"The best service that can be rendered to a
Country, next to that of giving it liberty, is in
diffusing the mental improvement equally essential to the preservation, and
enjoyment of the blessing."
James Madison,
letter to Littleton
Dennis Teackle, 1826
As I See It - The Human Image
There have been plenty of occasions where I have taken the direction
CogWatch.US on tangents into what I call “street politics,” the daily
competition between political parties and figures trying to win
control over the government and the hearts and minds of the American
people. But, while politics may be the most obvious of venues in
producing a cog mentality, it is by no means the only way an
individual becomes enslaved. Material goods, drugs & alcohol, illness,
security and even unchecked emotions and religion, can subject people
to the tyranny of an authoritative entity.
This is one of the main reasons for having a limited government,
because governments have the means of force at their disposal. And
should a government have as it’s leader an individual of aristocratic
views, a ruler, the potential for the use of force, to keep a populace
in line with the authorities dictates, becomes more likely. The means
of force not only include military or police force, but also refusing
access to benefits and privileges, laying of taxes, incarceration or
ostracizing persons or groups of people on a political basis.
The use of force is the means to ensure cultivation and compliance of
ideal cogs and the ruler must target the "human image" of individuals.
By “human image,” I mean the mind, body and spirit of a human. This is
not a heretical, new age or science fiction concept, but one that has
been believed by people for thousands of years, including Christians,
Hindus, Jews, Muslims and others.
It seems to me that the easiest part of the human image to control is
the body. Tyrants and oppressive governments have jailed, exiled and
killed persons whom did not agree and comply with the requirements of
those in power. The fears of being subjected to these conditions have
kept millions toeing the line in those societies, with the Soviet
Union being one of the most obvious examples.
The next easiest I believe is the control of the mind. By manipulating
the education of and available information to the public, the
controlling power can steer the direction of the population. We see
this not only with governments, but also with closed communities and
cults.
It is the spirit part of the human image which creates the most
problems for rulers, because, it is the most resistant to force. In
the old Soviet Union, the rulers tried marginalizing and restricting
access to the churches, which they thought would remove spiritual
interference with their plans for societal control. In Islamic
republics the rulers enforce the particular form of religious activity
and opinion as a means of societal control. These
exclusionary/inclusive enforcements methods have been used throughout
history, as rulers try to control groups of people, from small tribes
to large societies. They seem to believe that by controlling the
outward manifestations of the human spirit, they can control the
spirit of individuals. However, history has also shown us that at
varied times and places, an individual appears that speaks truth to
the spirit of people and inspires them to throw-off the shackles of
their oppressions and to become more free.
I contend that the desire for Liberty is part of the makeup of the
human spirit and this is what makes people rise up in rebellion to
tyrants, makes prisoners of war or slaves risk escape and induces many
to leave behind familiar comforts, safety and security for a better
life. As long as an individual’s spirit is not broken, but is
nourished by the methods of their beliefs, they have the ability to
improve their mind and physical condition, as well as their standing
in Liberty.
"The best service that can be rendered to a
Country, next to that of giving it liberty, is in
diffusing the mental improvement equally essential to the preservation, and
enjoyment of the blessing."
