I think we have very different political views, so not all of this resonated with me and I definitely disagree with some specific points (not by priority but including the implied interchangeability of liberal and left, implication of single sided antagonism from Russia/China, when the US is doing the exact same thing, and I also don't believe "equal opportunity" is realistic when there are deeply entrenched institutions that create often-insurmountable class and race-based barriers to equality, etc).
BUT your point that two party system is a complete farce and ultimately serving elite moneyed interests is really something I wish was more widely understood. I actually don't think the US can really call itself a democracy when you constantly see discrepancies between public sentiment (not a perfect proxy, but whatever) and what the government is doing. Both parties are part of the same more or less economically liberal hypercapitalist structure that has sanctified corruption in the form of political donations. Wealth criminals get away with a slap on the wrist, if that, the elite are free of accountability, the majority of people have no recourse to material degradation of their quality of living, and the most disenfranchised people in society get thrown deeper and deeper into suffering. Aside from the occasional scapegoat (a la Weinstein), systems of exploitation and abuse stay intact and unchanged. The media at large is completely untrustworthy and is pretty much reduced to partisan propaganda.
Anyway, thanks for putting this together! enjoyed the read
I can't believe how much I resonate with your writing. Great to see some perspective through the BS and looking at the real implications of the "issues" we see publicized today. Definitely a bleak outlook for the US, but it's important to recognize the cracks when they start to develop. Thanks so much for creating this and sharing your voice, I always look forward to these.
Great stuff Andy. I tend to roll my eyes and ignore these articles about personal politics, but so glad I didn’t do that here. So well thought out and articulated, even if we didn’t agree 100%. Subbing to the paid tier now. Have a great weekend!
Thanks man means a lot! I know some people will likely be turned off because of the political environment but its really not right vs. left. Gotta step back and observe the bigger trends
Just wondering why didn’t you include the story about the truck driver ramming into people at a pro choice rally in Iowa over the weekend in your social unrest post? Does it not fit the theme?
what theme? I clearly stated threats from far right and left groups are both fair game. Stop trying to start shit lol. Didn't come across that anywhere when looking through protests news and updates.
Hi Andy, I usually never take time to write comments. Just wanted to say keep doing what you’re doing. Always refreshing to read your thoughts. Have been paid Sub since the start.
I highly recommend “Immoderate Greatness - Why Civilizations Fail” from William Ophuls.
It will give you more perspective on what you’ve written down in this edition.
Government is generally in the business of keeping and expanding its power, and that’s nothing new.
What I think is new is that individuals have recently gained some tools that allow them to escape. Largely this is my takeaway from The Sovereign Individual, and I think the people and orgs who have long enjoyed control without serious challenge see this as a credible threat.
Cryptocurrency allows people to circumvent monetary control, and the internet allows communication and economic activity to be more nimble than government can counteract.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s so sad how divided the country has become over the past few years and it’s only getting worse. I usually stay away from politics since I’ve been exposed to the far right and far left with clients and family trying to push their views and not being open to have a normal conversation about issues. The general public has definitely adopted the herd mentality and I fear our country is definitely going to suffer as a result. I’m definitely going to share this with a few friends. Thanks!
Hey Andy great article - this isn’t the place but please have your support team follow up on my email. I’ve been charged $245 in the past 2 days for the monthly subscription and nobody has answered my emails. Love your content but pretty frustrated at the moment
ah I see you like being part of the problem. What about this is an L? Or were you just interested in making pointless comments with no examples or refutes included?
I love how Arb goes "you do not have to agree with my opinions". And then someone doesn't agree and says "you're part of the problem". This is an L because you talk about being propagandized, and don't even consider that may be YOU are being propagandized. The self-centeredness of believing you have the answers and others don't. The first thing I will point out is the belief that Biden, and the far radical left are actually left. You have a futile understanding of what the left actually is, and advocates for. You have fallen into the "woke" politics echo chamber (which isn't actually a problem in the grand scheme of things, but rather a distraction from capital stealing labor from workers just like most cultural issues are), the exact thing the owners want you talk about instead of the oligarchy/kleptocracy we live in. If you have a view of international politics and don't state that the USA is the hegemonic purveyor of a majority of the worlds issues you don't really understand international politics. You are allowed to disagree, and we can have a debate, but disagreeing is not "part of the problem". My world view is built from my personal experience and research, as is yours. If economics/political science was an actual science, and not a study of the human condition, we'd be in a different place. It's not an L, because it is your opinion, and entitled to write whatever the f you want, but I get to respond.
You responded with points and counterpoints. The other guy didn't lol. I'm more inclined to engage with you than someone who insults and provides nothing to the discussion. Fair?
Yes, fair :) . I although I do think his rogan/Tucker echo chamber comment has a point, but yes I do agree people tend to send snippy little comments as discourse these days.
Rogan and Tucker have plenty of fair points, they're both smart and well educated. To write them off completely just reinforces what I already mentioned in this article, one side believes that every talking point from the opposite side is radical or not true.
The points I made are not Partisan. They are objective and true regardless of what you want to believe about the left or right.
You pulled a classic trick. You insinuated the lab leak theory and Biden isn’t president theory, but say everything in your article is objective and true but you gave yourself an out…”I never said these things happened in just saying they may have happened”. It’s a convenient way to position your positions. Also, regarding Tucker and rogan, you have to understand them from a perspective of good or bad faith. Rogan doesn’t do any research before a show, and constantly brings on right wing perspectives with no push back. The scale must be 10 to 1 right to “left”, and again what he (and you) perceive to be the left. Now Tucker is a multi-millionaire who married into the hundreds million dollar Swanson fortune. If you really believe that Tucker is acting in good faith with his right wing populism, I have a bridge to sell you. Tucker is not a class traitor, I think you know that. Tucker’s whole career is soft racism masked as populism. If you do read history as you say you do, you know this is the oldest trick in the book to protect the elites and capital power.
Reading this a bit late, but great takes here. Have read every Arb letter, but first time engaging.
As a European, it is interesting to keep an eye on US politics, as the US is generally a precursor / indicator for how things will evolve in Europe. Think wokeness for example, where we are well underway to mirroring the crazy stuff that is going on in the states right now.
Politicians in Europe are as crooked here as they are in America. Massive disconnect between political elite and working class.
Completely agree that no matter if it’s leftist or conservatives in power, government is not serving the people, government is serving government. People need to wake up and realise this. However, too many are dependant on the handouts and politicians telling them what to do. No personal responsibility is being taken for one’s own well-being.
I feel like the tides are beginning to turn, but it will take more rational / common-sense people like you and libertarian-type conservatives to prevent the continued rot of this country.
If you have not read Herman Wouk's Winds of War and War and Remembrance, I think you will like them. Would also suggest H Beam Piper's Cosmic Computer and Space Viking for late Republic. The last two are free on ProjectGutenberg.
To your politics, I think you attribute more calculation, planning, and competence to people in power than really happens. Most people aren't INTJs ruthlessly planning world domination. They're opportunists acting on instinct. Coordination can seem to occur when multiple opportunists see the same thing. Not to say false flags can't happen.... more that you set the field and ruthlessly exploit any advantages you find along the way, or mistakes the others make.
The key event in late Rome that has not yet happened in the US is the use of the military against the civilians.
The US has been at war for more than just the last 100 years... I think it's only 12-odd years that the US has NOT been involved in some conflict since its inception. I would argue that 'China/Russia as enemies' does not fully capture the competition between all nations. Every nation is self-centered and acts in its interests. Same for people, even in the same party. Kamala vs Biden vs the others for 2024 is not yet decided because they are still fighting it out.
It looks like the globalists don't serve US interests because they are serving those of a different nation--the new global nation that will be born out of the United Nations.
I think we have very different political views, so not all of this resonated with me and I definitely disagree with some specific points (not by priority but including the implied interchangeability of liberal and left, implication of single sided antagonism from Russia/China, when the US is doing the exact same thing, and I also don't believe "equal opportunity" is realistic when there are deeply entrenched institutions that create often-insurmountable class and race-based barriers to equality, etc).
BUT your point that two party system is a complete farce and ultimately serving elite moneyed interests is really something I wish was more widely understood. I actually don't think the US can really call itself a democracy when you constantly see discrepancies between public sentiment (not a perfect proxy, but whatever) and what the government is doing. Both parties are part of the same more or less economically liberal hypercapitalist structure that has sanctified corruption in the form of political donations. Wealth criminals get away with a slap on the wrist, if that, the elite are free of accountability, the majority of people have no recourse to material degradation of their quality of living, and the most disenfranchised people in society get thrown deeper and deeper into suffering. Aside from the occasional scapegoat (a la Weinstein), systems of exploitation and abuse stay intact and unchanged. The media at large is completely untrustworthy and is pretty much reduced to partisan propaganda.
Anyway, thanks for putting this together! enjoyed the read
Keep it coming King.
I can't believe how much I resonate with your writing. Great to see some perspective through the BS and looking at the real implications of the "issues" we see publicized today. Definitely a bleak outlook for the US, but it's important to recognize the cracks when they start to develop. Thanks so much for creating this and sharing your voice, I always look forward to these.
thanks brother
Great stuff Andy. I tend to roll my eyes and ignore these articles about personal politics, but so glad I didn’t do that here. So well thought out and articulated, even if we didn’t agree 100%. Subbing to the paid tier now. Have a great weekend!
Thanks man means a lot! I know some people will likely be turned off because of the political environment but its really not right vs. left. Gotta step back and observe the bigger trends
This ARB letter was a red pill for the radical “woke” left that were brave enough to read it.
🤝
yeah hopefully people are waking up a bit
Completely agree we aren’t in a democracy. The amount of power that is controlled by unelected officials is disgusting in this country.
Just wondering why didn’t you include the story about the truck driver ramming into people at a pro choice rally in Iowa over the weekend in your social unrest post? Does it not fit the theme?
what theme? I clearly stated threats from far right and left groups are both fair game. Stop trying to start shit lol. Didn't come across that anywhere when looking through protests news and updates.
https://sports.yahoo.com/pickup-truck-driver-iowa-ploughing-100653951.html
Hi Andy, I usually never take time to write comments. Just wanted to say keep doing what you’re doing. Always refreshing to read your thoughts. Have been paid Sub since the start.
I highly recommend “Immoderate Greatness - Why Civilizations Fail” from William Ophuls.
It will give you more perspective on what you’ve written down in this edition.
Cheers from across the ocean. J
thanks man! will check it out
Government is generally in the business of keeping and expanding its power, and that’s nothing new.
What I think is new is that individuals have recently gained some tools that allow them to escape. Largely this is my takeaway from The Sovereign Individual, and I think the people and orgs who have long enjoyed control without serious challenge see this as a credible threat.
Cryptocurrency allows people to circumvent monetary control, and the internet allows communication and economic activity to be more nimble than government can counteract.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s so sad how divided the country has become over the past few years and it’s only getting worse. I usually stay away from politics since I’ve been exposed to the far right and far left with clients and family trying to push their views and not being open to have a normal conversation about issues. The general public has definitely adopted the herd mentality and I fear our country is definitely going to suffer as a result. I’m definitely going to share this with a few friends. Thanks!
Hey Andy great article - this isn’t the place but please have your support team follow up on my email. I’ve been charged $245 in the past 2 days for the monthly subscription and nobody has answered my emails. Love your content but pretty frustrated at the moment
Appreciate it - know you have better things to do than manage payment issues. Thanks!
Oof… this one’s an L. Someone’s been in the Tucker/Joe Rogan echo chamber a bit too long
ah I see you like being part of the problem. What about this is an L? Or were you just interested in making pointless comments with no examples or refutes included?
I love how Arb goes "you do not have to agree with my opinions". And then someone doesn't agree and says "you're part of the problem". This is an L because you talk about being propagandized, and don't even consider that may be YOU are being propagandized. The self-centeredness of believing you have the answers and others don't. The first thing I will point out is the belief that Biden, and the far radical left are actually left. You have a futile understanding of what the left actually is, and advocates for. You have fallen into the "woke" politics echo chamber (which isn't actually a problem in the grand scheme of things, but rather a distraction from capital stealing labor from workers just like most cultural issues are), the exact thing the owners want you talk about instead of the oligarchy/kleptocracy we live in. If you have a view of international politics and don't state that the USA is the hegemonic purveyor of a majority of the worlds issues you don't really understand international politics. You are allowed to disagree, and we can have a debate, but disagreeing is not "part of the problem". My world view is built from my personal experience and research, as is yours. If economics/political science was an actual science, and not a study of the human condition, we'd be in a different place. It's not an L, because it is your opinion, and entitled to write whatever the f you want, but I get to respond.
You responded with points and counterpoints. The other guy didn't lol. I'm more inclined to engage with you than someone who insults and provides nothing to the discussion. Fair?
Yes, fair :) . I although I do think his rogan/Tucker echo chamber comment has a point, but yes I do agree people tend to send snippy little comments as discourse these days.
Rogan and Tucker have plenty of fair points, they're both smart and well educated. To write them off completely just reinforces what I already mentioned in this article, one side believes that every talking point from the opposite side is radical or not true.
The points I made are not Partisan. They are objective and true regardless of what you want to believe about the left or right.
You pulled a classic trick. You insinuated the lab leak theory and Biden isn’t president theory, but say everything in your article is objective and true but you gave yourself an out…”I never said these things happened in just saying they may have happened”. It’s a convenient way to position your positions. Also, regarding Tucker and rogan, you have to understand them from a perspective of good or bad faith. Rogan doesn’t do any research before a show, and constantly brings on right wing perspectives with no push back. The scale must be 10 to 1 right to “left”, and again what he (and you) perceive to be the left. Now Tucker is a multi-millionaire who married into the hundreds million dollar Swanson fortune. If you really believe that Tucker is acting in good faith with his right wing populism, I have a bridge to sell you. Tucker is not a class traitor, I think you know that. Tucker’s whole career is soft racism masked as populism. If you do read history as you say you do, you know this is the oldest trick in the book to protect the elites and capital power.
Hit the nail right on the head with all of this man - please keep these coming as I can only hope they open up some people's eyes
Reading this a bit late, but great takes here. Have read every Arb letter, but first time engaging.
As a European, it is interesting to keep an eye on US politics, as the US is generally a precursor / indicator for how things will evolve in Europe. Think wokeness for example, where we are well underway to mirroring the crazy stuff that is going on in the states right now.
Politicians in Europe are as crooked here as they are in America. Massive disconnect between political elite and working class.
Completely agree that no matter if it’s leftist or conservatives in power, government is not serving the people, government is serving government. People need to wake up and realise this. However, too many are dependant on the handouts and politicians telling them what to do. No personal responsibility is being taken for one’s own well-being.
Keep up the good work, King. Love the content.
I feel like the tides are beginning to turn, but it will take more rational / common-sense people like you and libertarian-type conservatives to prevent the continued rot of this country.
If you have not read Herman Wouk's Winds of War and War and Remembrance, I think you will like them. Would also suggest H Beam Piper's Cosmic Computer and Space Viking for late Republic. The last two are free on ProjectGutenberg.
To your politics, I think you attribute more calculation, planning, and competence to people in power than really happens. Most people aren't INTJs ruthlessly planning world domination. They're opportunists acting on instinct. Coordination can seem to occur when multiple opportunists see the same thing. Not to say false flags can't happen.... more that you set the field and ruthlessly exploit any advantages you find along the way, or mistakes the others make.
The key event in late Rome that has not yet happened in the US is the use of the military against the civilians.
The US has been at war for more than just the last 100 years... I think it's only 12-odd years that the US has NOT been involved in some conflict since its inception. I would argue that 'China/Russia as enemies' does not fully capture the competition between all nations. Every nation is self-centered and acts in its interests. Same for people, even in the same party. Kamala vs Biden vs the others for 2024 is not yet decided because they are still fighting it out.
It looks like the globalists don't serve US interests because they are serving those of a different nation--the new global nation that will be born out of the United Nations.