ecosophia: (Default)
John Michael Greer ([personal profile] ecosophia) wrote2025-05-13 09:32 am

Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 197

smudge for the winWe are now in the fourth year of these open posts. When I first posted a tentative hypothesis on the course of the Covid phenomenon, I had no idea that discussion on the subject would still be necessary more than three years later, much less that it would turn into so lively, complex, and troubling a conversation. Still, here we are. Crude death rates and other measures of collapsing public health are anomalously high in many countries, but nobody in authority wants to talk about the inadequately tested experimental Covid injections that are the most likely cause; public health authorities government shills for the pharmaceutical industry are still trying to push through laws that will allow them to force vaccinations on anyone they want; public trust in science is collapsing; and the story continues to unfold.

So it's time for another open post. The rules are the same as before:

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry and its government enablers are causing injury and death on a massive scale. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its wholly owned politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here. 
 
3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue. 

4. If you plan on making off topic comments, please go away. This is an open post for discussion of the Covid epidemic, the vaccines, drugs, policies, and other measures that supposedly treat it, and other topics directly relevant to those things. It is not a place for general discussion of unrelated topics. Nor is it a place to ask for medical advice; giving such advice, unless you're a licensed health care provider, legally counts as practicing medicine without a license and is a crime in the US. Don't even go there.


5. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. Also, please don't drag in current quarrels about sex, race, religions, etc. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules. 

6. Please don't just post bare links without explanation. A sentence or two telling readers what's on the other side of the link is a reasonable courtesy, and if you don't include it, your attempted post will be deleted.

Please also note that nothing posted here should be construed as medical advice, which neither I nor the commentariat (excepting those who are licensed medical providers) are qualified to give. Please take your medical questions to the licensed professional provider of your choice.


With that said, the floor is open for discussion. 
earthworm_uk: (Default)

Re: Observation

[personal profile] earthworm_uk 2025-05-15 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes - emotional maelstrom - not sure if it matters so much what flavour than simply emotional disharmony venting via whatever their personality takes as red rag to bull.
If these are merely symptomatic displays due to whatever is coming down the planes, one wonders how matters will develop over the coming weeks.
Saying that, I did see a story about (IIRC) Zurich University deploying various AI bots on reddit in order to see if they could influence people - if people are interacting more with LLMs, the sky could be the limit for induced craziness.

I've certainly had the feeling that it's time to batten down the hatches and can appreciate the old idea of disappearing up a mountain to avoid the humans. I thought Marcus Aurelius was being figurative in saying that the purpose of life is to avoid finding oneself in the ranks of the insane but now I'm wondering if he meant it quite literally.
earthworm_uk: (Default)

Re: Observation

[personal profile] earthworm_uk 2025-05-15 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
My internal reaction to LLMs is up there with the feeling I had about the covid injections and that was extreme. Don't know what is going on.

Have also noticed an uptick in unexpected emotional states trying to bubble up in myself, like something is in the air... really wouldn't want to be without internal practices just now. Getting out digging and doing in garden is a life-saver. Probably daft, but sometimes it feels like there is more coming through screens than what I think I'm looking at! ;)
Am seriously considering shutting down all internet browsing for a time as a test.

Doubt we are too far from personalised bots generating individual feeds, stories and digital behavioural management. Could get wild.

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the_arcane_archivist: (Default)

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[personal profile] the_arcane_archivist 2025-05-16 07:52 am (UTC)(link)
I've certainly had the feeling that it's time to batten down the hatches and can appreciate the old idea of disappearing up a mountain to avoid the humans.

The human impact is everywhere, just an example:

Mountain guy here, yesterday was the first day I met two different bears in a span of 5 minutes, my Romanian Bucovina Shepard dog started barking, I whistled with both a normal very loud whistle and a dog whistle. And the big bear momma was above 30-40 meters (almost 45' degrees steep forest). Saw me it and run the dog after it, although I wanted to look after some mushrooms since they were in the direction of the momma bear I started to go down. (Dog doesn't get too close but instinct is to chase...) As I was alone with the dog after the bear momma, walking 4-5 minutes another rather curious, bear 70 meters beneath me, the whole procedures with whistles...

Moral is decline is everywhere, wildlife in Romania is totally out of control, because, the European eco-obsession, while they don't have **any** big predators they kind of love Romania to have the quota for the whole Europe.

Boars where so exceedingly many that at some point an epidemic of sort brought them to less then one in thirty if not less the on in fifty or so... So the policy is both dangerous for wildlife and humans.

I think si a form of accepted eco-terrorism given that you have useless cell-phone alerts going all the time, useless because they are post-factum and is for a very wide area.

the_arcane_archivist: (Default)

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[personal profile] the_arcane_archivist 2025-05-16 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
my Romanian Bucovina Shepard dog started barking,

this Romanian article has me with the dog, to make an idea how big it is

https://revistavatra.org/2025/04/03/ghicit-in-philip-k-dick-dan-sociu-in-dialog-cu-eduard-florinescu/

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[personal profile] boccaccio 2025-05-15 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
First of all, thank you for keeping this space clean. Maybe that is more important now than ever.

I don't see this binary thinking more than before, but it seems that people are hardening in their points of view. Also, when I have to interact with any service provider, the customer service is abysmal and it takes an enormous amount to get anything done, if at all. Many people seem to have tuned out. On the other hand, sometimes it feels more light than before. This month it seems like things in myself are more light, as if the usual obstacles have lost some of their gravity, or that my strenghth to counter it has grown.

Re: Observation

[personal profile] boccaccio 2025-05-15 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Besides what's coming down the planes, another factor could be the rising tensions in society. I would expect it to cause more people to have an activated survival mechanism, so fight/flight or functional freeze responses would be more common. I can see that in for example more agression on the road, people refusing to discuss something or the robotic way some people perform their job.

And of course there is also the presence of a spiky, biotoxic, blood-brain barrier crossing substance in a significant part of the population.

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[personal profile] borealbear 2025-05-15 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"This month it seems like things in myself are more light, as if the usual obstacles have lost some of their gravity, or that my strenghth to counter it has grown."

Just wanted to add a quick data point that this matches my experience as well. Could just be that spring is here in earnest, of course, but still. After a bit of a dreary period I'm feeling "lighter in myself", like you said, and also more...peaceful is probably the best word, and at a sort of acceptance of the things I'm unhappy about but know will take time to change.

Re: Observation

(Anonymous) 2025-05-16 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I've been experiencing the same lightening of mood. The gorgeous spring weather could be playing a part. It also could be that last year's divorce bombshell is receding into the rear view mirror for me.

Whatever the reason, even though I still live among a large tribe of TDS true believers, and little has objectively changed, I feel steadier on my feet somehow. I have a better perception about what I can and cannot change, Much closer to full acceptance of "the full catastrophe" (to steal a good phrase from Zorba the Greek!)

*Ochre Harebrained Curmudgeon*

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(Anonymous) 2025-05-17 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I was initially going to say I haven’t felt much relief lately, the kids are just as feral, clingy and whingey as ever, but come to think of it I have felt it easier in recent weeks to just let their noise pass by me, give hugs and cuddles without feeling the need to react with negative emotion myself. Maybe that’s something, at least. I do wonder what impact growing up in all this craziness is doing to the kids tho. Can’t wait to reminisce with them: Yes remember when the entire world around you was steeped in perpetual fear mongering and I was the meanest mom ever, denying you a TV during your formative years… good times…

Re: Observation

(Anonymous) 2025-05-16 07:25 am (UTC)(link)
I'm going to agree with the sentiment that LLMs are basically evil, and perhaps technology generally. I think it actually stems from that binary thinking; the digital world is either a 1 or a 0, and even though that system can be used to generate shades of grey, there is a basic way in which subtlety and nuance is missing from every discussion. The older I get, the more I realise that absolutely everything is complicated and simple answers are always wrong...and that's the basis of technology.

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(Anonymous) 2025-05-16 08:56 am (UTC)(link)
[personal profile] boccaccio & [profile] boralbear
+1 on the lightness. Things that would have been unpleasant on a psychological level seem to be disentangling, letting up. It's still possible to fall off the wagon (because "tracks in space") if not paying attention, but it's as if the playing field is leveled and the choice is open now. Refreshing.
vitranc: (Default)

Re: Observation

[personal profile] vitranc 2025-05-15 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, actually quite the opposite, I see less. Less engagement with topics in general. Now I will admit, that I do not really engage with commentators on any other sites as Ecosophia. But in real life the debates have ceased. Let me point out two events.
Last time I talked about electric cars the person I was discussing it with simply froze in his opinion. It got so bad, that I tested the water by citing the law of conservation of energy, and got told it cannot be right. I backed up, and became very polite, and just let the conversation drift off.
Then there was the time my father-in-law had a visit and they were discussing the economic future of the building industry. The speaker told us that once the war is over business will swing back up into growth, since “who else is going to rebuild Ukraine but us”. I quietly observed my father in law since just a day past we talked about the war and we both said that it is unwise to presume an outcome in a war. Again, we both simply kept quiet.
This is what I see, there is no two-value thinking, just one way of thinking. Where 2 years ago there were discussions of local politics, state elections, business ventures, now it is like everybody that can is just on autopilot.

Re: Observation

(Anonymous) 2025-05-15 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
BREAKING: HHS to END COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Kids & Pregnant Women
With over 600,000 estimated COVID shot deaths in the U.S., HHS moves to roll back CDC guidance—amid mounting criminal referrals, legislative efforts, and growing calls for a complete moratorium.
Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, May 15, 2025

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration—under the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—is preparing to end routine CDC recommendations that pregnant women, teenagers, and children receive COVID-19 vaccines. This decision, expected to be announced in the coming days, represents a long-overdue departure from current ill-advised CDC guidance, which still urges vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, including during pregnancy. CONTINUE READING https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-hhs-to-end-covid-19-vaccine^

Re: Observation

[personal profile] stubborn_ass 2025-05-16 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, the sad fact is that the brain damage for most of the jabbees is extensive enough that they've lost any ability to put themselves in another person's shoes and think criticallly or objectively, so at best they just regurgitate whatever programming they've absorbed before, even as the facts on the ground have changed tremendously... it doesn't compute for them.

I've put this comment on one of Simplicius articles - that the Germans are quite deluded in thinking that once the Ukraine war is finished, Russia will happily resume cheap oil and gas supplies to Germany and everything will be back to normal quickly. They don't seem to understand that from a Russian point of view, they have lost at least a hundred thousand soldiers (killed or maimed seriously), civilians attacked randomly, terrorist incidents targeting large gatherings. Most of the weapons were supplied by the west, the targeting information provided by the west. Just a bit of common sense will tell you that there will be no easy forgiveness coming.
vitranc: (Default)

Re: Observation

[personal profile] vitranc 2025-05-16 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
Ha, interesting hypothesis about the jabbees brain damage. I took it trough my circle of acquaintances and it does not confirm, I have seen the same frequency of insanity (adjusted for the smaller number of unjabbeed) on both sides of the foxx. I keep being reminded that the effects are being seen on a larger scale. How does one see a 5% rise of excess mortality rate in a village of 1200?
Still if there is brain damage as you said, and all the office fauna had to take the jab. Then all our bureaucrats are affected. And if effects are seen on a larger population sample. Yes, I could see it on a societal level.
My take was, that contrary to the “Great push of the Jab” where there was a positive narrative. Get the shot and the world will be sunshine on a beach again. This time there is no positive narrative, no token gesture to be made to make the implications of the situation go away. So, I think, most are in a state of brittle denial.

As for Russian forgiveness, something like this lense is what I use every time the media comments on Putin’s behaviour with the peace talks. He’s done with nonsense.

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(Anonymous) 2025-05-15 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I've noticed a jump in such thinking – along with alarm and an increase in evangelizing in various viewpoints. Amongst other things, I had to thread the needle between a father (and wife) who wanted an oath to Trump from me and a mother who wanted me to join in her panic over Trump II (as a Trump-agnostic 3rd party voter, you MAY be surprised that I by and large succeeded.

– Anon for now.

Re: Observation

(Anonymous) 2025-05-15 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
If you are referring to me, then you answered my question and I should thank you for that. Given the lens through which you view me, you probably won't believe this, but I wish you well.

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(Anonymous) 2025-05-15 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
From their perspective, they see you as "ideologically inconsistent". And it drives them nuts.
the_arcane_archivist: (Default)

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[personal profile] the_arcane_archivist 2025-05-16 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
Two years ago I got a revelation about how civilizations die of brain-death.

I had an epiphany that at some people at some point through addiction or other destructive behaviour a specific hemisphere becomes dominant and it degenerates and that makes the other also atrophy or compete in the degeneration... they both fight each other by fighting the center and when the center is gone they join themselves in extremism.

This happens to people, countries and civilisation, I think is a fractalic expression of the human brain part of the mind expressed to scale.

I think is part a phenomenon that brought Christianity in Ancient Rome and maybe some other religions in history.

I noticed this peculiarity, every time extreme left and extreme right encounter the center they gang on it to stomp on it.

Re: Observation

[personal profile] anonymoose_canadian 2025-05-16 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
My experience has been that the usual voices are engaged in this sort of activity, and it has not gotten much more common, if it has at all.
jenniferkobernik: (Default)

Re: Observation

[personal profile] jenniferkobernik 2025-05-16 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually, I’ve been thinking that people I know are getting a little less rigid. But these are mostly people I really like(d) who got caught up in TDS and seem to have gotten a little more in touch with reality since losing the election. I don’t have much contact with the general public, what with being a staunch homebody and now having to take an infant and a toddler along if I want to go somewhere. I wonder if some of those people—of whom I expected better—are starting to separate themselves from the more dysfunctional aspects of the current group mind?