86 Comments
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James Goodrich's avatar

I’ve never really understood how large groups of people could get so manipulated by propaganda from a government, political party or a group and others didn’t. People that see through the propaganda are still affected however, they have to live with the brainwashed which can lead to division or worse violence. I’ll never forget this one instance, one of many instances, where people I knew for decades shunned me because I’m unvaccinated.

In 2008 I built a house, a mansion, for a wealthy family on Cape Cod. Years later during the pandemic, on a Friday, I went there to look at some work they wanted done. The whole family, was there for the weekend. When I went to go in the house they all got up and left the 6 bedroom 6 1/2 bath house because I was unvaccinated. They all went outside, stood in the front yard while I was inside. Their kids, their small grand children and all but one of the parents. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by their disrespect, they all went through the college “educated” brainwashing process. I had done large renovations to all of their homes. Although the parents are conservative, the kids are self proclaimed ultra “tolerant” liberals. The blatant arrogance and discrimination, looking down on me, confirmed what in my heart I knew they really were all about.

My back breaking work had made them all millions of dollars which pleased me. I was always good to them, respectful and responsive. They were all captured by government propaganda.

To this day, even with all the facts that have come out, even after being “vaccinated” again and again and all of them getting sick, they haven’t changed one bit and certainly have never apologized for treating me that way. I looked up the appraised value of that house, it’s currently 4.8 million on Redfin.

Isn’t it so human to take something good, drag it through the streets, spit at it, humiliate it, shame it, imprison it and finally try to kill it.

It’s not in my nature, man’s nature, to forgive something I know I’ll never forget, but I do try. Happy Sunday!

J.Goodrich

Thomas A Braun RPh's avatar

Critical thinking has been trashed by the overpriced college educational system . It has been replaced by indoctrination.

Big E's avatar

Our spouse keeps telling us that only 30% are unconvinced by propaganda. Unfortunately, only a small -- TINY -- percentage of the unpersuaded speak out.

Everyone in the 30%, please speak out. But be respectful. NO profanity. Ask open ended questions. "Are you vaccinated? Yes. OK, then you won't need to worry if I'm not, right?"

Thanks for another good story, King James.

Kirsten Arbon's avatar

The Pandemic shed a lot of light on people's tendencies and how easily they go along to get along. I was sitting at my son's baseball game after the reopening of sports in CA. Bear in mind that there was crime scene tape blocking off all parks and even the beaches here. It was crazy. Anyways, I was sitting in the outfield in a chair by myself as I simply wouldn't wear a mask and didn't want to deal with anyone. A father of one of the boys who was just a great cool and kind guy came up to me with his mask on. We always small talked at games. He asked how I was and then proceeded to ask if I had gotten the vaccine. I replied "Hell no" as I seem to not have a filter. He asked why and I simply said "I didn't want it." He then volunteered that he had gotten vaccinated so I asked him why he got it. I will never forget him saying "I did it for you." I reacted with a quick response saying "What? I didn't ask you to do that". He just looked at me kind of confused and his eyes were so tired. We never talked much after that.

Danielle J. Duperret, ND/PhD's avatar

I believe a big issue is that if you are not ostracized because of your stand on vaccines, you may be ostracized over another issue, and then another… until you eventually find yourself feeling quite lonely in this world.

We seem to have lost the art of communication—and of having peaceful disagreements.

James Schwartz's avatar

Us carpenters have had it rough J. Luckily, I was retired before the China virus or is it U.S. now? I know one thing if there was ever more work to be done for this family that friends and family discount is done. Full rate plus!

Lucielle Csonka's avatar

Hit the. Where it hurts. The. They just may wake up. Or not

James Schwartz's avatar

Any relation to Larry? Don’t see too many with that last name. Just curious.

Swabbie Robbie's avatar

I think large groups of people are the easiest to be manipulated, Mob rule, Ability to get away with things individuals can't. Fear of not fitting in.

beccar1954's avatar

That’s what they did to Jesus. You’re in good company.

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Maybe they will have a termite infestation.

David Poe's avatar

These five rules of propaganda have been known for a long time, and they are certainly not original with myself. They can be found on the internet through searches, but I don't think that the powerful really like them being known. Please send them around so that more people will be aware of them. Ideally get them posted in school classrooms. Thank You.

The Five Rules of Propaganda

1. The rule of simplification - reducing all data to a simple confrontation between 'Good and Bad', 'Friend and Foe'.

2. The rule of disfiguration - discrediting the opposition by crude smears and parodies.

3. The rule of transfusion - manipulating the consensus values of the target audience for one's own ends.

4. The rule of unanimity - presenting one's viewpoint as if it were unanimous opinion of all right-thinking people: draining the doubting individual into agreement by the appeal of star-performers, by social pressure , and by 'psychological contagion'.

5. The rule of orchestration - endlessly repeating the same messages in different variations and combinations.

mike's avatar

Regime change. Our own elected and unelected government officials are supporting regime change in the United States by causing pain to us, the citizens. Man alive, I do wish they would stop it. I really don't like being treated like them, puppets.

Sonia Nordenson's avatar

You were very lucky, James, not to be exposed to all that shedding.

T. Paine's avatar

A sad example of the power of the spell. Having been a builder of things my entire life I feel you pain. The success of the modern propaganda machine is the most challenging threat we face, even more than the corrupt bureaucrats and politicians. Trump was right about Fake News all along, but its not just fake it's evil on steroids and that's how the spell is cast. Context is essential for understanding and identifying deception/fake news.

Ana González's avatar

The RepubliCANTS are part of the UNIPARTY ‼️

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Not all of them and looks like a bunch are leaving. Hope for better replacements.

Ana González's avatar

I pray that they leave or that they're soon replaced because we can't afford the split with our slim "majority!"

Richard  Garrett's avatar

I fear that many of the replacements will be Democrats!!!

Ana González's avatar

As long as Texas has OPEN PRIMARIES, we'll keep on getting RINOS‼️‼️

🤷‍♀️🤷🤷🏻‍♂️

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

As I have,said before it is the uniparty critters that worry me more...harder to detect

Darrell Griffin's avatar

I donated to the GOP for decades, and before Trump was elected, I could see little difference between them and the Democrats. Now, I realize the ONLY difference is Trump and his team. I have concluded the goal of most folks in Washington is NOT the welfare of the U.S.A; it's to get a rich as they can as soon as they can.

Micheal Nash, Ph. D.'s avatar

Polls. Cannot believe them because of bias couched in questions asked and who is asked those questions. An example is,the poll I conducted with myself over who is,smarter, cats or dogs.

Cats and dogs. Often encounter discussions about which are the smartest. Was thinking about that when it occurred to be it may be something of an apple/orange comparison. Consider hunting as a mental exercise.

Dogs are pack animals and they hunt cooperatively. They also are prone to nuturing one another. And that explains how they relate with us...they will accept us into their pack and accept our participation in their hunting. And will come to us with their problems and booboos.

Cats are lone hunters so their decision making is solitary. All planning aspects of the hunt, the capture and disposition of prey is theirs alone. Tho perhaps they include us in their pride, they retain much of their solitary decision making and when upset or ill tend to go off and hide. They simply are much more independent than are dogs.

By that characterization then, dogs behavior leans toward the collectivist and cats are more the ultra conservative. By that criterion, which are smarter?

beccar1954's avatar

They have different types of intelligence. Cats aren’t as easily trained, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t smart. Just look at what the universities are churning out. They’ve been trained, but are they smart?

Susan's avatar

We had a cat who would fetch and loved to be flipped in circles until my husband's leg got sore....

weedom1's avatar

Yaaaa, apples to oranges.

But though dogs are more collectivist, they're not commies. Definitely a meritocracy is operating in their packs. 😎 Zero DEI. 🤣

Cats intelligence is more foreign to humans. It benefits their own propagation, period. At weedom-land, there's a strange, nurse cat who's a loner until another cat gets sick. Then she hangs out with the ill animal and licks him. She's now 16 yo, (and without those jabs, seemingly impervious to FLV and FIP).

Joy Metcalf's avatar

"Dogs have owners, cats have staff."

Jean's avatar

Some times cats and dogs become friends and often work together to accomplish objectives. We learn of it mostly via video clips. As one with cat like tendencies, I appreciate the message this sends.

Jane Tracy's avatar

I think that Greta should quickly hop on her sailboat and go save Cuba!😂😂

Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

I doubt that Castro II would let her land.

Patricia's avatar

Exactly! I almost forgot about Greta- darn it!

ssm59's avatar

Most people's education is simply a brainwashing to submit to authority. The structure of higher education in most institutions is a little more than rewarding those who can best regurgitate to the professor. No thinking allowed. Richard Feynman said it best ""Never confuse education with intelligence, you can have a PhD and still be an idiot."

Gail Benton's avatar

It's programmed into people that submitting to authority is the highest virtue.

It's an illusion of authority.

The Constitution keeps the government (the creature) in a cage.

It'll take a lot to get it back in.

Or,....

See how Law comes before government is the remedy.

Again, it will take a lot of time, but well worth it for liberty.

We need more people to step up, so people that are challenging authority aren't picked off, one at a time.

Course is half way through

https://www.wethepeople2.us/the-rule-of-law-power-authority-and-accountability-2/

Richard  Garrett's avatar

We are trained from early childhood to respect and submit to those in authority.

Ted Maziejka's avatar

Another Sunday of side Stiches and belly laughs!

Well done

Sarah  Jett's avatar

Greetings from MI's Thumb Coast! More snow overnight! The accumulation of November through last week washed away by yesterday's rain! I feel as though the previous four and a half months are constantly repeated! Remind anybody of anything else? This week's "phunnys" set my thoughts to children and transparency! An odd pairing, to say the least! Was Geta T. ever a child? I find her entire carriage out of character with her age, sad, sadder, saddest! As to transparency - well, it would appear that "they" want to know everything about me. However, ask a question about "them," obfuscation! Just asking! In closing, Happy St. Patrick's Day to each and your clans! Rath De Ort!

weedom1's avatar

Winner: The tip is a gift.

We use cash for these kinds of things, for as long as it remains.

Jane Tracy's avatar

Happy Anniversary to you both 💕

Jane Tracy's avatar

Everything is upside down 🙃

Corrin Strong's avatar

Re: your “true story.” I think Trump is doing pretty well on most of the issues that MAHA said they cared about. Most of the opposition seems to be coming from MAHA people freaking out about foreign policy.

This was the subject of my recent Substack in which I mentioned you as an exception to the rule. Should I edit that out?

https://corrin.substack.com/p/the-return-of-the-panicans?r=ze2j1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

beccar1954's avatar

I agree with your Substack article. Also read Jeff Childers C&C newsletter. He has a pretty uncanny ability to see through the BS and make accurate predictions. Trump and his advisors are extremely smart and have planned things way in advance, taking all sorts of things into account. I suspect that the latest panic that Republicans are going to lose in the midterms, while historically true, might be a psyop to discourage people from voting. I think that Trump will have a lot more surprises up his sleeve. Just remember, it ain’t over till it’s over.

Paula Mitchell's avatar

Jeff Childers is the best at cutting through the b.s. I'm thankful for finding his substack

Corrin Strong's avatar

Yes. I am a huge fan of Jeff’s Substack. I read it daily except Sundays because I haven’t shelled out for a subscription yet!

Joy Metcalf's avatar

If I had a subscription for every Substack that I like, I'd be impoverished.

LB (Little Birdie)'s avatar

Ditto as a fan. Have tacked some of his commenting here of late.

UnvaxxedCanadian's avatar

So the firing of Prasad at the FDA at the behest Stephen A. Schwarzman, a Trump mega donor who invested 750 in Moderna, doesn’t bother you? Because the mRNA flu shot is now on the table.

Corrin Strong's avatar

I don’t follow all the ups and downs of health policy, but I know we’re a hell of a lot farther ahead than we were when Biden was running the show and we will lose all that if the Dems get control again!

Joy Metcalf's avatar

Unfortunately, Trump is too prone to buckle when high power/high rollers come along. For example, glyphosate... One can only wonder what pressure was brought to bear.

Corrin Strong's avatar

actually, if you follow the link above, you’ll see I wrote an article about the round up mess a few weeks ago as well. As a former grain farmer, I have a little bit of insight on that.

Joy Metcalf's avatar

Are you still farming? Still organic? (I read the article, btw.) I would, instead of buckling to Bayer's pressure, have rather seen emphasis put on developing ways to rebuild the soil and farm more naturally. As for farmers going broke, that is only too true, which is why farmers markets are such a blessing for both farmers and the public. Remove the middleman and things get more profitable.

Corrin Strong's avatar

yes, I still have a small vegetable farm and go to a couple farmers markets but at age 75. I’m not sure how much longer I can do it. It’s hard work for low pay!

UnvaxxedCanadian's avatar

Glyphosate was so last year, it’s now glufosinate. More poison!

Joy Metcalf's avatar

"so last year" maybe, but it's now officially supported by the U.S. government.

VictorDianne Watson's avatar

Greta needs to get another job. I don’t think her protesting has accomplished much. Loved the MUGA meme. Unfortunately, could be said about more than Newsom.

I, too, am worried about the midterms. I pray the war in Iran will end quickly with a positive outcome for the Iranian people, the US and Israel. Am looking forward to the ACIP meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. Praying for a good outcome there as well. Happy Sunday. Thanks, Malone’s.

Thomas A Braun RPh's avatar

When Cuba agrees that their oil refineries are give back to the American oil company the county will be free again.

Joy Metcalf's avatar

I have to wonder if we're setting out for another regime change in Cuba. The last one didn't turn out so well- When I was growing up, Cuba was a modern, clean, popular tourist destination. Batista was originally supported by the USA, but when they removed support, Castro took over. Now we're trying to intervene again? Isn't his just like Iran? We replaced Mossadegh with the Shah, and then in came Khomeini. We seem to always be interfering with other governments, mostly with disastrous outcomes, but come apart at the seams when anyone suggests that foreign influences abound in the US.

America First? Not what I'm seeing.

Eva Locke's avatar

I agree with you 100%. I fled Cuba with my parents in 1961 at the age of three. I’ve been fiercely anti-communist and have voted Republican my whole life. As proud as I am of my Cuban heritage, I am an American first. I feel for the Cuban people, but we need to take care of America’s problems first. I fear that the whole purpose of going into Cuba would be for the billionaire class to take over the island and make more money for themselves. Meanwhile, all the land and property that was stolen from the Cuban people will never be recovered.

Thomas A Braun RPh's avatar

The Cuba peasants were starving under Bastista!

Susan's avatar

I see Greta's Puppet Masters are again using their Useful Idiot to try to rile up the masses. Don't be fooled.... My sister moved to Tennessee from beautiful San Diego (5 years ago *sigh*) after living there 43 years, due to Newscum's hijinxs.... Lastly, I am not allowing "them" to take way my love of rainbows.... Thanks for the Funnies.

Patricia's avatar

Oh, Greta, when will she stop this crusade she’s been on for, umm, how long now? I wonder if she walks/runs/paddles/rides a skateboard when she travels from one protest line to another?

I’m already tired of both political parties, & having a difficult time with this back-n-forth drama that keeps going on like an Energizer bunny. Pass the Save Act, & work together is my message- but, both parties are acting like middle school children & they need to just “get-r-done”!!!

We had a snow storm blow in early this morning, with high winds & minimal snow- just blowing snow & no measurable accumulation unfortunately. Springtime in the Rockies has arrived, but not much for the eastern plains. Hoping y’all east of Colorado are safe & staying warm, as the North east looks much worse than what we experienced. Be safe folks.

Joy Metcalf's avatar

Greta has been molded since she was very young. I don't think she has a chance to examine her views and decide what is real. Whoever is handling her cares more about getting their voice out than concerning themselves with Greta's well being. She's a weapon, has probably never known childhood.