“What a devious system.”, I said playfully. I started to see religion in a whole new light. Any feelings I had that there might be a god out there somewhere, went away. I saw that the whole thing is a scam created to control people from the very beginning. I thought about the fading of religious beliefs, and how fanatics feel threatened by the new cultural standards being accepted in societies around the world. I asked him, “What about all the conflict between religions?”
“Some aspects of religion are in decline. The religions of the world will always be useful as a means to divide and conquer the slaves. However, the market is now in a position to replace god and religion. Atheists still believe in market forces, as if it is a religion.”, he paused a moment for reflection. “People don’t have much of a choice anymore. Currently, human society can not function or survive without corporate services. People are dependent on corporations and the market for nearly every aspect of their lives. Consumers will not attack those institutions which they depend on for survival. They don’t know how to grow their own food, or build and repair houses. People will always believe in what they are dependent on, whether it's food or community, We are almost in a position to replace governments, with corporations.”
“We will continue to control corporations through our family relationships, traditions, and board dominance. We've structured society, rituals, and language around maintaining our power over industry and production. We own and control all the media outlets, from news to entertainment to education. Through publishing and social media, we control what people know, how they react, and what they believe.”
He paused, then continued, “Public school systems were designed from the start to indoctrinate and socialize people into capitalist society. It defines their expectations, and labels them for advancement or imprisonment. The entire foundation of what people know about the world is grounded in capitalism, consumerism, and the market.”
“Over the course of the 20th century, social control has become a science. Through advertising, marketing, and psychology, we have been able to manipulate consumer expectations with increased granularity. Advertising and entertainment reinforces what people learn in public school. People have a natural tendency to reject information that conflicts with what they already know to be true. So, it's important to focus on people they are young. Once people can be convinced that something is true, by hearing it from an authoritative source or by hearing it from more than one source, they will defend, what they now believe as the truth.”
“Social media has made this even more acute and pervasive. It is very easy to influence individuals when you know everything about them. People fill in forms that explain who they are, what decisions they are likely to make, and why. We make sure that the dissenters are pushed out and isolated, persuaded to support our world view, or punished. Information can be custom tailored, to be presented in a way that reinforces what people believe they know to be true. New information can be inserted into their beliefs by targeting what they already believe. Public attacks and humiliation can target those who don't fall in line.”
“Most of those who have grown up in consumer capitalism believe in it’s principles and structure. They don't know anything beyond what the television and socializing education has told them. Others have forgotten the things they have learned outside of our standardized explanations. Our messages are constantly reinforced through all forms of media. Those that continue to hold onto other beliefs are labeled as crazy outsiders or terrorists, and suffer for it.”
“What about written history? Won’t people look at history books and see the changes?”, I asked.
“We change the story as needed. History is fluid. History books are continuously rewritten. We can change what we want and people believe the new story. The old story is removed or dismissed as inaccurate. People have a tendency to believe that new information is updating old information, when it is presented from a trusted source.”
“We tell them that all the good things in life, health care, food, housing, technology would not exist without corporations, capitalism, and the market. They believe it. What else can they do? It is much easier to believe in the official stories than to reject them. Those that don’t believe in it, sound crazy or treasonous to those that do. They sound like they are threatening the foundation of society, which they are. People get very offended when you threaten the foundation of their society.”
I began to see how the market economy takes over the means of survival. It takes over communication in order to control society. It creates stories and mythologies, and controls the publication and distribution of those stories. Taking over the means of survival and communication is what the market does. It takes over all aspects of life, putting a price on everything, making profit and building power for those who run the game. It inserts itself between everything we do, and from there, takes control.
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