The significance of herd mentality cannot be overstated, and is part and parcel of most government schemes. The Solomon Asch conformity experiment in the 1950s showed that in the overwhelming majority of cases people would rather be in agreement with the crowd rather than correct.
However, the experiment also showed that if even one of the "actors" broke ranks and said the correct answer the candidate was 80% more likely to pick the correct answer too. This goes a long way to explain why totalitarian states are so zealous in their censorship of dissenting voices.
I agree Frank it is an important mission to break people out of their delusions, and I can say from experience it is not an easy task. To quote the great Morpheus: "You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
pardon' I do have a fascination with le traffique' I does tie in directly with the thesis you have presented. the traffic needs to flow. IF you do not participate in le delusioniones' you become the outsider. I hope i have made my argument in a coherent fashion. I think we could be friends. The herd is most apparent on the highway. To me at least. I think you were in a Tesla?
This is brilliant, Frank. As far as I know, you are the only voice out there who explains what has been done to us and why. You give us the bigger picture which makes complete sense of this madness. I had many moments reading this thinking ‘that was me’ or ‘that reminds me of this person…’.
This is a wonderful essay which I hope reaches many people. Thank you, Frank for your perspicacity.
This is very encouraging. Many quotes spring to mind, but perhaps this one from Horkheimer is best:
"The resistant individual will oppose any pragmatic attempt to reconcile the demands of truth and the irrationalities of existence. Rather than to sacrifice truth by conforming to prevailing standards, he will insist on expressing in his life as much truth as he can, both in theory and in practice. His will be a life of conflict; he must be ready to run the risk of utter loneliness."
This needn't be disheartening, though. As you say, it offers the opportunity for a genuinely heroic life.
You may have read this already, but in case you haven’t it’s worth a few minutes of your time, as it illuminates just how sophisticated the art of persuasion has become.
You hit it here, Frank, with exile. It's the state I've been in ever since Covid. I can relate to it viscerally. Back in 2020 I watched everyone around me pivot 180 degrees while I went, WTF just happened? Ever since, I've felt what I call the fracture - fracture from society as a whole, and most unnervingly from my friends and family. I've lost so many friends to propaganda, I've lost count. And in all this I feel the call to strengthen my mettle, to live or die in truth come what may. Yes, I may revert occasionally to maintain some kind of connection, some rapport with my fellow humans who are unable to hear truth. As you so succinctly put, these are casualties of war and we need to treat them as such. Doing battle with an injured kindred is unwise as it is unkind. Most of the time I feel incognito. Rarely do I get the chance to connect in truth, in dissidence from the regime. But there's a rising tide of all of us, as you point out, intent on breaking the dam of falsehood and coercion. Those of us in exile are returning.
Well Dearest Pontificater- I began reading at 2:09, -6 GMT, and here is is 2:15 already. How the time flies. Likely evening in Old Blighty. That's a funny thing to name a place. Not particularly complimentary. 'Old' The 'New Blighty' is light years away. Blighty has a linguistic appurtenance, of 'blight'
But moving forward- I had been drawn to the theories of Marshall Mcluhan. He had theorized something he called the 'tetrad' So since we are discussing the effects of media upon human sensibilities, it is worth making an exploration here. Edison's cylinder, the flat disc 78, the invention of the vacuum tube, the transistor, the transistor radio, stereo hi fidelity, quadraphonics (short lived- but did presage the 8.1 theater sound systems) and finally the ipod - digital sharing services, were we are now. A subscription service to have access to the entire musical output of all human civilization. Streamed.
I would direct your attention back to McLuhan's theories and the tetrad.
As humanity has full access to all aspects of human knowledge- will this be our undoing? Its a little counter intuitive.
Indeed, beautiful things can be difficult. But should they? Or better- Will the most beautiful things simply BE.
There were also some disparagements made against our bovine friends. Who can be delicious. Rufus the bull lives on a farm in Arkansaw. You will never eat steak again.
The best way to push away the memes and detritus of modern life is to pray.
Say the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross. Go to mass, and if you can, Matins and Lauds. Speak to God, and listen in the silence, where He is. Nevermind the noise -- whether it's well-intentioned or malevolent.
Embracing silence and praying is the most counter-modern thing you can do. Your attention belongs to God.
The significance of herd mentality cannot be overstated, and is part and parcel of most government schemes. The Solomon Asch conformity experiment in the 1950s showed that in the overwhelming majority of cases people would rather be in agreement with the crowd rather than correct.
However, the experiment also showed that if even one of the "actors" broke ranks and said the correct answer the candidate was 80% more likely to pick the correct answer too. This goes a long way to explain why totalitarian states are so zealous in their censorship of dissenting voices.
I agree Frank it is an important mission to break people out of their delusions, and I can say from experience it is not an easy task. To quote the great Morpheus: "You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
Was that you who cut me off in traffic earlier? I was on my way to work.
I have no idea who you are, or where you live. Also I don't own a vehicle.
But yes, it was me. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
pardon' I do have a fascination with le traffique' I does tie in directly with the thesis you have presented. the traffic needs to flow. IF you do not participate in le delusioniones' you become the outsider. I hope i have made my argument in a coherent fashion. I think we could be friends. The herd is most apparent on the highway. To me at least. I think you were in a Tesla?
Amen Frank.
some of my best friends and family members, whom I care deeply about, have been poisoned by this sick technique of cultural production.
I’m not absolving them of their actions, only realizing that they are also victims of the greatest propaganda machine in world history.
the weak minded and emotionally wounded seem to be the most susceptible to the magic spell of words cast by our managerial betters.
the vain also seem to be just as helpless to the siren song of mass death.
This is brilliant, Frank. As far as I know, you are the only voice out there who explains what has been done to us and why. You give us the bigger picture which makes complete sense of this madness. I had many moments reading this thinking ‘that was me’ or ‘that reminds me of this person…’.
This is a wonderful essay which I hope reaches many people. Thank you, Frank for your perspicacity.
I like your eloquence but your words make me think of what my Dad said to me shortly before he died: "Do the right thing.".
That sticks with me and I try to do so. I don't always succeed but I continue to try.
I DO know right from wrong. I suspect we all do.
This is very encouraging. Many quotes spring to mind, but perhaps this one from Horkheimer is best:
"The resistant individual will oppose any pragmatic attempt to reconcile the demands of truth and the irrationalities of existence. Rather than to sacrifice truth by conforming to prevailing standards, he will insist on expressing in his life as much truth as he can, both in theory and in practice. His will be a life of conflict; he must be ready to run the risk of utter loneliness."
This needn't be disheartening, though. As you say, it offers the opportunity for a genuinely heroic life.
En garde for those hero's with clay feet. !
You shall cross the barren desert,
but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands and all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.
If you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown.
If you walk amid the burning flames, you shall not be harmed.
If you stand before the pow'r of hell and death is at your side,
know that I am with you through it all.
Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
The minister at 10th Church in Philadelphia always opened his sermon with this.
You may have read this already, but in case you haven’t it’s worth a few minutes of your time, as it illuminates just how sophisticated the art of persuasion has become.
https://x.com/JoshWalkos/status/2033967781029253451?s=20
You hit it here, Frank, with exile. It's the state I've been in ever since Covid. I can relate to it viscerally. Back in 2020 I watched everyone around me pivot 180 degrees while I went, WTF just happened? Ever since, I've felt what I call the fracture - fracture from society as a whole, and most unnervingly from my friends and family. I've lost so many friends to propaganda, I've lost count. And in all this I feel the call to strengthen my mettle, to live or die in truth come what may. Yes, I may revert occasionally to maintain some kind of connection, some rapport with my fellow humans who are unable to hear truth. As you so succinctly put, these are casualties of war and we need to treat them as such. Doing battle with an injured kindred is unwise as it is unkind. Most of the time I feel incognito. Rarely do I get the chance to connect in truth, in dissidence from the regime. But there's a rising tide of all of us, as you point out, intent on breaking the dam of falsehood and coercion. Those of us in exile are returning.
Well Dearest Pontificater- I began reading at 2:09, -6 GMT, and here is is 2:15 already. How the time flies. Likely evening in Old Blighty. That's a funny thing to name a place. Not particularly complimentary. 'Old' The 'New Blighty' is light years away. Blighty has a linguistic appurtenance, of 'blight'
But moving forward- I had been drawn to the theories of Marshall Mcluhan. He had theorized something he called the 'tetrad' So since we are discussing the effects of media upon human sensibilities, it is worth making an exploration here. Edison's cylinder, the flat disc 78, the invention of the vacuum tube, the transistor, the transistor radio, stereo hi fidelity, quadraphonics (short lived- but did presage the 8.1 theater sound systems) and finally the ipod - digital sharing services, were we are now. A subscription service to have access to the entire musical output of all human civilization. Streamed.
I would direct your attention back to McLuhan's theories and the tetrad.
As humanity has full access to all aspects of human knowledge- will this be our undoing? Its a little counter intuitive.
Indeed, beautiful things can be difficult. But should they? Or better- Will the most beautiful things simply BE.
There were also some disparagements made against our bovine friends. Who can be delicious. Rufus the bull lives on a farm in Arkansaw. You will never eat steak again.
https://www.youtube.com/@BrentRufus479
The best way to push away the memes and detritus of modern life is to pray.
Say the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross. Go to mass, and if you can, Matins and Lauds. Speak to God, and listen in the silence, where He is. Nevermind the noise -- whether it's well-intentioned or malevolent.
Embracing silence and praying is the most counter-modern thing you can do. Your attention belongs to God.
Dear Frank, keep up the excellent work.
Confined To Conformity
Confined to conformity
Stuck in your ways
Living so uniformly
Trapped in your maze
by Mark R. Elsis
March 19, 1980
MoralParty.com Newsletter 4, July 25, 2026
Spiritual Moral Party Platform Section Two
“The Kingdom Of God Is Within You.” (26:31) Jesus Christ
Demolishing Eden by Roman Bystrianyk
The Hail Mary (5:48) by Father James Mawdsley
https://moralparty.com/2026/07/25/newsletter-4-july-25-2026
Love Is The Answer
Mark R. Elsis