Extremism: The New Communism

Only “Our Democracy” Can Stop It [The Daily Reckoning] August 29, 2024 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Extremism: The New Communism Annapolis, Maryland [Brian Maher] BRIAN MAHER Dear Reader, “Extremism” is the new communism. Against this extremism stands “Our Democracy,” prepared and fortified. Former British diplomat Mr. Alastaire Crooke: Just as the hegemonic West arose out of the Cold War era shaped and invigorated through dialectic opposition to communism (in the Western mythology), so we see today, a (claimed) totalizing “extremism” (whether of MAGA mode; or of the external variety: Iran, Russia, etc.) — posed in… a similar Hegelian dialectic opposition to the former capitalism versus communism; but in today’s case, it is “extremism” in conflict with “Our Democracy”... ‘Extremism’... plainly is being set up as the successor to the former Cold War antithesis — communism. We believe this Crooke fellow has hooked onto something. Perhaps not in fine detail, but in broad outline. “Extremist!” Did you decline vaccination? Did you ingest ivermectin? You — friend — are an extremist. Did you cast your vote for Mr. Trump? You are an extremist. Do you oppose military assistance to Ukraine? Once again you are an extremist. You are undemocratic, fascistic, racist, sexist, gay-phobic, transsexual-phobic, immigrant-phobic, dictator-philic… and an altogether nasty fellow. You are today’s communist, today’s bogeyman, today’s mighty fee-fi-fo-fum. The maximally vaccinated, the Trump-despiser, the Ukraine booster, this is the 100% American. And one political party refers to “our democracy” so often it ought to take copyright on the term. Whose Democracy Is It? Yet whose democracy is it? What about the “vaccine hesitant”? Does vaccine hesitancy find excuse in the actual science? A substantial body of medical literature indicates that it does. The scale of vaccine-induced injury and mortality appears far from negligible. Yet it makes no nevermind. You are an extremist if you begged off the shot. Do Mr. Trump’s various policy positions, say — perhaps — to cease mass illegal immigration strike bull’s-eye with you? You are an extremist. Might you fear that military assistance to Ukraine may ultimately escalate to a nuclear sword fight with Russia? You are the extremist — not the fellow willing to risk the nuclear sword fight with Russia. [James Altucher: “This Changes EVERYTHING…”]( [Click here for more...]( At any moment now, one of the biggest AI announcements in history is getting ready to break. In short, one tiny company just did the unthinkable. Using AI, they identified a compound that has resulted in COMPLETE tumor regression. In other words, has AI just discovered the most important cancer breakthrough of your lifetime? [Click Here For The Stunning Details]( Does Being Wrong Make You Extreme? Now, we must allow for this possibility: You may be incorrect in each instance. The vaccine may have benefitted you. Mr. Trump may pursue policies poor for America. Blackening Mr. Putin’s eye may prove correct. Yet does error equal extremism? To the “extremism is communism” crowd among us… it evidently does. Mr. Crooke: The West perceives itself as tacking to “the right side of History.” “Winning narratives” essentially assert — in secular format — the inevitability of the Western eschatological Mission for global redemption and convergence. In this new narrative context, facts-on-the-ground become mere irritants, and not realities that must be taken into account. Once again we believe there is justice here. The West in general and the United States in particular are forever taking up crusades. They are not religious crusades as they once were — but moral crusades. Its latest is a crusade against extremism, be it actual extremism or perceived extremism. Capturing the New Jerusalem The new crusaders believe they may capture the secular Holy Land. The new Jerusalem — or perhaps the new Sodom and Gomorrah — will fall within their grasp! Again, Mr. Alastair Crooke: [The new crusaders] may be imagining that a confrontation with extremism… will again, as it did in the post-Cold War era, yield an American rejuvenation. Which is to say that a conflict with Iran, Russia and China (in a different way) may come onto the agenda. The telltale signs are there (plus the West’s need for a reset of its economy, which war regularly provides). Central to good crusading is good storytelling. That is, propaganda is central to good crusading. The 10 Rules of Propaganda Good crusading must rely upon the late Lord Arthur Ponsonby’s 10 rules of propaganda. They are these: 1. We don’t want war, we are only defending ourselves. 2. The other guy is solely responsible for this war. 3. Our adversary’s leader is evil and looks evil. 4. We are defending a noble purpose, not special interest. 5. The enemy is purposefully causing atrocities; we only commit mistakes. 6. The enemy is using unlawful weapons. 7. We have very little losses, the enemy is losing big. 8. Intellectuals and artists support our cause. 9. Our cause is sacred. 10. Those who doubt our propaganda are traitors. [Buy this Sub-$5 Play on Elon Musk’s Final Masterpiece]( After revolutionizing space exploration and the auto industry… Elon Musk is now planning to revolutionize MONEY with this new venture. [See the details because once Elon flips the switch…]( Which could happen in the next 24 hours… It could send [this sub-$5 play skyrocketing in the coming months.]( [Click Here To Learn More]( The Propaganda War in Ukraine Daily media coverage of the Ukraine war calls to mind three or more of these propaganda rules. On some days six or seven. On others still, all 10. Alas, there is often little substance in back of them. They break inevitably upon the hard rock of facts. Yet the propagandist cannot let go. He must impose his mummeries by force if necessary, else he stand embarrassed before his fellows. Concludes Mr. Crooke: The West [has a] problem with “winning narratives”: Their inherent flaw is that they are grounded in emotivism and eschew argumentation. Inevitably, they are simplistic. They are simply intended to fuel a “whole of society” common alignment. Which is to say that across MSM; business, federal agencies, NGOs and the security sector, all should adhere to opposing all “extremisms” threatening “our democracy.” We detailed these efforts by the “deep state” in yesterday’s reckoning. The Worst Thing to Happen to America Upon the conclusion of Soviet rule, Russian political scientist Georgi Arbatov pitied not the Soviets — but the Americans. “We are going to do the worst thing we can do to you,” he sneered. Which was what precisely? “We are going to take your enemy away from you.” He was correct. As we have written before: A superpower requires an enemy as the policeman requires criminals… as the psychiatrist requires bedlamites… as the church requires sinners. Absent an enemy it loses its direction. Its vigor. Its elan vital. It is a plodding and aimless doofus. Turning Adams on His Head The United States “goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy,” said Adams (John Quincy). Of course the United States long ago took up the hunt. It found monsters in Germany (twice), Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq (twice) Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. There is always another. And another. Yet the new monster-slayer, the new crusader, need not jump an ocean to locate his monsters. He says the United States “need not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy.” He locates them at home, and in their millions. Thus he reaches for his sword. “Long live Our Democracy,” is the cry on his lips… Regards, [Brian Maher] Brian Maher Managing Editor, The Daily Reckoning [feedback@dailyreckoning.com.](mailto:feedback@dailyreckoning.com) Editor’s note: AI expert and investor James Altucher just went live and dropped a [bombshell prediction]( that just might leave you speechless. It involves AI… [and an incredible cancer discovery that could change the world.]( [click here for more...]( Needless to say, immediately after releasing it, [this video]( has already gone viral and racked up thousands of views. Due to the overwhelming attention it's receiving, we’ve made the decision to remove James’ new video from the internet on Saturday at midnight. Unfortunately, we just can’t risk leaving [this sensitive and controversial material]( up any longer than that. [Click here now to watch this new viral video while you can.]( Thank you for reading The Daily Reckoning! We greatly value your questions and comments. Please send all feedback to [feedback@dailyreckoning.com.](mailto:feedback@dailyreckoning.com) [Brian Maher] [Brian Maher]( is the Daily Reckoning's Managing Editor. Before signing on to Agora Financial, he was an independent researcher and writer who covered economics, politics and international affairs. His work has appeared in the Asia Times and other news outlets around the world. He holds a Master's degree in Defense & Strategic Studies. [Paradigm]( ☰ ⊗ [ARCHIVE]( [ABOUT]( [Contact Us]( © 2024 Paradigm Press, LLC. 1001 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your The Daily Reckoning e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from The Daily Reckoning, feel free to [click here.]( Please note: the mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so do not reply to this message. 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