It's Sunday, so let's celebrate by freeing some captives.
For some time now, the woke mob has been after Matt Walsh. He responded to a recent new attempt to cancel him launched by people who diligently scoured everything he's ever published and putting together select quotes out of context.
In his response, where he refused to apologize and had other choice words for his would-be accusers, Matt said the secret to fighting back against the woke mob is to know that "No one is truly cancelled unless they consent to it."
While I applaud Matt for remaining consistent to his views, refusing to apologize when he feels he has done nothing wrong, and doing what he can to fight back, I have to disagree with this particular point.
We don't have free speech, but at least we still have people saying things most people don't want said. People like Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, Matt Walsh, and many lesser-know people, such as Father Ed Meeks, a catholic priest from Towson, MD, and many others. [1]
But let's be honest about why they have not yet been cancelled: Because people still pay them. Not one of these people does what they do for free, and when the mob has attempted to cancel them (and it has), the only way they are able to remain in the public eye is because the mob that supports them is stronger than the mob that does not. That's it.
This doesn't help:
- Normal people, who can't tweet Joe Rogan for help getting reinstated when YouTube cancels them (Jordan Peterson).
- Not-yet-famous people, who will absolutely never get famous in the present environment. Meaning that once those in the limelight die, retire, or actually are cancelled (which is the most likely, given ever-increasing means), there will be no one to replace them.
- Those who do not make their living through people who pay them for saying unpopular things.
The world is in very deep trouble. I hope your eyes are open to it, and that you have or are making preparations to mitigate the effects on you and those for whom you are responsible. We can't all have a contract with the Daily Wire.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that this is a problem only of the famous or those you presume to be outspoken.
It seems that there are daily extensions of the coercive control. I read yesterday that Paypal announced they would be fining customers $2,500 per day if they promulgate "misinformation." They promptly cancelled the policy after immense backlash. That isn't something that would only effect the famous or those you presume to be outspoken. Nor would instant closure of your email, social media, and even bank accounts. Do you think that is far-fetched? It recently happened to Andrew Tate [1], and while he is famous and rich, and normal people are not, rest assured that anything they can get away with against those with money and power will only be easier to do to those without them.
In the fallout of my own cancellation and job loss due to it, I had more than one employee leave my company solely because they were being harassed by the mob. One of them, who was initially extremely upset by what they were saying about and doing to me and very supportive quickly changed his tune once they came for him. He remarked "well, you really put yourself out there." I fired back, "I realize I do and say things you are not willing to do or say, but I promise you the day will arrive when they come for people like you. And you will be forced to either say or do what you do not believe is right. If you aren't willing to take a stand now, when the cost to you is so little, will you do so later, when the cost will surely be far greater?"
There will be increasing compulsion, and there will be decreasing opportunities to hide. You will have to either do what is right at personal cost, or betray what you believe is right. The time may have already arrived for you. If it has and you chose wrong, do what you can to make the most of changing today so that you don't sell your conscience for mess of porridge in the future.
In light of all of this, the most fortified path forward is to do what you can to separate your means of earning a living from the influence of those who embrace mob-based coercion.
For those who make an effort to persuade others to improvement, it is good to get out of situations where this is tied to your ability to earn a living: you will either be tempted to water down what you would otherwise say, or you will suddenly find yourself without a career. These people will not just free themselves from the threat of lost income. They'll also gain power in their messaging that can't be had while they operate from the security of a life more sheltered than those they claim to shepherd. A true shepherd does not feed his flock from a shelter. He goes before them, and he gives his life for them, as described and demonstrated by Jesus Christ (see John 10).
For the majority of people--who are not in that boat--do what you can to free yourself from employment where the success of your business and your continuation in it depends on people who are fools.
Do what you can to reduce your need for income, and to increase the persistence of what you do need. For many, this will include shifting to smaller companies where they personally know the character of the people (both the company and its customers) who make it function.
In your hiring, prioritize people who act according to what they stand for, not those who run from what they fear. Assess your own superiors according to the same standard, and find the best place you can.
Scrutinize carefully: even decent people are rare. As you go through life, be advised that the true nature of a person is typically only revealed when they are placed in extreme circumstances. The good news is that there will be plenty of those in the times to come. The bad news is almost everyone will be revealed to be a far worse person than you (and perhaps they) initially thought.
Do not lean on broken reeds (see Isaiah 36:6, 2 Kings 18:21, and Isaiah 42:3), and realize that nearly everyone is a broken reed!
Very many of the people involved in my university ousting knew me personally. They had extensive firsthand knowledge that what they publicly said about and privately did to me was an absolute lie. If that weren't bad enough, many of them had previously professed their own disdain for the woke culture that they publicly lauded during the incident in their words and actions. The harm caused by the co-existence of malevolence, dishonesty, and cowardice is hard to overstate [2]. If you work for these types, rest assured they will quickly trade everything they've ever said and done along with their witness of everything good you've ever done for 30 pieces of silver. If you work with them, or they work for you, rest assured they will not exert even the slightest effort to defend you when terrible things are said about and done to you.
The world does not understand this verse, but all those who stand up for what they believe is right will gain all the experience necessary to get it:
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2)
Just to be completely clear: Realize that nothing you do will fully remove you from the consequences of present society. Zooming out a bit, realize that the fall of Babylon (of which this topic is just a small part) is like the felling of an enormous tree. You might avoid getting squished by the trunk, but there is nothing you can do to remove yourself from getting hit with a branch, and some branches are still large enough to crush a house. What was before is forever gone, and what is coming will be preceded by a complete dismantling of nearly all of what remains, and **everything** that remains still will have passed through an increasingly hot fire.
All of this sort of advice is designed to help you avoid avoidable suffering, but most of all to encourage you to develop your relationship with God. Learn to trust in him more. Have the courage to more fully live according to his example. Unconquerable inner peace can only come from the Lord, and only comes to those who have trusted in him without reserve. Unbounded joy only comes from the Lord, and only comes to those who have loved all mankind without reserve.
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[1] My mention of their names is not an endorsement of any or all of they say.
[2] I am speaking in terms that reflect how those who suffer this while still growing in trust in God will feel. The reality is that no one here has authority except as far as God has granted for the benefit of those who love him. So long as your life is perfectly aligned to what you sincerely believe the Lord would do in your place, you have absolutely nothing to worry about, even though it may cost you up to your life.
11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.
13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.
14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.
15 For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me. (D&C 98)