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Progressives Miscalculate the Personal Impact of the Great Reset
Recently I read a fascinating and disturbing issue of Imprimis, the free publication from Hillsdale College. This issue, based on a speech by Michael Rectenwald, focused on the Great Reset, and although I have read other articles on this ugly program of transformation, I learned two important facts that I didn’t realize: (1) the process has already made remarkable headway in its implementation, and (2) in the opinion of the author, it can still be stopped.
More than these points, however, I suddenly realized that the majority of the Progressive community which is working hand-in-glove with this movement has no clue of the devastation that will be wrought on their own lives. Having lived in the land of milk and honey, with prosperity, freedom, and opportunity, they will be expected to give all of that up just like the rest of us peons and drones. They may think they will be part of the elite, but the upper echelon of the movement will be the primary beneficiaries, with everyone else far below.
And it will not be pretty.
Let me tell you some of the facts that surprised me (although some of you may already be aware of these). The Great Reset began long before the COVID pandemic:
It can be traced at least as far back as the inception of the WEF, originally founded as the European Management Forum, in 1971. In that same year, [Klaus] Schwab, an engineer and economist by training, published his first book, Modern Enterprise Management in Mechanical Engineering. It was in this book that Schwab first introduced the concept he would later call ‘stakeholder capitalism,’ arguing ‘that the management of a modern enterprise must serve not only shareholders but all stakeholders to achieve long-term growth and prosperity.’
I was especially surprised to learn that two events inspired the Great Reset. The first:
In May 2018, the WEF collaborated with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security to conduct ‘CLADE X,’ a simulation of a national pandemic response. Specifically, the exercise simulated the outbreak of a novel strain of a human parainfluenza virus, with genetic elements of the Nipah virus, called CLADE X. The simulation ended with a news report stating that in the face of CLADE X, without effective vaccines, ‘experts tell us that we could eventually see 30 to 40 million deaths in the U.S. and more than 900 million around the world—twelve percent of the global population.” Clearly, preparation for a global pandemic was in order.
The second event was a simulated response to the outbreak:
The CLADE X and Event 201 simulations anticipated almost every eventuality of the actual COVID crisis, most notably the responses by governments, health agencies, the media, tech companies, and elements of the public. The responses and their effects included worldwide lockdowns, the collapse of businesses and industries, the adoption of biometric surveillance technologies, an emphasis on social media censorship to combat ‘misinformation,’ the flooding of social and legacy media with ‘authoritative sources,’ widespread riots, and mass unemployment.
Essentially, corporations and the government will be partners in this new endeavor. Business monopolies will thrive; government will reflect the authoritarian actions of the Chinese, “making a two-tiered system”: government and corporations will be on top; the rest of us will be trapped in socialism. And crises present additional opportunities for the Great Reset to move forward:
The draconian lockdown measures employed by Western governments managed to accomplish goals of which corporate socialists in the WEF could only dream—above all, the destruction of small businesses, eliminating competitors for corporate monopolists favored by the state. In the U.S. alone, according to the Foundation for Economic Education, millions of small businesses closed their doors due to the lockdowns. Yelp data indicates that 60 percent of those closures are now permanent.
And how have ordinary Progressives miscalculated the effect the Great Reset will have on them?
Such policies reflect the ‘fairness’ aspect of the Great Reset—fairness requires lowering the economic status of people in wealthier nations like the U.S. relative to that of people in poorer regions of the world. One of the functions of woke ideology is to make the majority in developed countries feel guilty about their wealth, which the elites aim to reset downwards—except, one notices, for the elites themselves, who need to be rich in order to fly in their private jets to Davos each year.
For anyone who doubts these outcomes, you only need to look at all the Americans who feel guilty for their supposed “systemic racism” and how easily they were persuaded that they suffered from a racism that was impossible to overcome. Feeling guilty about their wealth is only the next step.
The cost of calling one’s self a racist is relatively small; in fact, some people think their groveling has raised their esteem among their cohorts. But when people find that they have to give up their earned prosperity; when they realize that they won’t be permitted to do many things without the government’s permission; when they realize what it really means to live with less, with no opportunity to progress—yes, really progress to more affluent lifestyles—new cars, new clothes, new homes, new investments—they will realize, too late, that they have relinquished their lives to the real oppressors: the government and corporations.
The author of this Imprimis issue ended with this profound and insightful comment:
But let me end on a note of hope. Because the goals of the Great Reset depend on the obliteration not only of free markets, but of individual liberty and free will, it is, perhaps ironically, unsustainable. Like earlier attempts at totalitarianism, the Great Reset is doomed to ultimate failure. That doesn’t mean, however, that it won’t, again like those earlier attempts, leave a lot of destruction in its wake—which is all the more reason to oppose it now and with all our might.
The ongoing question is: how do we educate Progressives of the darkness ahead, as they continue to enable these forces?
Published in General
I am afraid that nothing will now stop the people at the top. They control every single lever of power. The whole of the administrative state (swamp if you will), all the schools, K-PhD, all the Media, the Banks, all the big companies. There is nowhere where they are not in control.
We are going to see a boot on our necks forever. Because, the left simply will never, ever, see it coming. They will always think their friend deserved it, and they will always be shocked when it happens to them.
That’s a fascinating observation–“that’ll never happen to me.” I think of the many teachers who have gone along with their unions. Going along to get along will have dire consequences from the elite, who will use them up and toss them away, if need be.
You can’t. They know they are right. Eventually they will make war on the rest of us. It is what Democrats do. Make war on those that disagree with their libertine ways.
It is the scary part.
It can always happen to you. Those that forget this about anything are at risk. Do I think I’ll never be tempted by another woman? If so, I am not looking out to be guarded against it. Here people think they can be “good people” and buy safety. That is garbage. It is also anti Bible. God does not promise us victory today.
These are the ones for whom the term “useful idiots” was invented. It is mass delusion enabled by the all too human tendency to see what we want to believe, rather than what is — particularly if seeing what is involves a major re-0rdering of our world view. Think of the young woman who is constantly, but secretly, being sabotaged by a “friend” in whom she gains great personal comfort and self-esteem. This young woman overhears her “friend” describing her in unflattering terms to someone else. She has a choice: do I believe what I just heard? or do I convince myself that she must have been talking about someone else?
It seems that we are capable of deluding ourselves about just about anything! I try to choose honesty and truth, no matter how hard it is or the consequences. I know you do, too, Rodin.
historically , all these power struggles have one thing in common – there is always a “guillotine line” and everyone is in it. It is just a matter of what place you have in line. All the useful idiots be they wild-eyed progressives or “normalcy” seeking “conservatives” have a place and they will eventually get their turn at the blade and basket. In fact, they can actually be moved up in line as serves the purpose. And there are always those narrow-sighted enough to believe that getting moved back in the line saves them forever
Very insightful, Ole. Are all of us in the line? Is there a way for those of us, who vehemently disagree with what is happening, to avoid it? Or is compliance our only choice for survival? That is, if we don’t fight back!
lol, well that answer is as simple-minded as all of my conclusions – you have to fight your way out of line. The first step, hopefully, is not to accept a place in line in the first place. They are always holding a spot for you!! I am afraid we not only have too many who have fooled themselves into accepting a place but many more than that who dont believe they are even in line!
But either getting out of line or staying our always requires a fight, and always will.
lol, and I will add that those closest to the front have no choice but to fight are be gone quickly – why some of us might as well drop the gloves and start swinging! There are too many thinking they are waiting for better odds when they simply being pushed deeper into the corner
There’s probably a book somewhere that lists all the excuses for getting out of it–anything but putting up their dukes! I don’t plan on being in the line at all. It’s just that your first comment said that everyone is in the guillotine line!
probably should have said everyone has a place in line – they have one for everybody – some of us will have to be dragged, if they can and if all of those spectators in line help by doing nothing – if enough of us stay out and fight their way out we can survive for a while and hopefully teach the next generation to do the same – because “they” (whatever form it might be) are always among us
The unfortunate fact is that a whole lot of progressives are wealthy enough to be insulated from the reset, or at least to be insulated enough that they can rationalize the effects that it has on them. Their financial situation insures that they are way at the end of “the line.”
I wonder if they will broadcast the 21st century show trials over social media. Will you lose social credit for not watching?
Will the Two Minutes of Hate be conducted in our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches, our places of employment??
You make a fair point about “the wealthy”, but I think their place “in line” depends on how badly others want to confiscate their wealth. The “wealthy” may be closer to the front of the line than they think.
Yes to all. You can make a good case that it’s already happening.
These seemingly innocuous words are at the heart of the problem. My first recollection, at least historically, of this was Genesis 37 – how many of Judah’s brothers went along to get along? 1 Samuel 17, David didn’t go along to get along, putting on the armor of G-d instead of the typical soldier’s, eschewing the typical weaponry as well. The crowd choosing to save murderous Barabbas instead of Jesus in Matthew 27. Going along to get along. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the confessing church not going along to get along in Germany. Remaining quiet is remaining in Ole Summers’ guillotine line.
It’s been published here many times but seems apropos here:
This is truly the million dollar question.
Going by what is quoted above, it reminds me of previous conspiracy theories that were popular in the 1970’s and 80’s about the Council of Foreign Relations (CRF) and the Trilateral Commission. These organizations do exist, and they do have a globalist bent to them.
Beyond that, I don’t know much about them, though I’m aware that William F Buckley was a member of the CRF, and he even would write some droll replies to letters he received in his National Review column from accusing conspiracists.
I’m not dismissive of the Great Reset, and there is a kind of inertia towards those goals, and I see it by looking at U.S. history since Woodrow Wilson, or even Theodore Roosevelt.
Probably what you are going to see is that most of the Covid restrictions will break down in the next year or so. But the powers western governments accrued for themselves won’t completely go away, but will instead remain dormant ready to be used again.
So for the Reset crowd, or whatever name they call themselves in the future, it’s three steps forward, two steps back, with the long term goal still getting closer.
It was inevitable that the U.S. would be less rich from the 1960’s on as the other nations devastated by World War II caught back up with us, regained their industrial capacity and started competing with us.
For me, it’s not so much conspiracy, as it is a mob of spoiled brats (whatever their age) that are determined to commit cultural suicide from their couches, while allowing more active mobs to tear down neighborhoods and stores.
What’s probably going to save Western Civilization after some very bad times is that the mob of suicide brats aren’t having children, or at best (worst?) limiting themselves to two spoiled snow flaked children. It’s the truly religious, the ones practicing variations of the Benedict Option whose descendants 2-3 generations from now will save the day. I’m old enough now where I probably won’t live to see it.
Exactly. They feel insulated from the results of their policies, but are in for a shock when they learn their immunity is about as effective as the COVID vaccine . . .
The amazing thing is that there are so many normal Democrats who go along with this massive insanity. Still, we could recuperate were it not for the Chinese. Since the military is being destroyed along with everything else we’re talking global chaos because the Chinese will rot as well, once we’re weakened enough. Then we, i.e. most of the world, will take a generation or two to sort it out and rebuild. The brave new world like model isn’t workable, the clueless technocrats who run the giant digital companies don’t have a clue, the political class who think they can successfully run a new system as they imagine it are ignorant as well and, like all totalitarians will just double down when it becomes obvious it can’t work. The thugs who are likely to replace them won’t do any better. We can’t know how much human suffering they will impose as they keep trying to get things to work. I think we better wake up because they will cheat on the election then clamp down on resistance. States with rational leadership will have to be prepared to pull out and have to be super organized and aggressive to have a chance of winning the next election.
Glenn Beck’s new book The Great Reset sold out on Amazon in I think 2 days?
The two most important words in your post are “earned prosperity”. Without it, and without an appreciation of what goes into those two words, we stand to lose the one thing that fuels human progress.
I have noticed for many years that my friends who support the left usually assume the bad consequences (the higher taxes, the less liberty, the higher costs, the fewer choices, etc.) will not apply to them, only to someone else (the richer guy, the guy who does stuff I don’t like, etc.). Supporters of the left almost always assume either they will be among the elite in power, or that the elite in power will do exactly what they would have done.
WSJ article today makes the point that the only thing saving us is that there are still a lot of Americans who have common sense, and these are largely the Americans who were *not* exposed to the overwhelming indoctrination of higher ed…and that this proportion will tend to decline if something doesn’t change.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-politics-get-better-higher-ed-college-university-education-crt-defund-police-radical-progressives-11642174342?page=1
I think a lot of people are getting suspicious of the idea that a Degree is the automatic key to lucrative employment, largely as a result of bitter experience.
And I’ll assert that donating money to amy university, without very careful research into their policies, teaching, and culture, is irresponsible and destructive.
People like Klaus Schwab remind me of Bob Dylan’s line:
“You play with my world like it’s your little toy”
See my post here:
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/65022.html
Hopefully, fewer people will quit majoring in Aggrieved Group Studies and actually learn something.
It makes me think of the French Revolution
I think a lot of conservatives have griped and feared facets of the Great Reset but whoever has the imagination to pull it together and publish something readable deserves a lot of credit….because I don’t think the “Davos group” really had a grand plan, as much as a series of goals that gradually were woven into a creed. People who latched onto any part (wealth redistribution, climate change) then were introduced to, or ignored, the rest.
What Beck said on his program after the book launched, was that he did have recommendations for the individual. Mainly, buy property, raise a family, save, learn to be as self-reliant as possible, and maybe others I didn’t catch. But he also said speak out, which the GReset planners surely want to squelch. What I think also has to happen, is that these issues are spotted by average citizens and openly resisted in spite of ridicule, the way that Virginia parents did the teaching of CRT. The separate issues need to be illuminated (hence the book) but also recognized in their hatching stages, and to form an agenda for a relentless counter-movement by the wide commonsense population insisting on every one of them (green new deal, social scoring for loans, etc.) becoming tests of candidates and their platforms. Put the heat on them in every interview, debate, call-in response, facebook comment, etc. The Democrats will be dismissive but the Republicans need to sign on and resist openly or risk loss of support. This is so important because of how Socialists hide their agenda in legislation and terminology like “Build Back Better.” Not to mention calling opposition to newly expanded vote harvesting and mail in voting, as “Voter Suppression.”
Working people don’t have the time or ability to locate the sneaky foundations being laid under the cover of complex legislation. That’s what congress is supposed to do for us, and the midterms aren’t too soon to start. Let wokeness be met with a new awakening.
If it’s in any small comfort, these wealthy and insulated progressives will be soiling their shorts in a nursing home soon enough anyway. The greatest delusion, as has been noted, is self delusion.