Kyle Rowland writes:
On Revolutions
Conspiracy theories are a face-saving way to make peace with losing. Winners by contrast tend towards a more accurate view of how much they can achieve and affect others. -Luke Ford
Wrong. History is made by the actions of groups of men engaged in conspiracies. The American and Russian Revolutions were hatched by tiny cabals. Dismissing explanations of history as “conspiracy theories” is the “winner’s” attempt at covering their tracks. -Brundlefly
American Revolution
Started as a small group of prosperous, prominent people talking up a subject that had popular and elite support – ‘we shouldn’t pay taxes to the damn crown!’
Happened in an overseas territory that had just recently won some of its own battles with local militia forces.
Grew rapidly in popularity, because it was an idea with inherent appeal to various powerful groups within the American colonies and to the broader population.
Russian Revolution
Started as a small group of political revolutionaries who organized into the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party in 1898, which at first was illegal.
Very quickly held seats in the legislature — held ~80 seats in the 1907 Second Duma, which resulted from the first election they did not boycott.
Based on a popular revolutionary ideology, socialism, with long-lasting global appeal. Message of liberation from monarchy, a powerful political trend in Europe at the time.
Took advantage of the First World War and the misfortunes of the Russian military to take power.
Potential Alt/Dissident Right Revolution
Starts as a small group. Here the similarities end.
Group is marginalized and despised – widely known, inspires hatred and mockery.
Successful revolutions start small and grow out of control – the ideas of the dissident right started out widespread and became less popular with each generation.
The people and organizations making up the movement are generally careless, flash-in-the-pan phenomena. This trend goes back many decades. Fatal personal and organizational mistakes prevent lasting success.
As soon as any marginal success becomes possible, a vicious fight between factions ensues for credit and prominence. No possibility of forming a ‘government in exile’ or any such phenomenon of organized, cooperative, intelligent people.
Faces robust, organized, mature political organizations that are absolutely hostile to it, and a surveillance state + secret police to close off ‘nonpolitical’ routes to power.
The only similarity between the prospective dissident-right revolution and the successful revolutions alluded to by Brundlefly are that they all have to start small. But everything has to start small. Most ventures fail – even with a tenth of the headwind facing a prospective dissident-right revolution.
I would give the following practical advice to anyone dissident-right or adjacent:
Stop talking and thinking about revolution. It’s not in the cards at the moment. Of course, that could rapidly change – but the unique circumstances behind such a change will require taking a totally fresh look at strategy regardless.
Talk and think about the problems your enemies have as much as possible. There are contradictions and political weaknesses that can be attacked, and the energy and fun that comes from doing this is behind what successes have come from this sector of the right.
Replace resentment with humor. Make common cause with anyone who will laugh with you.
Lionize allies who show longevity and success.
Obsess over optics in our brave new world.
YouTube to stop recommending ‘conspiracy’ and other problematic videos:
In a blog post posted Friday, YouTube said it will begin to reduce recommending “borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways – such as videos promoting a phony miracle cure for a serious illness, claiming the earth is flat, or making blatantly false claims about historic events like 9/11.”
Shop talk: My pet theory about recent reduction in view count on Luke Ford videos is due to a change in how viewers who pop in and out of a livestream are counted. I’ve noticed much lower initial view counts on streams, even when viewer numbers and stream durations are similar to before.
A TREE WAS KNOCKED DOWN!!!!!!! ORANGE MAN BAD!!!!!!!
A former park supervisor condemned the impact of the recent government shutdown on California’s Joshua Tree National Park at a protest rally Saturday. Activists said that the lack of park rangers on duty left the iconic protected area open to off-roading, vandalism and illegal camping.
Photographs of apparently vandalized Joshua trees recently sparked outrage on social media, with one user calling damage to the park “A TRAVESTY TO THIS NATION.”
