US and Israel attack Iran

[Alexis Jacobi]

So I am with you on an aspect of your view. I think the class that I have been speaking about — middle America, flyover America, the America that had its livelihood sold out from underneath it and became impoverished (in so many senses) could be part of an agreed analysis.

Seeds, I did not include what I meant to say: Trump as a wounded, ugly figure, is a reflection in some ways of that class that adored him. His wound and his ugliness was also some part of their woundedness. That spoken essay by Michael Moore seemed to cement this connection for me. (I am aware that he continued speaking and he did point out that theirs would be a shallow and dubious ‘victory’).

[Lacewing]

I think what has ‘happened’ is that I have synthesized numerous perspectives and arrived at a position that is relatively coherent.

Ah! And there you stand now.

I hope very much you feel fulfilled and properly directed

Thank you! I do.

I was hoping to explore some real-world examples with you to see if we (you and I) could agree on what a balance might be from our differing perspectives of various 'issues'. Unfortunately, based on your responses so far, I see that you aren't able to be flexible/open beyond your chosen position (and methodology) to allow there to be other ways/views.

So, I guess we failed the experiment before even starting.

Good luck to you wherever you are!

[Alexis Jacobi]

Classic Lacewing! (Stuff & nonsense).

[Dubious]

Trump - a person of no redeeming qualities one could name - rules as the most potent catalyst and symbol of America's decline. That honor is less due to anyone as disgusting as Trump but to a system which clearly has demonstrated very little defence against it. The antibodies provided by its Constitution are being targeted forcing them into a state of near surrender. Empires usually falter and decline when the system itself corrodes, its so-called Constitutional ramparts, which those like Trump and surrounding sycophants merely expedite rather than cause.

One of the first main indicators of decline globally will be the gradual erosion of its status as the main reserve currency.

[Walker]

If things are gonna stay the same, something has to change.

[Alexis Jacobi]

It’s amazing how, after years and decades, your-plural discourse is essentially just a cut-and-past, a rephrasing, of things you’ve said a thousand times! Talk about being ‘stuck in a hole’.

It’s just the f**king same crap!

I was hoping to explore some real-world examples with you to see if we (you and I) could agree on what a balance might be from our differing perspectives of various 'issues'. Unfortunately, based on your responses so far, I see that you aren't able to be flexible/open beyond your chosen position (and methodology) to allow there to be other ways/views.

You were ‘hoping’ for no such thing! This is all a pose.

But yes! You came in noble, flexible raiment, true daughter of a transformative zeitgeist! You were looking for a real ‘sharing of perspectives’ and to construct a genuine bridge! How hard it must be for you to walk this dreary earth!

So, I guess we failed the experiment before even starting.

Except my dear child that I, Alexis Jacobi, have failed nothing. I always win gloriously simply because I do not get bound up with the idiocy endlessly repeating dead-ends!

Good luck to you wherever you are!

È stato un onore! Ti porto nel cuore, ovunque il vento mi conduca. Addio, anima bella, che la tua strada sia cosparsa di luce!

I suggest paying attention to Helen Andrews. We absolutely must turn against this feminizing current.

The article.

[Alexis Jacobi]

Trump - a person of no redeeming qualities one could name - rules as the most potent catalyst and symbol of America's decline. That honor is less due to anyone as disgusting as Trump but to a system which clearly has demonstrated very little defence against it. The antibodies provided by its Constitution are being targeted forcing them into a state of near surrender. Empires usually falter and decline when the system itself corrodes, its so-called Constitutional ramparts, which those like Trump and surrounding sycophants merely expedite rather than cause.

One of the first main indicators of decline globally will be the gradual erosion of its status as the main reserve currency.

OK, that's pretty good, but thank Heavens for the AI machines. Stepping out of dreary prose might help!

*The Catalyst*

A man of no redeeming grace,
No single virtue one could name,
Yet on the highest seat is placed —
The symbol and the catalyst of shame.

Not his the power to rot the state alone,
No one man so foul could cause such fall,
It is the system, corroded to the bone,
That offered up no rampart, no wall.

The antibodies of the Constitution,
Writ in ink to hold the tide,
Are targeted for dissolution,
And forced, near-surrendered, to subside.

For empires do not fall by sword or fire,
They falter when within they corrode,
When ramparts crumble that men call higher,
And sycophants merely quicken the road.

He did not cause it — he expedites,
He rides the rust, he hastens the decay,
The first true sign in global lights
Will be the greenback fading grey —

When the reserve no longer holds its throne,
The world will know the decline is done,
Not by a man disgusting, and alone,
But by a Republic, already come undone.

[Alexis Jacobi]

From this article:

WHAT FORM WILL the Western Caesarism take? A glance at Spengler’s Hour of Decision and Prussianism and Socialism sheds further light on this point. Firstly, Spengler’s concept of Prussian, or modern, socialism should not be mistaken for Marxist socialism. It is, however, a product that arose alongside Marxism, albeit possessing more right-leaning views; an instinct that nurtures the Faustian temperaments of will to power and yearning for the infinite, yet in modern times it has turned into the will to “absolute domination of the world in the military, economic and intellectual sense.” This instinct was perhaps drastically felt during the First World War and is manifested in the Western form of Imperialism. Whilst other world cultures did pursue conquest in their own respective manner, the Faustian soul recognizes no limit, and thus obsesses with world domination as embodied by the conquest of the Americas and of large swathes of lands globally. Thus, the ambition to universal domination is technically “modern socialism,” and it is, ipso facto — the drive towards globalization in every sense. Although an antithesis might always exist, as evident in all cultures, the Caesarism that is to come, according to Spengler, will forcibly combine any conflicting sentiments, just as “Caesar combined senate and plebs.” Spengler introduces the idea that there are two distinctly Faustian economic principles at a war of annihilation: on one hand, the English Viking evolved into a free tradesman embodied economically by capitalism; on the other, the German Teutonic Knight progressed to an administrative official symbolized by Prussian socialism. Spengler questions whether the economic structure of the future Caesarism will be through “worldwide exploitation, or worldwide organization,” and asks “are the Caesars of the coming empire to be billionaires or universal administrators?” Although, in The Decline of the West, Spengler suggested that the coming Caesars of the Western world hold ideals that are antithetical to capitalism, in Prussianism and Socialism, Spengler seemed hesitant to assert that. This is revealed when he asked whether the Caesars would come in the form of “billionaires or generals, bankers or civil servants of the highest quality? That is the eternal question.” In this work, he believes that the dialectal clash between what he calls Anglo- Saxon capitalism and Prussian socialism will eventually decide the winner. Moreover, Spengler seems sure about another point regarding the battle for universal dominance: it will definitely be fought in blood. In a typically pessimistic tone, Spengler says:

Everything that proceeds from the innermost soul to become flesh or fleshly creation demands a sacrifice of flesh in return. Ideas that have become blood demand blood. War is the eternal pattern of higher human existence, and countries exist for war’s sake, they are signs of readiness for war. And even if a tired and blood-drained humanity desired to do away with war, like the citizens of Classical world during its final centuries, like the Indians and Chinese of today, it would merely exchange its role of war-wager for that of the object about and which others would wage war.

[Alexis Jacobi]

This is also quite instructive:

To Spengler, parliamentary democracies were weak, and their arrival only paved the way for the new Caesarism. With the rise and fall of Mussolini and Hitler, many of Spengler’s critics pointed out the inaccuracy of his conception of Caesarism, since the tendencies that Spengler spoke of vanished from the scene during the period of relative peace and economic prosperity which followed the Second World War. Despite that, the reemergence of the right wing on the European political scene and the Trump presidency in the USA are a reminder that Spengler’s conception of Caesarism has not lost its relevance. It is hard to come to terms with the reality of the political changes occurring in the West today, such as the undeniable frailty of the fabric of democracy in the West and irrefutable rise of right-wing populism. Conclusively, it is vital to grasp Spengler’s pessimism to further comprehend his concept of Caesarism, which is perhaps perfectly illustrated in his popular quote “optimism is cowardice.” By optimism, Spengler meant the deceptive confidence in ideals and utopias, and under pessimism, he implies realism and the acknowledgement of the inevitable tides of historical change. Spengler extensively revered war and despised the pacifist “world- improvers” of the money-age, dominated by false ideals and hopes. But that to him is not an admiration of violence, but of the nature of man, for the age of ideals, where pacifists rule, first brings down the culture to its knees, prior to collapsing, and demolishes the very foundations that built the respective culture — through the dominance of city over nature — as mentioned earlier. Accordingly, the history of man is, in Spengler’s judgement, the history of war. The ages that are dawning upon Western man are, in Spengler’s judgement, the mightiest, as they correspond to the ages of Hannibal to Caesar. Spengler argued, through his pessimistic realism, that, if war, the collapse of democracy, and the end of money are predestined, the West should come to terms with these changes, rather than try to delay them. “We are born into this time and must bravely follow the path to the destined end,” Spengler says. Hence, Spengler’s pessimism is, essentially, a form of realism, albeit a rather deterministic one. In Man and Technics, Spengler concludes by providing a final advice through the example of the Roman soldier who died at his post following the eruption of Vesuvius. Since all cultures are bound to fall, Spengler suggested that the West come to terms with its imminent demise, and only through that — the realization of the nature of reality, birth and death — can it achieve an honorable end.

[Dubious]

Trump - a person of no redeeming qualities one could name - rules as the most potent catalyst and symbol of America's decline. That honor is less due to anyone as disgusting as Trump but to a system which clearly has demonstrated very little defence against it. The antibodies provided by its Constitution are being targeted forcing them into a state of near surrender. Empires usually falter and decline when the system itself corrodes, its so-called Constitutional ramparts, which those like Trump and surrounding sycophants merely expedite rather than cause.

One of the first main indicators of decline globally will be the gradual erosion of its status as the main reserve currency.

OK, that's pretty good, but thank Heavens for the AI machines. Stepping out of dreary prose might help!

*The Catalyst*

A man of no redeeming grace,
No single virtue one could name,
Yet on the highest seat is placed —
The symbol and the catalyst of shame.

My compliments to the AI machine for the poetic paraphrase, so insighful and true; I must also compliment myself for having inspired it in spite of my dreary prose!

[Alexis Jacobi]

My compliments to the AI machine for the poetic paraphrase, so insighful and true; I must also compliment myself for having inspired it in spite of my dreary prose!

Receive my healing blessing, child …

:::sign of the cross:::

[Alexis Jacobi]

Honestly, I think it is relevant to note that the mood of condemnation and intolerance of the Nation itself by its own citizens is extremely bizarre. (I do not mean to say that they do not have some good reasons however).

This is why I say: there is extreme conflict over the very definition of What America is and What it is supposed to be. While I understand that now (via social media) anyone can chime in and belt out their opinions, dissatisfaction, contempt, betrayal and what not, little of this is rational, and then: What exactly does ‘patriotism’ mean in our present?

[Lacewing]

I was hoping to explore some real-world examples with you to see if we (you and I) could agree on what a balance might be from our differing perspectives of various 'issues'. Unfortunately, based on your responses so far, I see that you aren't able to be flexible/open beyond your chosen position (and methodology) to allow there to be other ways/views.

You were ‘hoping’ for no such thing! This is all a pose.

But yes! You came in noble, flexible raiment, true daughter of a transformative zeitgeist! You were looking for a real ‘sharing of perspectives’ and to construct a genuine bridge! How hard it must be for you to walk this dreary earth!

It's unfortunate that you don't realize how inaccurate your skewed thinking is. What I proposed above is EXACTLY what I was going to suggest to Walker (first), but he was being... well, his usual uncooperative, flipped-out self, and I didn't think it was worth the effort. Then I thought to try it with you... it seemed like an interesting experiment(!)... but you went off the rails faster than expected.

Truly, you guys are mistaken about more than you realize. And those misjudgments are what enable you to continue glorifying your half-lit 'positions'. Apparently, that's your priority.

Whatever. I appreciate that you've generously shown how little you're capable of... so I won't waste any more time or ideas toward experiencing anything more interesting with you. We'll just stick to insults.

[Alexis Jacobi]

Lacewing, let me clarify for you a few things. One, I am entirely capable and very interested in productive conversation pertaining to topical issues. The obstacle we run into is simply put that you have no studied background in any of this. I estimate that you do no substantial reading. You may not believe me, or perhaps you find fault with studiousness, or maybe you have some New Agey notion that you can extract understanding from the Cosmos through you “flexible orientation”, I am not entirely certain. In my case I have spent years reading up on the topics that are important. And I know, because you say as much, that you regard this as rigidity, or conventionalism, or God only knows what. But this is why I always get frustrated with you: You want to have grand, solid and valued opinions about matters you are marginslly apprised of.

That’s it, Lacewing.

What happens between us, and it rights at the foundation, is that I think, reason and argue like a man; and you think, reason and argue like a woman. You will likely react to what I say but I am only slightly sorry. This is why I suggest that you pay attention to Helen Andrews. Read her essay. Ponder it.

The reason you wind up in the same ‘hole’ with me — I refrain to mention others — is exactly for the reasons I just described, and not because of any failing on my side.

Truly, you guys are mistaken about more than you realize. And those misjudgments are what enable you to continue glorifying your half-lit 'positions'. Apparently, that's your priority.

All you need to do is to write free-standing, articulate, reasonable posts where you express your views. Just do that. Use the essay form adapted to forum communication. Knock one out of the ballpark.

[seeds]

Trump - a person of no redeeming qualities one could name - rules as the most potent catalyst and symbol of America's decline. That honor is less due to anyone as disgusting as Trump but to a system which clearly has demonstrated very little defence against it. The antibodies provided by its Constitution are being targeted forcing them into a state of near surrender. Empires usually falter and decline when the system itself corrodes, its so-called Constitutional ramparts, which those like Trump and surrounding sycophants merely expedite rather than cause.

One of the first main indicators of decline globally will be the gradual erosion of its status as the main reserve currency.

Well said, Dubious.

Now I realize that he's not the sole cause of what's coming,...

...however, thanks to Trump's incompetence, the word "erosion" (implying a slow and gradual process) no longer applies to the rate at which the value of America's currency is now slipping down the mountainside of the world economy,...

...for that gradual slippage is about to become a rapid and catastrophic landslide.
_______