How to take over World-Domination?
Stories have patterns: seasoned story-tellers can tell the kind of endings which possibly stem from a certain beginning...
Recent political events reminded me that history has its own patterns, as well: those who studied and learned from history recognize them. Stripping away the masks of any given era, these pattern remain similar across the centuries. Like archetypes, their essence is eternal.
The archetypal pattern, which we now witness emerging is that of the dictator. It is so old, that Plato described it thousands of years ago, when he observed - interestingly - that whenever democracy is at peak, when freedom is at the point of its greatest expansion, society becomes most prone to a dictatorial overtake.
This ancient pattern consists of three basic steps, which lead to the acquisition of power for power's sake - an age-proven recipe of how to take over world-domination:
Recent political events reminded me that history has its own patterns, as well: those who studied and learned from history recognize them. Stripping away the masks of any given era, these pattern remain similar across the centuries. Like archetypes, their essence is eternal.
The archetypal pattern, which we now witness emerging is that of the dictator. It is so old, that Plato described it thousands of years ago, when he observed - interestingly - that whenever democracy is at peak, when freedom is at the point of its greatest expansion, society becomes most prone to a dictatorial overtake.
This ancient pattern consists of three basic steps, which lead to the acquisition of power for power's sake - an age-proven recipe of how to take over world-domination:
Step One: Blow up and Blame
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The pattern begins with some tragic event on a large scale, which the future dictator uses to his own purpose. When Rome burned down, Nero blamed it on the Christians, more than thousand years later when the Reichstag burned, the Nazis blamed it on the Communists. Contemporaries tend to be suspect, and ask questions: Wasn't it the mad emperor Nero himself who orchestrated the burning? ... Wasn't it the Nazis themselves who used a crazy loner? ... Doesn't 9/11 suspiciously look like an engineered demolition? Ultimately, it does not matter whether the aggressors carried out the event themselves or use an occurred event to blame it on a scapegoat, it leads to the same effect: Installing fear.
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Hubert Robert: The Fire of Rome
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Step Two: Divide and Conquer
After creating fear and having a scapegoat, existing power concentrations need to be broken apart, so there is no bigger power left than that of the dictator. Divide et impera is another age-old strategy, classically used by the Roman Empire. Brexit is a contemporary example. I was a permanent UK resident when it happened: it felt like an Earth-quake, which shook the moods apart, economically, socially and psychologically.
Step Three: Normalize the Abnormal
Creating widespread fear in society allows the dictator to make measures seem acceptable (even necessary) which else would be considered inhumane. Only in an atmosphere of massive fear can people be pursued to obey martial law, spy of their neighbors or loved ones, install a secret police, make a minority group wear special identification, kill them, wage wars, treat refugees as if they were the aggressors, drop bombs on children's hospitals ... does some of this sound familiar these days? Psychologically "normalizing the abnormal" is a highly dangerous idea, it opens the world up for abuse.
Current politics is running through all these stages, and the archetype of the dictator is emerging on our horizon. I'm someone, who prefers to ignore politics. There is a point, however, where politics can no longer be comfortably ignored, where we all need to raise our voices, so that the dictator knows, he is being watched...
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What does the "Red Book" have to do with this?
When Jung's "Red Book" (the secret memoirs of the famous Swiss psychologist) was finally made public in 2009, it contained an interesting observation. Jung describes how the "mad," schizophrenic-like visions and dreams of himself and others (mainly artists and other sensitive personalities) turned out to be a psychic/energetic precognition of World War I and II.
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Those of us who are emphatic and sensitive, in-tune with both the visible and invisible world, can feel that times of great change and upheaval are upon us yet again. Times as these are scary, distressing and may be overwhelming. So what can we do? What can those of us do who see the archetype of the dictator emerging on our political horizon?
The Antidote to the Dictator
When something negative is showing up, either in our personal or our group lives, it always is a warning: a call that it is time to apply the antidote. It is not positive thinking to simply look away, as it not positive thinking to give in to fear either. In fact, what we need is the opposite of fear, which is courage. The archetype of the dictator invites us to strengthen in ourselves the opposite, which is taking full power and responsibility into our own hands. Our lives do not belong to politicians. Our
power does not belong into the world. Our power belongs to us.
power does not belong into the world. Our power belongs to us.
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Keep your power. Do not give it away.
Be authentic. Do not follow others. Choose wisely. Love over fear, always. By refusing to give in to fear, we break the archetypal cycle between steps 1 and 2.
We will live a new life, governed by our own authentic power, not that of the dictator. |
Here in the United States of Samsara ignorance is the status quo. The Buddha’s teachings guide us to go “against the stream” to develop wisdom and compassion through our own direct actions. As the path encourages, “Even amongst those who hate, we live with love in our hearts. Even amongst those who are blinded by greed and confusion, we practice generosity, kindness and clear seeing.” |