Dear subscribers, The earth has completed another symbolic journey around the sun and that moment makes man look back and forward. First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. When I read your comments under my substacks, I often think: how grateful I am for such intelligent and honest readers. Until now I rarely responded to the comments. Somehow I don't want some readers to feel dejected because I'm responding to other people's comments and not theirs. I may try to set aside some time in the future to respond to everyone, but I can't really promise anything. Or maybe I shouldn't worry so much and just reply to a few comments when I have a moment.
As I have delved into the problem of conspiracies and conspiracy theories, I have looked at it aghast, how can we solve such a convoluted mess of delusion and deception? Sincere speech looks to me a possible solution to this mess. If we tap into the enjoyment of saying what we believe needs to be said, maybe we can fight back the curtain of darkness that seems to getting drawn over society more firmly with each passing decade.
Mattias, it seems hard to avoid masses within large groups of people. Could there be “good” masses if these masses are properly oriented towards the true, the good, and the beautiful?
Ik hoorde gisteren een interview met Elze van Hamelen op De Nieuwe Wereld.
Het ging er ondermeer over hoe in de jaren 50 de VS met de VN als middel, Europa naar eigen inzicht heeft omgevormd.
Hoe met de Marshall hulp een land afhankelijk te maken van de VS, de wereldvoedselproductie te beheersen en inlichtingendiensten te organiseren.
Ik moest tijdens dit gesprek denken aan de vraag hoe het kon dat Hannah Arend haar voorspelling deed over hoe de volgende totalitaire staat zou worden ingeleid.
Deze vraag werd ooit, 2022?, aan u voorgelegd.
Het werd toen aan haar intuïtie, haar bijzondere talent, toegeschreven herinner ik me.
Zou het kunnen dat Hannah Arendt op de hoogte was van de plannen die de VS voor de wereld hadden bedacht en deze heeft opgeschreven?
Aangezien meer Duitse intellectuelen verwelkomd werden in de VS.
Thank you and the angels that protect you, Mattias, for your work. Hang on and keep digging, you have found your mission in life. This is something we all here should constantly be doing: find one's mission in life and then do the job without any fear or hesitation. And let us motivate and protect each other. We want the truth, but we should be able to also pay the price and bear the suffering, that's from Vanga. The Holy Spirit is what matters most, and countries (as an organisational form) and institutions get more irrelevant by the day. It's one's internal development that matters. Sharpen your mind and strengthen your spirit. Turn off forever the propaganda bulshit for good and don't argue with fools and lost souls; this only holds you back from important work.
This was very inspirational. Yes, speaking and listening are both an art that we must equally learn to master. I will take note of that and keep it in mind through this coming year in all endeavors in life.
Please don’t waste your time responding to me. I won’t read such things . Not that I think you are a raving lunatic or anything, but your responses have nothing to do with what I wrote.
Still unclear about Max Jacob's "Le vraie est toujours neuf" or "The truth is always new." The French word 'vraie' also means: the 'real'.
Cambridge dictionary: (RÉEL) ce qui correspond à la réalité; true, real.
That definition fits the well-known 'correspondence view' of truth, the idea that 'truth' is what corresponds to... REALITY.
The correspondence view also solves your dilemma on how to "speak the truth into a definitive form." The definitive form agreed upon by most epistemologists is: truth is what's REAL, i.e.: absolutely TRUE.
Frederick Douglass who knew something about absolute truths, agrees, especially regarding slavery. He said: “There was no such thing as new truth. Error might be old or new; but truth was as old as the universe.” No hint of postmodernism there.
Once again, from Allan Bloom's intro to The Closing of the American Mind:
"The danger they(relativist students) have been taught to fear from absolutism is not error but intolerance. Relativism is necessary to openness; and this is the virtue, the only virtue, which all primary education for more than fifty years has dedicated itself to inculcating. Openness— and the relativism that makes it the only plausible stance in the face of various claims to truth and various ways of life and kinds of human beings —is the great insight of our times. The true believer is the real danger. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism, and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all."
How many arguments might be spared if we could agree on basic definitions — Especially one's definition of truth as 'correspondence with reality'. We'll still have arguments, but those arguments will have the prayer of a mechanism to resolve them.
God bless you MD - for your wisdom & speaking from your heart. I learn to listen & listen to learn & practice walking my talk, with my Soul/Spirit in the forefront. Truth Speech is powerful & healing - grateful for the work you do ...
Dankjewel Mattias voor alles wat ik van jou heb geleerd en nog steeds leer. Het in nog altijd niet gemakkelijk om te spreken over hoe ik de wereld zie . Mijn vrienden volgen nog steeds het narratief. Maar soms zie ik een barstje en daar pik ik dan op in . Het voelt als een kleine overwinning.
I so appreciate your work, Mattias. I'm reading Vaclav Havel's (Czechoslovakian dissident) writings, and he talks so much in alignment with your teachings. He called for living in Truth, instead of living in lies. I'm leading a group that is embarking on an appeal to City Council to set up what Havel calls "parallel systems" so that people can come together in community to listen and learn; to hold power accountable; to set the city budget; and band together to sponsor initiatives that will serve the people instead of corporate interests. Our hope is that this idea will be referred to the 2024 ballot. My next hope is that your teachings can be employed so that instead of attacking each other, as we've been conditioned to do, we will instead be able to listen respectfully to other's thoughts and opinions.
May a discerning heart filled with gratitude and love lead us into the New Year. For the sake of humanity, we all need to show more kindness and work together when possible.
So much admiration for this man!!
As I have delved into the problem of conspiracies and conspiracy theories, I have looked at it aghast, how can we solve such a convoluted mess of delusion and deception? Sincere speech looks to me a possible solution to this mess. If we tap into the enjoyment of saying what we believe needs to be said, maybe we can fight back the curtain of darkness that seems to getting drawn over society more firmly with each passing decade.
Mattias, it seems hard to avoid masses within large groups of people. Could there be “good” masses if these masses are properly oriented towards the true, the good, and the beautiful?
Ik hoorde gisteren een interview met Elze van Hamelen op De Nieuwe Wereld.
Het ging er ondermeer over hoe in de jaren 50 de VS met de VN als middel, Europa naar eigen inzicht heeft omgevormd.
Hoe met de Marshall hulp een land afhankelijk te maken van de VS, de wereldvoedselproductie te beheersen en inlichtingendiensten te organiseren.
Ik moest tijdens dit gesprek denken aan de vraag hoe het kon dat Hannah Arend haar voorspelling deed over hoe de volgende totalitaire staat zou worden ingeleid.
Deze vraag werd ooit, 2022?, aan u voorgelegd.
Het werd toen aan haar intuïtie, haar bijzondere talent, toegeschreven herinner ik me.
Zou het kunnen dat Hannah Arendt op de hoogte was van de plannen die de VS voor de wereld hadden bedacht en deze heeft opgeschreven?
Aangezien meer Duitse intellectuelen verwelkomd werden in de VS.
Love it. Have a wonderful 2024.
Thank you and the angels that protect you, Mattias, for your work. Hang on and keep digging, you have found your mission in life. This is something we all here should constantly be doing: find one's mission in life and then do the job without any fear or hesitation. And let us motivate and protect each other. We want the truth, but we should be able to also pay the price and bear the suffering, that's from Vanga. The Holy Spirit is what matters most, and countries (as an organisational form) and institutions get more irrelevant by the day. It's one's internal development that matters. Sharpen your mind and strengthen your spirit. Turn off forever the propaganda bulshit for good and don't argue with fools and lost souls; this only holds you back from important work.
A happy new year to all here!
Gosho
From the beautiful and everlasting Bulgaria.
3.1.2024
This was very inspirational. Yes, speaking and listening are both an art that we must equally learn to master. I will take note of that and keep it in mind through this coming year in all endeavors in life.
Please don’t waste your time responding to me. I won’t read such things . Not that I think you are a raving lunatic or anything, but your responses have nothing to do with what I wrote.
Thank you Mattias for all your hard and much needed work over the last few years.
We would love to have you speak in New Zealand. Your insights are much needed down here.
Mattias,
Still unclear about Max Jacob's "Le vraie est toujours neuf" or "The truth is always new." The French word 'vraie' also means: the 'real'.
Cambridge dictionary: (RÉEL) ce qui correspond à la réalité; true, real.
That definition fits the well-known 'correspondence view' of truth, the idea that 'truth' is what corresponds to... REALITY.
The correspondence view also solves your dilemma on how to "speak the truth into a definitive form." The definitive form agreed upon by most epistemologists is: truth is what's REAL, i.e.: absolutely TRUE.
Frederick Douglass who knew something about absolute truths, agrees, especially regarding slavery. He said: “There was no such thing as new truth. Error might be old or new; but truth was as old as the universe.” No hint of postmodernism there.
Once again, from Allan Bloom's intro to The Closing of the American Mind:
"The danger they(relativist students) have been taught to fear from absolutism is not error but intolerance. Relativism is necessary to openness; and this is the virtue, the only virtue, which all primary education for more than fifty years has dedicated itself to inculcating. Openness— and the relativism that makes it the only plausible stance in the face of various claims to truth and various ways of life and kinds of human beings —is the great insight of our times. The true believer is the real danger. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism, and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all."
How many arguments might be spared if we could agree on basic definitions — Especially one's definition of truth as 'correspondence with reality'. We'll still have arguments, but those arguments will have the prayer of a mechanism to resolve them.
God bless you MD - for your wisdom & speaking from your heart. I learn to listen & listen to learn & practice walking my talk, with my Soul/Spirit in the forefront. Truth Speech is powerful & healing - grateful for the work you do ...
Dankjewel Mattias voor alles wat ik van jou heb geleerd en nog steeds leer. Het in nog altijd niet gemakkelijk om te spreken over hoe ik de wereld zie . Mijn vrienden volgen nog steeds het narratief. Maar soms zie ik een barstje en daar pik ik dan op in . Het voelt als een kleine overwinning.
Ik wens jou het allerbeste in 2024 !
Happy New Year!
I so appreciate your work, Mattias. I'm reading Vaclav Havel's (Czechoslovakian dissident) writings, and he talks so much in alignment with your teachings. He called for living in Truth, instead of living in lies. I'm leading a group that is embarking on an appeal to City Council to set up what Havel calls "parallel systems" so that people can come together in community to listen and learn; to hold power accountable; to set the city budget; and band together to sponsor initiatives that will serve the people instead of corporate interests. Our hope is that this idea will be referred to the 2024 ballot. My next hope is that your teachings can be employed so that instead of attacking each other, as we've been conditioned to do, we will instead be able to listen respectfully to other's thoughts and opinions.
Thankyou Matthias for your very beautiful & wise words & for your role in making this world a better place. Happy New Year.
May a discerning heart filled with gratitude and love lead us into the New Year. For the sake of humanity, we all need to show more kindness and work together when possible.