The classically-minded among you might be familiar with a set of events that are recorded by the Roman historian Livy as occurring in the early days of the Republic. These were known as the “secessions of the plebs,” or secessiones plebis, and they involved the literal withdrawal of the plebs - the common people - of the city of Rome from the city itself in acts of secession in which the common people would refuse to participate in Roman society until their grievances were addressed. As described by Livy, these grievances were indeed well-founded and involved severe financial (and even physical) abuses of the plebs by the patricians, the noble class in the city. In response, the plebs packed up and left, fortifying themselves on Mons Sacer and would simply wait out the patricians until that group folded and made the necessary concessions to once again allow Roman society to be a unified social body. As odd as such a thing might seem to the modern, socially atomised western man, these secessions worked and resulted in an improvement in the lot of the plebs each time.
The thing to remember about each of these secessions is that they were non-violent. These were not violent social revolutions. The plebs weren’t out there burning down patrician villas nor assassinating hated politicians nor attempting an armed overthrow of the Roman government. Indeed, in these secessions the plebs weren’t doing…much of anything. They just simply refused to show up anymore. The plebs merely withdrew their support for and cooperation with the prevailing system, rejecting the claims that the system made to legitimacy. As a consequence, the patricians didn’t get their crops harvested or their household necessities made. This was an economic blockade of an extremely effective type and there was nothing the patricians could really do about it. Since no force was being used, they didn’t have any moral standing to use force against the plebs, to compel them to come back to work. They were forced to yield.
If we are really honest with ourselves, regular everyday Americans find themselves in a position not much different from that of the ancient Roman plebs. Indeed, our overall situation may be worse in many ways than that of the plebs. Like the plebs, we have a ruling class that does not serve the people, but instead is in the process of immiserating its own people while enriching itself. But unlike the Roman patricians who at least felt a kinship for the plebs, we find ourselves controlled by a globalist transnationally-minded oligarchy which does not care about the American middle and working classes at all. Instead, it is actively trying to subvert us through a combination of enabling the criminal class to target us (using anarchotyranny as a cover) and replacing us via unrestricted immigration. For all of the “democracy talk” notwithstanding, America’s ruling class has no interest in actual democracy, but only in redefining the term to coincide with their own social agenda and then using that as a justification for rigging elections and replacing the current population.
The thing that the average, everyday, regular American needs to understand is that nearly all of your social and political institutions are broken, and that they are irretrievably so. The Left spent decades flying under the radar while doing their “long march through the institutions,” and guess what? They now have effective bureaucratic control over pretty much every major American institution, public and private, such that it doesn’t really matter which party or belief system the figurehead at the top may hold to. This is, for instance, why Trump was being thwarted at every turn during his tenure in office. It’s why big corporations - which used to be thought of as bastions of right wing capitalist ideology - have collapsed and gone woke almost completely within the past few years.
The thing to keep in mind is that these institutions are not going to be recoverable, at least not via the “normal” means in which they operate. The Left had decades to prepare and position and take power. They’re not going to just sit by and let you and me take it back via the same methods. As such, with many of these institutions it will be necessary to destroy and replace them, and hopefully this time be more vigilant about left-wing entryism. For those that can’t be destroyed, then they will have to be bypassed and allowed to wither on the vine. How are we going to do this, you might ask? By getting serious about a plebian secession of our own. We on the broad Right need to think seriously about making ourselves less dependent on the current system, about withdrawing as much support and legitimacy from it as possible and refusing to provide it any ability to continue as it is currently operating.
We're going to protest the killing of civilians by killing civilians!
If German doctors can hatch a “private sanctions plan” to punish people they choose (many of whom may actually oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) by withholding services from them, then we can certainly refuse to deal with left-wingers who have done and continue to do far more damage to America than the Russians ever have.
The first place to start is with ourselves and getting serious about controlling the flow of information that you and your family receive. As I observed in my previous post, the average American - even ones who think of themselves as conservative, or even right wing - is dangerously susceptible to being programmed by The Powers That Be into believing whatever They want us to. This is easily seen with the weird moral panic surrounding all things Russian right now - it’s not a rational, morally informed response, it’s merely the stampeding of an unthinking herd. Stop being part of that herd. Stop getting your news and information from mainstream media sources (and yes Francis, that includes most of Fox News). People on the Right say they do this, and declining viewership numbers suggest that in many ways they are, but nevertheless they still let themselves be swayed by left-wing “guidance” on whatever the hot button news story of the day is. This needs to end. If we’re serious about freeing our minds, then go all the way and free our minds.
But it doesn’t just stop with the MSM. What about the entertainment we feed to ourselves and to our kids? What are your kids learning when they sit in front of the TV while you’re off doing something else? Did you know that Disney is right now making a big stink in Florida because that state just banned publik skools from teaching nine-year olds about sex and isn’t allowing children to be groomed into the LGBTQ+ lifestyle? Disney is one of the biggest market providers of children’s entertainment. So while you may not want your kid groomed by gays in school, they’re still being presented that lifestyle on Disney Plus. That needs to stop. Parents - get serious about cutting ties with Disney and other sources that subvert the moral and religious principles you’re trying to teach your kids. If parents are mad at schools for going behind their backs with this stuff (and they are, as the past year has shown) then don’t let the TV do the same.
Speaking of schools, parents that are able ought to consider homeschooling. It’s not as hard as people think and there are tons of resources and organisations out there ready to help you with the process. We know for a fact that many publik skool teechurz openly pride themselves on their role in undermining parental authority. We’ve been seeing them brag about this in response to valid parental concerns and efforts to establish curriculum transparency and oversight over what their children are taught. So don’t let them. And for parents who are not in a position to be able to homeschool, consider looking for a coop in your area that can help with instruction, if one exists. And certainly, if Rightists in our communities are serious about breaking the stranglehold of the Left on our kids’ minds, then we might want to consider stepping up and providing those resources for folks who need them.
There are so many other areas where motivated Rightists can remove themselves from reliance on and influence by the Left. Many churches and denominations have been captured, either partially or fully, by progressives. Even in supposedly conservative denominations you will find progressive moles like Tim Keller and Beth Moore. Don’t let these false shepherds lead you astray. And what about libraries? Certainly, the idea of public libraries is a worthy one, but these institutions have also been subverted and basically now exist for two reasons: to let homeless people look at porn and to let Drag Queen Story Hour trannies have access to children. Conservative communities can band together to provide alternative ways for our people to access books and learning.
However, the information arena is not the only place where we need to divest from progressive-subverted institutions. Just as important is weaning ourselves off of economic dependence on these institutions, in some cases creating our own.
Consider companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. They control huge amounts of money and information and use both to subvert all manner of things in your daily life from being able to get accurate information about important issues to tracking and storing your data for possible future use by hostile government agencies. It seems inconceivable to most Americans to even try to limit or eliminate your interaction with these companies - most people just love their little gadgets and doodads too much to bear parting with them. But that’s an attitude that could end up getting you canceled or worse. There are other search engines out there besides Google. It is, in fact, possible to “degooglify” your phone, though it takes a bit of techfoolery to do so (might be a business growth opportunity for people who know how and can provide that service?). And of course, there is always the option of just simplifying your life by eliminating some unneeded gadgets. Who knows - you might find life more fulfilling and authentic if you did so?
There are plenty of other ways that our side can make an economic impact on the powers that progressivism controls. Instead of convoying to DC, truckers could instead coordinate together to simply stop doing business with the Left. Don’t deliver to left-wing corporations - let them find out what a supply chain shortage feels like. If stronger action is needed, stop delivering to Blue cities for a few days and let them know just how precarious their high-falutin’ urban soyboy lifestyle really is. Stop banking with the big banks that spy on customers, voluntarily turn over data to the government, and “debank” customers who run afoul of progressive left diktat. Debank the banks instead. Shift your money over to community banks that are more accountable to their customers, or if you have someone available who has the legal and financial acumen, consider starting your own community bank. Don’t do business with left-wingers. Tradesmen should refuse them as customers. Let these people fix their own cars and toilets, if they think they can. All in all, be creative.
Ultimately, it’s important that we disengage ourselves as much as possible from the enemy’s systems - and that we do so in an organised way. This is going to require conservatives to grow up and start working together as communities, which is actually how our pioneering ancestors did it anywise. If we don’t hang together we’ll all hang separately, and all that. “But people might not make as much money as they could!!” Sure, true. That’s why we not only work together but band together as well, mutually supporting one another within our communities.
Oh, and if you’re worried about “dividing society,” well don’t worry, that ship has already sailed and is not coming back to port. There is simply no way we can remain in a long-term civil society with the Left, whether you like it or not. White Americans basically form two mutually antagonistic ethnies and everyone else has to pick a side. And consider this - if they could, the Left would do the exact same things to you and me that they are currently trying to do to individual Russians. So frankly, we need to do whatever we can to punish the Left and reduce its power over us.
If there is one thing that I wish I could make American conservatives understand, it is that your boomertopia world of functional institutions and high trust civil society is long gone and not coming back. It’s time to adjust accordingly. If you can’t imagine ever bringing yourself to do the things described above then I’m sorry, but you’re not gonna make it. It’s time to coordinate together for unified action and act to raise the social cohesion on our own side. If that means jettisoning the institutions that are undermining and destroying us then so be it.
Great essay with good, concrete measures we can take.