Funny; my recent rip of Dowson was more wistful wakeup call than Clarey’s man-up call to action…generational I think, his on the cusp, mine on the wane. No doubt what comes will be graphic, economic and otherwise, but I cannot resign to enjoy the decline because I won’t be here to see the new rising when -if- it comes.
Ever since the Blue Faction enacted Obomacare in 2010, against the vehement opposition of their own key constituencies all over the country, I’ve refused to refer to the “Liberal” fascisti as “Democratic.”
They’re a National operation. They’re Socialist. They’re masquerading as “Democrats” when in fact they’re manifestly anything but democratic. They’re a cancer on the American body politic.
Ergo theyre the National Socialist Democrat American Party (NSDAP).
Might as well call ’em what they are, and to hell with pretense.
September 24, 2015 at 7:40 am
Unca Walt
NSDAP.
Clever. I love it.
September 24, 2015 at 8:18 am
Joel
You must have filed this strip prior to hearing Rich Lowry saying Carly Fiorina cut off Trump’s balls. I do hope you have one tomorrow about it.
September 24, 2015 at 8:42 am
eon
I guess my problem is reading too much H. Beam Piper, one of the truly great yet almost forgotten SF writers. I can reread something like The Cosmic Computer aka Junkyard Planet, any of the Paratime Police stories, or especially Space Viking, and see that most of what we’re experiencing now, Piper saw coming. Even more than his personal and financial problems, maybe that’s why he committed suicide in 1964.
Like Arnold Toynbee, Piper believed in a cyclical theory of history, the one somewhat ironically summed up by the saying, “history doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, but it often rhymes”. Empires are born; they rise; they have their time in the sun. Then comes the Time of Troubles, followed by the Fall. Then the Interregnum until the rise of the next empire.
One of the best illustrations of this was Piper’s Federation stories, starting with “The Edge of the Knife”. Among other things, in it he predicted that if a Third World War erupted, it would probably start in the MidEast, and the U.S. and USSR (Russia) would be drawn into it indirectly, much as Germany and Great Britain “backed” into World War One. This was a completely unbelievable concept when he wrote the story in 1951; today we aren’t even surprised by the concept, in fact we’d be surprised if it didn’t start that way.
What Piper held was best illustrated in Space Viking. that being that man is inherently a savage, and there really isn’t much good that can be said about that attribute. He also held that every civilization that collapses does so not because the “outer barbarians” invade it and lay waste to it, but because its own, home-grown barbarians make common cause with those “outer” ones against everybody else, some in pursuit of power, others just because they want to “burn this b!tch down!”- and toast marshmallows over the ashes. He also reviewed various forms of government, ranging from feudalism to democracy to corporatism and even syndicalist socialism, and found all of them wanting.
I’m pretty sure we’re in The Time of Troubles now. It usually starts when an empire’s “enlightened elite'” decide that they loathe and despise the empire that nurtured them, and that they’ve evolved beyond the need for that empire because they are somehow “on a higher moral plane” or some such tommyrot. (“We must have non-judgmental pronouns to reflect peoples’ true genders!” “The bitter clingers must be controlled!”)
Heinlein called it “The Crazy Years”. According to him, you could spot it when politicians began talking gibberish as a matter of course. (“We will not rest until every American has an above-average income!”)
And of course when you had entire movements operating on Robert Bloch’s “RedJac Principle”. (“DIEKILLYOUALLMAKEYOUSUFFERDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!!” )
Piper covered this one in “Uller Uprising”- including what happens when they acquire nukes.
When all three hit at once…you have a problem.
Is recovery possible? Yes. Piper, like Heinlein, was convinced of that. But it is never quick, or easy, and you must accept that you are not “rebuilding”, you are building something new to replace what was destroyed.
And that you will be bitterly opposed by those who did the destroying, because their Utopia is not yours. In fact, it’s one with no place for you at all, except maybe one out of a thousand of you being saved as a slave.
You can read most of Piper’s stuff at Project Gutenberg. Start with Space Viking and go on from there.
clear ether
eon
September 24, 2015 at 9:54 am
B Woodman
Piper’s and Heinlein’s concepts sound similar to Asimov’s (original) “Foundation Trilogy” (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation).
My, how great minds think alike. And we are fortunate enough to reap the benefits of their thoughts and concepts that they shared with us.
I too was thinking how much more familiar with Asimov than Piper. I guess I need to read that author’s writing. Clarey I must research.
September 24, 2015 at 10:14 am
eon
Asimov’s portrayal of the Imperial representative in “Foundation” was eerily prescient. The computer analysis showed that every single statement he made was directly contradicted by some other statement he also made. In the end, as the analyst stated to the Foundation board, “He said not one damned thing, and did it so cleverly that none of you noticed”.
Orwellian “Doublespeak” at its finest. Also what we have come to expect from The One, The Donald, Hillary! and really every pol on both sides.
There’s a fine line between deliberate prevarication and sheer gibberish. And I’m not sure that even our most corrupt and cynical “fearless Leaders” know which side of it they’re on any more.
As long as the masses cheer and are willing to lynch people the leaders don’t like, they may not even care.
My, how great minds think alike.
I don’t think those great minds “thought alike,” as they had different concepts of how humans interact and things work. They just studied the same human history. And, unlike our politicians, they understood that legislatures and Congress can no more amend the laws of economics than they can those of physics.
September 24, 2015 at 9:57 am
B Woodman
I’ve been reading a few of Clarey’s blog posts. I’ve picked up on his concept of MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way), as he sees the majority of feminists as a waste of time and money, and he appears to not suffer fools gladly.
I just hope my g’son doesn’t fall into that trap, and is able to eventually find a good woman to marry (he’s still in HS, so there’s time yet).
Speaking of doublespeak and its employment on “both sides”, we need to expand that to “every side” as so much of what is said by elites everywhere is nonsensical, contradictory, and correct only as to politics:
“Speaking to Congress, Pope Francis is calling for an end to the death penalty in the U.S. and across the world…Francis says that every life is sacred and society can only benefit from rehabilitating those convicted of crimes (and) noted that U.S. bishops have renewed their call to abolish capital punishment.
THE PONTIFF DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION ABORTION-A PARTICULARLY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE IN CONGRESS AT THE MOMENT THAT THREATENS TO FORCE THE SHUTDOWN OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT NEXT WEEK.”
Just another politician playing at being a deity while practicing political correctness and concerned only with extending his reign.
Sorry for the double-post, please ignore the first unedited version, Chris please remove it if possible.
September 24, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Kafiroon
Since I believe we are quickly leaving the “Time of Troubles” and going into “The Fall”, I do not plan to go out with a whimper as our home grown “elites” and their supported savages come for me and mine. Some will be greeted with fast metal first.
September 24, 2015 at 3:06 pm
eon
Me, they’ll have to find first. There are advantages to being a single virgin at 57.
Hint; a good set of pre-1960 Do-It-Yourself encyclopedias will be worth much more than its weight in gold, let alone MREs or 5.56 x 45mm.
It will tell you things like how to build a safe septic system for a farm from available materials. Much more useful than one that tells you how to build a movable bar for your patio or, in more recent ones, how to WiFi your house.
Knowledge is generally a more effective weapon than even AP, in the end. (Speaking of Piper, read Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen for a good example of this.)
“There are advantages to being a single virgin at 57.”
Shit, I hope that’s just another literary reference (sci-fic not being my thing, other than Heinlein’s which is more science faction than fiction).
Because otherwise I’d have to save the hordes the trouble and just off myowndamnself. :/
September 24, 2015 at 6:03 pm
B Woodman
“What do we do with this new USSA economy?”
Start a black or gray market economy, dealing in exchange of hard goods, hard currency, and services. if you MUST deal in fiat paper/metal currency, devalue it – a lot.
21 Comments
Funny; my recent rip of Dowson was more wistful wakeup call than Clarey’s man-up call to action…generational I think, his on the cusp, mine on the wane. No doubt what comes will be graphic, economic and otherwise, but I cannot resign to enjoy the decline because I won’t be here to see the new rising when -if- it comes.
Like I said, generational.
Graphic indeed. I may or may not still be around for the recovery either, I may but hope I’ve trained my son well enough.
Sadly, the results of Obola’s actions will be very graphic. Of course, the LSM will scream “It’s Bush’s fault!”.
I like when “the engineer” in Sam comes out. Though I’ve never heard them called that before. 😉
Where’s the clickable arrow, Chris?
Ever since the Blue Faction enacted Obomacare in 2010, against the vehement opposition of their own key constituencies all over the country, I’ve refused to refer to the “Liberal” fascisti as “Democratic.”
They’re a National operation. They’re Socialist. They’re masquerading as “Democrats” when in fact they’re manifestly anything but democratic. They’re a cancer on the American body politic.
Ergo theyre the National Socialist Democrat American Party (NSDAP).
Might as well call ’em what they are, and to hell with pretense.
NSDAP.
Clever. I love it.
You must have filed this strip prior to hearing Rich Lowry saying Carly Fiorina cut off Trump’s balls. I do hope you have one tomorrow about it.
I guess my problem is reading too much H. Beam Piper, one of the truly great yet almost forgotten SF writers. I can reread something like The Cosmic Computer aka Junkyard Planet, any of the Paratime Police stories, or especially Space Viking, and see that most of what we’re experiencing now, Piper saw coming. Even more than his personal and financial problems, maybe that’s why he committed suicide in 1964.
Like Arnold Toynbee, Piper believed in a cyclical theory of history, the one somewhat ironically summed up by the saying, “history doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, but it often rhymes”. Empires are born; they rise; they have their time in the sun. Then comes the Time of Troubles, followed by the Fall. Then the Interregnum until the rise of the next empire.
One of the best illustrations of this was Piper’s Federation stories, starting with “The Edge of the Knife”. Among other things, in it he predicted that if a Third World War erupted, it would probably start in the MidEast, and the U.S. and USSR (Russia) would be drawn into it indirectly, much as Germany and Great Britain “backed” into World War One. This was a completely unbelievable concept when he wrote the story in 1951; today we aren’t even surprised by the concept, in fact we’d be surprised if it didn’t start that way.
What Piper held was best illustrated in Space Viking. that being that man is inherently a savage, and there really isn’t much good that can be said about that attribute. He also held that every civilization that collapses does so not because the “outer barbarians” invade it and lay waste to it, but because its own, home-grown barbarians make common cause with those “outer” ones against everybody else, some in pursuit of power, others just because they want to “burn this b!tch down!”- and toast marshmallows over the ashes. He also reviewed various forms of government, ranging from feudalism to democracy to corporatism and even syndicalist socialism, and found all of them wanting.
I’m pretty sure we’re in The Time of Troubles now. It usually starts when an empire’s “enlightened elite'” decide that they loathe and despise the empire that nurtured them, and that they’ve evolved beyond the need for that empire because they are somehow “on a higher moral plane” or some such tommyrot. (“We must have non-judgmental pronouns to reflect peoples’ true genders!” “The bitter clingers must be controlled!”)
Heinlein called it “The Crazy Years”. According to him, you could spot it when politicians began talking gibberish as a matter of course. (“We will not rest until every American has an above-average income!”)
And of course when you had entire movements operating on Robert Bloch’s “RedJac Principle”. (“DIEKILLYOUALLMAKEYOUSUFFERDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!!” )
Piper covered this one in “Uller Uprising”- including what happens when they acquire nukes.
When all three hit at once…you have a problem.
Is recovery possible? Yes. Piper, like Heinlein, was convinced of that. But it is never quick, or easy, and you must accept that you are not “rebuilding”, you are building something new to replace what was destroyed.
And that you will be bitterly opposed by those who did the destroying, because their Utopia is not yours. In fact, it’s one with no place for you at all, except maybe one out of a thousand of you being saved as a slave.
You can read most of Piper’s stuff at Project Gutenberg. Start with Space Viking and go on from there.
clear ether
eon
Piper’s and Heinlein’s concepts sound similar to Asimov’s (original) “Foundation Trilogy” (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation).
My, how great minds think alike. And we are fortunate enough to reap the benefits of their thoughts and concepts that they shared with us.
I too was thinking how much more familiar with Asimov than Piper. I guess I need to read that author’s writing. Clarey I must research.
Asimov’s portrayal of the Imperial representative in “Foundation” was eerily prescient. The computer analysis showed that every single statement he made was directly contradicted by some other statement he also made. In the end, as the analyst stated to the Foundation board, “He said not one damned thing, and did it so cleverly that none of you noticed”.
Orwellian “Doublespeak” at its finest. Also what we have come to expect from The One, The Donald, Hillary! and really every pol on both sides.
There’s a fine line between deliberate prevarication and sheer gibberish. And I’m not sure that even our most corrupt and cynical “fearless Leaders” know which side of it they’re on any more.
As long as the masses cheer and are willing to lynch people the leaders don’t like, they may not even care.
cheers
eon
My, how great minds think alike.
I don’t think those great minds “thought alike,” as they had different concepts of how humans interact and things work. They just studied the same human history. And, unlike our politicians, they understood that legislatures and Congress can no more amend the laws of economics than they can those of physics.
I’ve been reading a few of Clarey’s blog posts. I’ve picked up on his concept of MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way), as he sees the majority of feminists as a waste of time and money, and he appears to not suffer fools gladly.
I just hope my g’son doesn’t fall into that trap, and is able to eventually find a good woman to marry (he’s still in HS, so there’s time yet).
Speaking of doublespeak and its employment on “both sides”, we need to expand that to “every side” as so much of what is said by elites everywhere is nonsensical, contradictory, and correct only as to politics:
“Speaking to Congress, Pope Francis is calling for an end to the death penalty in the U.S. and across the world…Francis says that every life is sacred and society can only benefit from rehabilitating those convicted of crimes (and) noted that U.S. bishops have renewed their call to abolish capital punishment.
THE PONTIFF DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION ABORTION-A PARTICULARLY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE IN CONGRESS AT THE MOMENT THAT THREATENS TO FORCE THE SHUTDOWN OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT NEXT WEEK.”
Just another politician playing at being a deity while practicing political correctness and concerned only with extending his reign.
Sorry for the double-post, please ignore the first unedited version, Chris please remove it if possible.
Since I believe we are quickly leaving the “Time of Troubles” and going into “The Fall”, I do not plan to go out with a whimper as our home grown “elites” and their supported savages come for me and mine. Some will be greeted with fast metal first.
Me, they’ll have to find first. There are advantages to being a single virgin at 57.
Hint; a good set of pre-1960 Do-It-Yourself encyclopedias will be worth much more than its weight in gold, let alone MREs or 5.56 x 45mm.
It will tell you things like how to build a safe septic system for a farm from available materials. Much more useful than one that tells you how to build a movable bar for your patio or, in more recent ones, how to WiFi your house.
Knowledge is generally a more effective weapon than even AP, in the end. (Speaking of Piper, read Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen for a good example of this.)
cheers
eon
The FireFox set of books would be invaluable.
Did you mean Foxfire?
“There are advantages to being a single virgin at 57.”
Shit, I hope that’s just another literary reference (sci-fic not being my thing, other than Heinlein’s which is more science faction than fiction).
Because otherwise I’d have to save the hordes the trouble and just off myowndamnself. :/
“What do we do with this new USSA economy?”
Start a black or gray market economy, dealing in exchange of hard goods, hard currency, and services. if you MUST deal in fiat paper/metal currency, devalue it – a lot.