Subtle but effective

[timothyu]

Over the last 2.5 years little has changed in my life. I did not miss the bars, theatres, and public social interaction. Wearing a mask at the local grocer was no setback. I was not isolated and went about my routine of travelling around my native area exploring and taking photos, which is a solitary endeavour anyway.

However, my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed into being wary of fellow man and the old freedoms we took for granted all our lives. Are you as comfortable as you once were in going about your daily life or has something been taken away?

 

[Tinker Grey]

Hardly at all. I do notice personal space a bit more. That's it.

 

[timothyu]

Hardly at all. I do notice personal space a bit more. That's it.

Do you notice that you may have not changed but others have, some radically?

 

[Tinker Grey]

Do you notice that you may have not changed but others have, some radically?

Not really, no. Certainly, I've observed no radical changes. N.B., as a defense contractor most of my immediate coworkers were required to report to work through the entire pandemic.

 

[timothyu]

Not really, no. Certainly, I've observed no radical changes. N.B., as a defense contractor most of my immediate coworkers were required to report to work through the entire pandemic.

So no changed behaviour you've noticed in public life other that distancing. You feel totally untouched and not out of place. Did you adapt well or just ignored it all?

 

[Whyayeman]

What has come up in conversations with friends is the tendency to go out less. This has been put down to the disruption of old routines and settling into a new, more domestic life.

Friends we were close to have been physically out of our lives for nearly three years. We are still close; Whatsap has kept us together.

 

[timothyu]

What has come up in conversations with friends is the tendency to go out less.

Yes, a lot I have talked to over the summer have stated that. A shift from live to electronic interaction and entertainment. Gee, I wonder who benefits from that other than the usual suspects

 

[Tinker Grey]

So no changed behaviour you've noticed in public life other that distancing. You feel totally untouched and not out of place. Did you adapt well or just ignored it all?

Or maybe people didn't actually change that much.

 

[Whyayeman]

Gee, I wonder who benefits from that other than the usual suspects

I have no idea. Your tone suggests you have ideas about that.
From your original post:

See #10 below.

 

[Whyayeman]

my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed

Who by? I feel a conspiracy theory coming on...

 

[comana]

Over the last 2.5 years little has changed in my life. I did not miss the bars, theatres, and public social interaction. Wearing a mask at the local grocer was no setback. I was not isolated and went about my routine of travelling around my native area exploring and taking photos, which is a solitary endeavour anyway.

However, my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed into being wary of fellow man and the old freedoms we took for granted all our lives. Are you as comfortable as you once were in going about your daily life or has something been taken away?

I was more comfortable during the pandemic because there were fewer people out and they left me alone. No hugs, no handshakes, respect for personal space. Now everyone is out in normal numbers doing normal things.

 

[eleos1954]

Over the last 2.5 years little has changed in my life. I did not miss the bars, theatres, and public social interaction. Wearing a mask at the local grocer was no setback. I was not isolated and went about my routine of travelling around my native area exploring and taking photos, which is a solitary endeavour anyway.

However, my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed into being wary of fellow man and the old freedoms we took for granted all our lives. Are you as comfortable as you once were in going about your daily life or has something been taken away?

A bad result from the covid pandemic is that governments used it and are still using it to stomp on our freedom.

 

[timothyu]

A bad result from the covid pandemic is that governments used it and are still using it to stomp on our freedom.

That may be, but that perked up after 9/11. Yes quite a lot of opportunity to remove freedoms in occurrences that have conveniently happened in the last 20 years. Then it was privacy, today it is speech (both a fact). But that is not the question. Just wondering if anyone has been noticing things are not as free and easy psychologically as before. Can we we trained? Are we being domesticated? Is it ethical to, century after century, seek to remove opinion and free thought of the masses?

 

[David's Harp]

Do you notice that you may have not changed but others have, some radically?

Some people are still fearful of the virus...

 

[Enilorac]

Over the last 2.5 years little has changed in my life. I did not miss the bars, theatres, and public social interaction. Wearing a mask at the local grocer was no setback. I was not isolated and went about my routine of travelling around my native area exploring and taking photos, which is a solitary endeavour anyway.

However, my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed into being wary of fellow man and the old freedoms we took for granted all our lives. Are you as comfortable as you once were in going about your daily life or has something been taken away?

I am an introvert by nature. I am perfectly happy staying home and only go out if I have to go. The last couple of years, I've been happy because there's been no pressure to go out.

 

[The happy Objectivist]

Over the last 2.5 years little has changed in my life. I did not miss the bars, theatres, and public social interaction. Wearing a mask at the local grocer was no setback. I was not isolated and went about my routine of travelling around my native area exploring and taking photos, which is a solitary endeavour anyway.

However, my question is... how many of you, especially if barely inconvenienced, have felt you have still subtly been brainwashed into being wary of fellow man and the old freedoms we took for granted all our lives. Are you as comfortable as you once were in going about your daily life or has something been taken away?

There hasn't been much of a change for me. I'm an extreme introvert and also a sigma male so I'm really OK with being by myself most of the time. I live in a very rural area because I just can't stand to be around a lot of people. I was wary of my fellow man long before the pandemic. I've honestly gotten to the point that I can't stand to be around other people. It's not because I'm scared of them making me sick, it's their ideas that I can't deal with. I know where they will lead and I can see it happening right before my eyes and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Back in December of 2019 when I saw the first report of a strange illness in China, I knew what would happen right then and I was 100% right.

I honestly am to the point of moving as far from other people as I can get, somewhere out in nature where it's quiet and peaceful and I'd never have to see another soul unless I chose to. If I were'nt married I'd do exactly that. Maybe not as isolated as the island in the movie Castaway, LOL, but not too far off from that either. I've stopped watching or listening to the news. It's too sickening, what my fellow men and women believe in and act upon.

As far as brainwashing, I think I'm immune.

 

[eleos1954]

That may be, but that perked up after 9/11. Yes quite a lot of opportunity to remove freedoms in occurrences that have conveniently happened in the last 20 years. Then it was privacy, today it is speech (both a fact). But that is not the question. Just wondering if anyone has been noticing things are not as free and easy psychologically as before. Can we we trained? Are we being domesticated? Is it ethical to, century after century, seek to remove opinion and free thought of the masses?

We are being manipulated .... the "end game" being a "new world order" .... and no .... people should have free thought and free speech without retaliation.

 

[The happy Objectivist]

You are spot on, Eleos. I try to tell people this and they think I'm a nut. I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said "governments use every exigency to steal the liberty of the people". I'm partially paraphrasing from my memory. It's true. Government is force. That's what it is. When you put a governor on an engine, it keeps it from going over a certain rpm. It limits it. Force can be used for good, i.e., protecting individual rights or it can be used for evil, to thwart or diminish individual rights. There's been a whole lot of thwarting going on the last hundred years and it really ramped up during the pandemic.

 

[The happy Objectivist]

We are being manipulated .... the "end game" being a "new world order" .... and no .... people should have free thought and free speech without retaliation.

And we should also be free to hold the fruits of our minds and effort in our own hands, but that will not be the case when they introduce a digital currency and do away with cash. The stated reason will be to cut down on crime but the real reason will be to have total control over everyone. You control their money and you control them totally and That's immoral. You write something on a forum that they don't like and there goes you ability to purchase what you need. It's already happening in China and Italy and many other countries are looking at doing some kind of social credit system.

 

[eleos1954]

And we should also be free to hold the fruits of our minds and effort in our own hands, but that will not be the case when they introduce a digital currency and do away with cash. The stated reason will be to cut down on crime but the real reason will be to have total control over everyone. You control their money and you control them totally and That's immoral. You write something on a forum that they don't like and there goes you ability to purchase what you need. It's already happening in China and Italy and many other countries are looking at doing some kind of social credit system.

Yep .... the world is going to get VERY ugly .... it's just a matter of time. This was prophesied in His Word ... and we are seeing it play out.