NTGNTP (6th Draft): CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE Part 1.1.2

1. Introduction - Part 2

Whereas the sub-urban achieves stagnation through its particular decadence, the rural has skipped ahead to full fledged nihilism. The urban may prove more like the latter than the former. Small, relatively isolated rural communities have been hit hard by economic globalization, especially the agricultural, timber and mining sectors. Many family farms have seen generational land foreclosed to pay debt incurred recently. Timber has been curtailed due to market forces and environmental concerns.[8] Mining has given way to recreation and tourism - a poor substitute. The close-knit ruralites have witnessed economic hardship and resultant social consequences, including unemployment, displacement, and general despair. These people may not easily escape their surroundings into televised illusion and distracting decadence. The lies justifying control do not apply or relate to most ruralites; hence, less easily swallowed. Survival is more immediate. Dying small towns are difficult for the residents to ignore. An unresponsive government ignores most issues unconcerning big money, and brands the objecting ruralites as racist, redneck subversives.[9] Efficiency will tolerate no real opposition to mythical progress. The tactics are similar to those employed against the so-called left. A divide-and-conquer approach has been utilized to direct rural resentment toward the population centers, while portraying rural concerns slightly akin to criminal behavior. The dissident is always insane, and purged for the good of everyone, especially anyone so misguided to object significantly. The April, 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bomb blast was a predictable nihilistic lashing out. Each death has been distastefully exploited for maximum gain to justify a crackdown. The machine acts quickly, thereby achieving the most favorable slant for the official power structure. Law enforcement may be fully mobilized without much public opposition. Long term policy may be identified and implemented by this approach. Conspiracies are unpredictable, whereas 169 unfortunate deaths may rationalize anything by (false) logical connection. Automatic weapons may be demonized, even though no firearms were involved in the crime. Anyone or anything may be thus targeted, including constitutional rights. Hence, an important document becomes window dressing for the police state.

[9] Never mind, not all such rural folk are white. Hispanics, Anglo whites, American Indians, and blacks, among others, feel similarly. The racial politics have been emotionally charged, thus precluding any rational debate from ever occurring. Agitation propaganda may always be used for maximum advantage. It also effectively divides rural and urban interests...

NTGNTP (6th Draft): CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE Part 1.1.1

Chapter 1

CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE

1. Introduction - Part 1

No closed system is permanent. All civilizations wane over time. The Machine may be slowly winding down. Entropy demands less than absolute efficiency, despite human claims contrary to the second law of thermodynamics. This realization, especially applicable to the United States, must be faced. The ignorant will die. Massive social pressures continually threaten to burst and disrupt the machinations of a system dedicated and dependant upon technique.[1] The power structure is perhaps very vulnerable, however in respects previously unconsidered. A massive collapse, effecting the technological world, could occur before or beyond effective damage control is possible. The crisis will most certainly be economic, and precipitated by a sudden, unmitigatable world shaking event. The world monetary system has passed beyond any real control. This essay is not about prediction, rather perception. A downward spiral is simple to illustrate; the basis is another matter. For example, the current mass imprisonments of drug offenders, in response to a health crisis, embodies a conflict between competing techniques each striving for maximum advantage and efficiency. The whole is different than the sum of its parts.[2] South Africa and the USSR each incarcerated huge segments of their populations, and consequently experienced the expiration of their respective systems. The United States is unlike either, however all share the impact of removing millions from the economic sphere. Even laboring prisoners will not prove economically productive over the long term. Inmates are not consumers. Real debt levels may only rise. Accounting techniques may ease the situation for the government and multi-national corporations, however lower social classes will not enjoy this luxury. Bankruptcy and debt forfeiture measures can not be magically erased. Economic quick fixes will eventually prove worthless. How can stimulus packages benefit the entirety, when many able-bodied men are imprisoned or even lack the skills for productive work? In addition, real working wages have stagnated, and even slightly declined via inflation[3]. A feudal society may be the end result of this particular scheme, but runs afoul of consumerism. Advertising and propaganda convince the need, but fail to offer any solution other than credit for supplying the funds. Hence, greater default levels. Weed choked farmyard and decaying inner cities are typical local patterns resulting from the vicious debt cycle. Agribusiness, public assistance, and penitentiaries will ease some impact, but offer far less than previous cycles in their potential. The watch hands are winding down. Their efficiency must necessarily be less than total. The same may be evidenced on a national or even international scale. The sickness may have no systemic cure, being a by-product of itself. Presently, much popular support is derived from the sub-urbanites[4], who have managed to flee from the above extremes. Living vicariously through media, in a verbal world[5], these people devote their time away from television commuting, working and sinking further into debt. Earnings may increase, but the debt required to maintain their lifestyle actually shrinks their real income, via interest payments and planned obsolescence of "necessities," like automobiles and washing machines. Most will never actually enjoy true equity. A car is paid-off, only to break down. A new car is bought, while repair bills are still owed to a credit card company. Real estate will probably be sold before the completion of a 30 year mortgage agreement, or borrowed against. Money appears not to be regarded as a commodity, which is indeed the case since the abolition of the gold standard. Only death brings permanent relief for the individual.[6] Even bankruptcy is no solution. The individual will be forced right back onto the debt cycle due to economic reality. The sub-urbanite actually believes this state is beneficial and necessary. Any other existence is inconceivable, or hopelessly idyllic. Hence, their cars suck all life away from themselves and the planet. A collapse, and consequent lack of fuel, would be most disastrous for this sort. They would prove docile sheep for anyone who could offer to preserve their existence, and easily exploited for maximum advantage. The sub-urbanites will not even probably realize their own state as tools, having been long conditioned to be so while believing themselves free. Their perceptions have been guided by the official power structure, providing an accessible path of least resistance. Puppets can be very dangerous, especially a herd believing its own individual worth and identity. These people may be written off, but never ignored. Their particular decadence is too pervading and insidious.[7]

[1] See Jaques Ellul, The Technological Society, 1964 for a detailed discussion regarding "technique." I will generally use this Concept according to his definition. Efficiency is the main goal.
[2] A tool believes greater.
[3] i.e. entropy.
[4] Actually, an archetype...
[5] This term was first coined by J. Ellul, ibid., and elaborated upon in propaganda, 1966. It is similar to my own "virtual world" used below which includes imagery.
[6] The economy will still suffer the consequences of unpaid debt.
[7] Although, the above scenario is simplistic, a basic theme has been illustrated: the economic system is partially based upon perception and belief. Currently, the official power structures encourages stasis through stability. Other ends could possibly be achieved.

NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR THE POPULATION (6th Draft) - Introduction

The 6th Draft was written between April 1995 and July 1997. About 200 copies were distributed in two printings. A complete PDF copy is available upon request. I cannot say much regarding its reception, but I do know of one case where someone went to jail for possessing a copy. Perhaps, it was the Chumpfish but most likely the cause was whose copy. The police do not like to see the "O.G.s" politicized (and all along I thought it was fundamentally apolitical). Several sections were included in the Maximum Advantage Collection.

Opening:

NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR THE POPULATION

A Manifesto of Fanatic Apathy?

The first Essay of a series

Sixth Draft

Dedicated to those who dare doubt.

This text is not "My Struggle," rather an expressed desire to be left alone by all systems and the herd. The real enemy is efficiency. This collection represents different roads to the same destination en extrema. The whole is different than the sum of its parts.

I Drove a Taxi Cab - Part 2

Of course, since buying the cab, I had noticed an increase in aggression towards my car. I had never experienced anywhere near as much rudeness. In general, I’m far too intimidating. People would definitely go out of their way to cut me off or not let me merge. I definitely missed my old Chrysler. After 9/11, it got much worse. People starting becoming almost outright violent. One idiot in a pick-up truck (of course) made a slashing motion. It’s almost too damn bad he didn’t try anything. I would have enjoyed shooting him. Many others would stare in fear. Sometimes, they would notice that I’m basically a big redneck with a beard. The transformation was astonishing. Fear and loathing became instant acceptance. I wonder what (if anything) was going through their heads. I also noted that most, but certainly not all, were white.

In an effort at mitigation (and because I was way too cheap to paint a car I spent $600 on), I scraped-off the remaining taxi emblems. Although fewer people tried hailing me, it didn’t do much, so I slapped on “Black Flag” and an “Armed Society is a Polite Society” bumper stickers. This message was effective.

Meanwhile, my cabby friend reported being called a terrorist, and was often told that to go back where he came from. His response was to show them his Alaskan tribal identification car and told to “get the fuck out” of his cab. He did however punch out a fellow Pakistani cab driver who thought 9/11 was funny.[2] His business was basically ruined partly due to backlash against Muslims.[3].

Looking back, I can remember my contempt for the weakness of my fellow Americans. Since their hostility was directed toward anything remotely and tenuously Muslim, and I felt some of it directed toward me, I found it difficult to emphasize. They allowed the media and government to terrorize them into utter stupidity. Now, with time, I have mellowed. It’s difficult to have one’s world view shattered. I personally wonder why so many had it in the first place, or how they could still do so. Some of my middle eastern friends confided that it was natural for Americans to be a bit jumpy. However, it doesn’t excuse the racism. I’m glad honkies will be in the minority soon. The world will be a better place.

[2] A month earlier he threw someone, who had spit on him, through the front window of Bartell’s on Broadway thus severing a main artery. The police declined to press charges.

[3] I must also note that most cab drivers I met were African and Coptic Christians.

I Drove a Taxi Cab - Part 1

Draft 1.0

I drove a taxi cab, but I never was a cabby. Someone had hit and run my ‘76 Chrysler Newport[1], and after about 6 months the power-steering was fried. It was manual steering for right turns and wobbled all over the road. I was tiring of the constant battle, so I needed a new car pretty bad. A friend, who was a cab driver, hooked me up with a retiring ‘91 Chevy Caprice Yellow Taxi. It had “only” a quarter million miles, but Seattle requires taxis be not more that 10 years old. I got it for $600, and it was a good deal. I drove it from June 2001 until in October 20002 until it needed $1200 worth of work and I sold it for $250. The only problem I had was the window blower fan conking out. You would think I got a good deal, and I did, but there’s more to things than money.

At first, because the markings were not completely obliterated, I found it amusing that people would try to hail me. The fun soon began to get old when they sometimes acted as if I, who am white, was discriminating against them. It wasn’t as if I really was a cab driver. One thing that was fairly interesting is how well I got on with Africans, Arabs and others who are disproportionally represented in the world of cab drivers in Seattle. They figured I was part of the cab world, or at least friendly to it, and we would often strike up conversations. It definitely fit in the Central District, a very diverse neighborhood, where I had lived since 1995.

Then September 11 happened.

[1] They got much worse than they gave.