT TURNS THIS PARADISE PLANET INTO A DIVIDED WARRING HELL, TO BENEFIT NO ONE BUT THE CONTROL OF A FEW ULTRA-RICH OVER HUMANITY AND THE PLANET'S RESOURCES.
Yes, they have differences in temperament, one is a psychologically-undeveloped wounded narcissist bully (who buys his trophy wives off of the playboy catalogue and has fake loveless abusive "marriages" with them until they get wrinkled and are replaced by the next trophy wife that this wounded man-child buys) and the other speaks more of compassion and caring, but beyond their differences in temperament, both of their administrations acted in almost identical ways when it comes to securing the narrow selfish interest of the few ultra-wealthy and the control of their global corporate-capitalist empire over humanity and the planet's resources
Both trump and harris continued 99% of the pro-empire pro-billionaire global terror, plunder, mass-murder and domination policies of their predecessors. Yes, despite the massive and intense QAnon/MAGA marketing deception that falsely sells trump as "anti-elite rebel", trump's admin was NOT a deviation from these policies, but a continuation of them. If one looks at his ACTUAL actions (not the fake narrative that was carefully crafted around him but his ACTUAL actions) then it's plain to see. And yes, despite the propagandists in the billionaire's liberal media selling us the corporate-capitalist pro-war pro-empire right-wing democratic party as supposedly more compassionate and caring, if one looks at the ACTUAL actions of the administrations headed by a capitalist right-wing liberal then it is clear that they are just as murderous as conservatives are and work just as much as conservatives to advance the narrow interests of the ultra-rich corporate-capitalists and their domination over life on earth.
And if there's an interest, I wrote a bit about how the capitalist billionaire's global empire functions (regardless of whether it is the empire's conservative or liberal in the white house) here https://substack.com/home/post/p-150090964
Religious fundamentalist tribalism, hatred & war, coupled with billionaire greed, cruelty and relentless attack on workers & the poor to squeeze as much as possible out of us for the ultra-rich republican billionaire predators, all of it infused with a bullying fascist mentality of brutality, cold-heartedness and lack of empathy inspired by the infantile emotionally-stunted narcissist in chief - that's the AntiChrist trump presidency in a nutshell.. (though it was cleverly marketed to the people as something very different). And unfortunately the right-wing DNC don't offer a much better alternative, but are nothing more than right-wing republicans who use a politically correct language, they simply use the right pronouns as they carpet bomb humanity and squeeze every last drop out of us for their billionaire ruling class..
The entire corporate-capitalist two-party system (the two factions of the ruling class) is corrupt to the core and is not here to serve life but only to serve psychologically-undeveloped unconscious God-ignorant Loveless capitalist billionaire abusers..
Very well said!!
In a nutshell, in the election, you saw our options were limited to two substantial evils. Even the lesser evil (if there is one) leaves us between a rock and a hard place. The house is on fire, and the warmth of consumerism lulls us within -- we're watching Rome burn. I get it -- makes sense. What narrative accurately gives context and truth, to this sense of reality? Where is the "heat" most convincing? Who would recognize it early, why? Where can relationships be fostered to work around despair and apathy? What can we learn from recent political successes (without the color of judgement)?
I see what you're saying.. and it's good to hear an outside perspective.. I agree with much of it. However, there's a turn you take and build on that I think is a major flaw or omission in your hypothesis. 'Meeting people where they are' is a logical.. or rather psychologically and emotionally smart place to start.. likely the only place. However, as to each individual's "idea" of evolution and their "natural pace of change": It's becoming more clear- that pace isn't sufficient to counter the pace of ecological degradation- which is, of course, in part caused by denial and misinformation.. and, sure, out of discomfort and fear of chaos.
Yes, it's a delicate and clearly difficult task to help them see the precariousness of OUR dilemma without them closing off or running into the woods (or at me!) with their guns. But, myself and 150million others (in this country) are not willing to wait through their "pace" while things become more severe and irreparable. And catastrophe is an unpleasant motivator. A solution needs to be found. Politically, financially, nothing of consequence happens without their consent and votes.
This really resonates with what I am seeing! Thank you for putting a rational perspective on this. Too many friends and relatives are alienating one another over this....
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Right in the heart of what drove and caused the result. Thank you for speaking the incontrovertible truth.
Jeff, this is too soon. Some 75+ million of us are grieving. Telling us why without insights or practical guidance on how to meet the moment, days and years ahead . . . lands as insensitive. Please honor our collective grief. It has only been a few days. Even the therapists I know are struggling and overwhelmed. Meet us where we are, please. I adore your work. Thank you.
I hear you, but you are doing the same chiding and reprimanding that I am talking about. The same ‘you are out of line’ argument that lost the left some part of the country. It is entirely healthy for you to grieve, and entirely healthy for me to not grieve, and to express my ideas. It's a democracy. Each side loses about half of the time. It won't stop progress, if its intended to happen. It will actually consolidate it, because each step away from it is when the integration happens on a grassroots level. If there is no step back, there is no real step forward. blessings, Jeff
I'm not seeing accountability from you. I am seeing you project on me; there is no tone in my reply, other than a request for mercy and compassion from a white male. It is you who is chiding and reprimanding me for asking for compassion in this, our darkest hour. You also are speaking from a place of absolute privilege as a Canadian. Please reflect.
Labels separate. Jeff is a human, just like you and I, nothing more, nothing less. He happens to be white, happens to be male, happens to live in Canada. Nothing about that makes him more or less capable of sharing thoughts. His thoughts COULD be viewed as insensitive for lacking the insight you hoped for. On the other hand, his thoughts could be viewed as a first attempt to gain more understanding. Here, we have multiple truths.
We all want to consider ourselves skilled at identifying and rejecting falsehoods. Yet, our responses often seem loosely connected—and perhaps even forced—as we feel compelled to dig in and defend what feels most familiar or resonates deeply with us. Our beliefs, shaped by adopted ideas and personal experiences, influence our sense of truth and falsity. And let's admit that our personal "truths" are as often about asserting influence and power as they are about serving the common good, gaining understanding, collaboration, or compromise. Ask any couple about the trivial arguments that spiral out of control into power struggles, where the real issue becomes less about what’s right and more about who’s "right" or who’s the proper victim. Now, extend this dynamic to societal problems with far greater stakes, involving people who don’t even know each other.
Morality and reality are skewed from both ends by competing truths. Getting to what's best and right requires more than one's critical thinking or merely accepting the perspectives of individuals, minorities, or majorities as definitive arbiters of truth. It demands a deeper, more nuanced approach: listening to various viewpoints, engaging with differing persuasions, evaluating conditional offers, and carefully navigating the complexities of multiple truths. With this, we avoid divisive power struggles that default to simplistic and sometimes corrupt conclusions.
I heard your truth, and I understand your truth. I heard Jeff's truth, and I (think) understood his truth. Many of my family, friends, pastor, church community, etc., voted for Trump, while I did not. I want to appreciate their Truth without relinquishing my own. Why? Because they are reasonable, honest, loving people I love and respect.
Fascinating read.
o.
I agree with you Jessica.
"It won't stop progress if it is intended to happen." . . . . . who do you think is making the intention? You, like millions of people, are still holding onto the idea of a "Grand Plan" and of some Being working that plan out in spite of what we do. We, as a race, need to wake up to the understanding of what it actually means to have free will. It means that even if there is some "Grand Plan", it requires our participation to come to reality. We each need to make a decision individually to go along with that plan. If we don't there is no Super Being that can overrule our free will and make it happen in spite of us. And if we can understand this, then we have a responsibility to speak up and help others come to an understanding also. Sitting back and saying "It's all part of the plan" is not helping. Yes, when Trump starts using his power to implicate his "plan", many of those who voted for him WILL wake up and begin to understand what they did. But it will be mostly likely at the cost of a huge amount of suffering that could have been avoided.
And if any new understandings do come out of this tragedy, all that it means is that our precious gift of free will empowers us to be able to always start over afresh.
It is our free will that gives us the power to rise again, and NOT some "progress that is intended to happen".
I agree, I found this incredibly insensitive, condoning, forgiving, and apologetic of Trump. It is strange too because he has been so critical of Tolle, but this message seems to give Trump a pass with flying colors.
I hear you. I critically reviewed Tolle’s teachings for some time. The more neutral question of why people liked Tolle’s message would have been a very different piece.
I am surprised you read any free pass for Trump. I thought the article intended to clarify what motivated the people who voted for him. If we can understand each other better, it helps to see the humanity in each other.
It might be too soon for some, for others it might be a helpful, well-timed perspective to make sense of it.
It's hard to be authentic and sensitive to everyone all the time. I think this author is being congruent with what he preaches and I congratulate him for it.
Yes. I was really seeking to understand.
I agree wholeheartedly.
I do not know what his views are on Trump. Perhaps he was more concerned about the voters psyche than the study of the elected candidate. Perhaps he knows more about Tolle than about Trump.
It feels like you need him to criticise Trump in the same way as Tolle?
When I said I feel he is congruent, I mean he seems to express authentically, without fearing disapproval or loosing fans. I might be wrong, but I felt his writing has always been about finding strength in accepting reality as it is rather than trying to turn reality in a fairy tale version. So trying to make sense of something that surprises many, should help to get in touch with that reality.
Would it make you less scared if more people would share your concerns and see Trump as the evil man you experience ? Would you feel more protected if others would agree on the danger ahead? Do you feel we are blibdly heading into the abyss ?
Could it be that what you experience right now, is a shared experience ? Perhaps not for the same reasons but the same despair and need for reassurance?
Kelycya, I agree with you. I am not open to centrist views in times of extreme shifts to the right; it normalizes and desensitizes the oppression, authoritarianism and fascism. It enables and emboldens the oppressive behavior.
"Neutral" and "centrist" in times of injustice are the same. If you are centrist in situations of injustice . . .
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” — Archbishop Desmond Tutu
One hundred percent
How might we make progress now? To avoid centrism, could we start by identifying variations of extremism and their connection to shifts so we have a common language and gain context? Given the historical context, I understand Tutu. I’m not entirely convinced that I perceive the elephant and the mouse as vividly as he did. I know my truths are limited to my life, not in running this world. Still, they are grounded in engagement.
Kelycya, it took me a moment. Jeff is not grieving because he supports Trump.
I support human evolution. As for this " Kelycya, I agree with you. I am not open to centrist views in times of extreme shifts to the right; it normalizes and desensitizes the oppression, authoritarianism and fascism. It enables and emboldens the oppressive behavior.
"Neutral" and "centrist" in times of injustice are the same. If you are centrist in situations of injustice . . ."
Sometimes one is a "centrist" not because they are neutral but because they are of the view that there are equal amounts of oppression, authoritarianism and fascism, on both the left and the right. I agree with you about fighting against injustice, but not everyone agrees with respect to that which is just/unjust. Some people see that in both places.
Jeff Brown, once upon a time, I hired you and worked with you as a client. I trusted you. You helped me at a pivotal time in my life. I will always be grateful for that. But the way you have shown up for me online in this forum . . . I have to say that I have not felt emotionally safe.
The first words to me in the thread above: "I hear you." And then you proceeded to not listen to a word I said. I asked for compassion and got none. Maybe you don't have that to offer right now. But you teach embodiment and a grounded spirituality. And you teach others to call out spiritual teachers when they are incongruent.
So perhaps you will reflect: When a woman says she is grieving and asks for compassion . . . BELIEVE HER. STOP. Listen, deeply listen. A rapist just won the U.S. presidency. A lot of women have an issue with that. Do better with holding space.
As for both-sides-isms, equal amounts of oppression . . . that line of reasoning does not work on me. It's a moral equivalency fallacy. Harris is not a convicted felon nor a rapist. I cannot join in the mental gymnastics to give power to a malignant narcissist and justify that. Too many people will suffer due to the lack of empathy.
As for a lot of people having watery ethics, morals and integrity, not my monkey, not my circus. I am clear on my values and who I am. Also I have a background in political science. And subscribe to a classic view of fascism as an ideology of the far right.
Wishing you kindness, Jeff Brown. I hope you find your way out of the MAGA cult and the spell breaks.
I am not a part of any cult.
I agree to disagree. I see a giant blind spot in your language and reasoning.
By not taking a clear stand against Trump and a dangerous right-wing ideology, you are on the side of the oppressor.
By being silent about a rapist and misogynist ascending to such power, you are complicit in your support. And you have abandoned women. You are not embodying your own teachings in an Apology to the Feminine from the Divine Masculine.
I saw that you are in search of new language. You cannot escape fascism by dressing it in new clothes. And trying to make it sound more appealing. Or by encouraging people to embrace their oppressors. A boot on my neck is still a boot on my neck whatever new language you invent to make this more palatable for you, in service of your ego.
All of us are grieving in our OWN ways. When you read the title of Jeff’s post, you should have scrolled on if not yet ready to read it, and allow the rest of us to find comfort and a little enlightenment in it. Not everyone is experiencing the situation just as YOU are.
We MUST be willing to take a deep look at WHY so many turned in this election! It’s futile to only blame Trump. When you are ready, Open your mind and be willing to listen, with compassion, to people in those demographics who surprised us with their vote.
This is the most reasonable explanation I’ve heard. Thank you.
This. This. This. Caveman theory 🔥
Primal anxieties beget primal choices. If anyone thinks that creating chaos will lead to more people crawling on their knees begging for support, they don't understand humanity. The more chaotic they make it, the more inclined most humans are to turn to the right and to seek comfort in familiar places. If you want to pull us out of caveman consciousness, stabilize the world we live in so we feel safe enough to choose from a different place.
I agree with much of what you say here. However, feeling disenfranchised and being disenfranchised are not equivalent. People need to take agency and educate themselves about elections and candidates, and vote. And not just for president.
I actually believe it's a lot simpler than this. Right wing media in the US has become even more powerful than the mainstream outlets. Fox news was founded in the late 1990s. Since then, people have been pounded with messages of hate, fear, bigotry, misogyny, nationalism, white supremacy and tribalism from them and now many other major conservative networks. And don't even get me started on the social media, or twitter influence. Maybe Trump won because a good broad section of our population is just brainwashed.
Perhaps the ultimate reality is that the entire power-broker and divide-and-conquer system is brainwashing, no matter which side of the aisle you are on. I can just as easily identify brainwashing and diversionary cliches on the left as the right.
Absolutely, there can be brainwashing on both sides. The left wing has no major influence here in the US. The democratic party works hard to suppress progressive candidates and our legacy media is controlled by major corporations who protect their monetary interests. I was just trying to point out that where people are getting their main sources of information is having a huge impact on us too.
You make some good points here. But as I was reading this, what kept coming up in my mind is that these very same arguments could also very easily be use to explain why Hitler was allowed to gain power in Germany. It comes across as a bad case of hindsight, and it really seems to ignore what kind of person Trump actually is, just as using these same reasons to explain Hitler's rise to power completely ignores what kind of person he actually was.
I truly believe that the greater emphasis had to be put on continually exposing Trump's fascism and the very direct threat that it is to America's democracy and the safety of the world in general. The American voters didn't listen, but that doesn't lessen the fact that it absolutely had to be done.
The continual price of freedom, human rights, and democracy is eternal vigilance. And part of that vigilance is a duty to speak out when these values are under threat.
The Democrats did exactly what needed to be done. Just because they weren't listened to does not mean that they were wrong.
I just finished watching a news report about how the Pentagon Officials are having meetings to come up with a plan to stop Trump from using American troops against their own citizens. Trump has repeatedly spoken publicly about how he wants to do this very thing, and they are taking it very seriously. This is how real they believe the danger is.
Usually I find a lot of ideas in your writings that are very helpful and very thought-stimulating, but it seems to me that you really missed the mark on this one,
America, and by extension, the world is in a very dangerous time right now, and your remarks about what we all did wrong come across as very petty and unhelpful.
Hi..seemed to me Jeff wasn't so much emphasising g what anyone did wrong...but, as his title said " why Yeump won" Personally, as a more emotionally removed UK...I found it a fair and balanced analysis.
And ..the danger you see USA is in is nothing compared to the danger people in Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon, Sudan, Afghanistan etc etc and people fleeing their homes are in...most of which are shored up and continued by USA military.
Now you are making assumptions about me. There is an implication here that I think less about the dangers that people in other parts of the world are experiencing than I do about the dangers that I see in the U.S.A. I said nothing of the sort. You know absolutely nothing about what I think or feel in regard to these other dangers because I wasn't speaking about them in my comment.
Please do not put words in my mouth.
And dangers in other parts of the world do not cancel out or take anything away from this danger. One person's suffering is not lessened by making statements about how others have it worse.
I would agree that there were social conditions that allowed Hitler (and those types) to rise, regardless of how awful he was, the people supported him so, reflection on why is important, no?
Jeff, I DO understand what you are trying to say here, but it still comes across to me as too much finger-pointing and hindsight. Yes, your reasons about how so many were unable and unprepared to see past their own concerns and worries and missed the dangers of what they were doing with their votes are valid, and yes, there were so many points that were not presented well in this election. And hopefully we can learn to present these points better.
I do agree that Democracy spoke through this majority vote for Trump, but I do not agree that there is some kind of intended plan that will somehow win through in spite of this setback. Progress cannot happen without our participation. What is needed at this time is an even stronger determination and intention to participate with a strong spirit and a good heart for all. We may be in a very dark tunnel and it may be a while before we finally even begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
But until we do, we have the flashlights of our inner light to guide us forward.
Today on YouTube I came across a video that speaks very eloquently on this very topic, and if it is allowed, I would like to share the link to it here for all to watch. It is definitely worth it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZdoGsTZ_E
This gives more depth to our understanding of how so many can be completely alienated from the democratic pursuit of a more perfect union. What still isn't clear is how to get anywhere from here. The left was both too liberal & too moderate. Money still calls the shots & what's it going to take to get a large enough, authentic investment in humans? Hopefully we can get serious about supporting trustworthy leadership, but the ideas of traditional progressives don't seem to be enough. I hope we can find the spiritual fortitude that we need.