Excellent words, Charles. I especially appreciate your staking out your own space and privacy re: your health -- more advice and input is not helpful. It's an "inside job," in your own mind, and the decisions you make about how to spend your time and energy. Ultimately true for every one of us.And I also really agree with your understanding that the "us vs. them" way of thinking and trying to solve our planetary dilemma is ending. An entirely new consciousness is what's beginning to emerge, and that's the place to put our passion and attention. Much love, brother.
Yes, very true. I personally completely understand why people might ask Charles whether he is pro-Trump or anti-Trump, but I believe that framing the discussion this way misses the bigger picture—on two important levels.
First, the question itself assumes that our only choices are between two factions of a system designed to serve the interests of billionaires—the pro-empire, profit-driven, life-destroying capitalist elites of either the DNC or the RNC. But it is absolutely possible (and, in my view, wise) to reject both Trump, who is a tool of oligarchic interests, and the Democratic establishment, which ultimately serves the same billionaire class under a different guise. That is where my heart stands, and I’d love to share why.
Second, the debate over whether to support or oppose Trump often distracts from the deeper issue at hand. Trump, despite his theatrics and posturing, is not the true architect of the system we live under. He is merely a vehicle—a tool used by the billionaire class to consolidate their power, dismantle protections that stand in the way of their profits, and push society into a new era of technocratic feudalism, where a tiny elite controls vast populations of struggling people. The illusion of political opposition helps maintain this control, convincing people that they have a real choice while the system itself remains unchanged.
Trump’s role in this is to keep his supporters distracted with the narrative that he is an outsider, fighting against the elite on behalf of the common person. But in reality, his administration, packed with neoconservatives, religious fundamentalists, and corporate profiteers, worked to serve the billionaire class just as ruthlessly as any other. His supporters have been led to believe that he is leading a rebellion against the establishment, but in truth, he is just another face of the same empire. And while mainstream liberals may see through Trump’s deception, many of them fall into a parallel trap—believing that the Democratic establishment is a force for good, when in reality, it operates within the same corrupt system, just with different rhetoric.
These dynamics are well-explored in several insightful articles that highlight how both Trumpism and anti-Trumpism serve the same ruling class:
2. This essay shows exactly the FALSE DICHOTOMY that the elite present to us, letting us "choose" our poison, letting us choose if we want to be ruled by corporate power or oligarch power. Both "choices" are not for our benefit.
3. This essay shows you precisely and in detail exactly the tricks that the billionaire oligarchs are using to divide- and-control us, and manipulate is into believing that they are on our side
5. Contrary to the deceptive MAGA/MAHA/Qanon propaganda that is constantly hammered into the head of well-intentioned but gullible and uninformed people, trump is NOT fighting a deep state, and the billionaire ruling class is no more afraid of trump than the tooth fairy. See all the details proving this here
In my view, the main difference between these two factions is not in their goals but in their methods. Trump represents a more overt, unapologetic form of oligarchic control—he doesn’t bother to disguise his greed, ruthlessness, and authoritarian tendencies. Meanwhile, the Democratic establishment cloaks its equally pro-billionaire, anti-human policies in the language of compassion and justice, deceiving people into thinking they are on the side of the oppressed while enacting policies that serve the wealthy elite.
At the core of it all, the global oligarchy operates through both wings of the system—the so-called "left" and "right." The Democratic leadership weaponizes language about love, inclusion, and progress to push forward the same corporate interests that the "populist" right promotes under the guise of fighting for freedom. The result is a carefully managed illusion of opposition, where both sides manipulate their followers into believing that the true enemy is not the billionaire ruling class, but the other half of the population.
Psychologically, this divide is maintained in different ways: the liberal billionaore faction preaches hollow slogans of love while enforcing control, while the conservative billiionaore faction of rne empire rallies its base through narratives of "greatness" crushing others to benefit oneself, domination, power over, and force. Both sides keep their supporters trapped in a cycle of fear, outrage, and division, ensuring that no real challenge to the billionaire oligarchs ever emerges.
The heartbreaking reality is that most people have been funneled into ideological enclosures, believing that their chosen faction is the solution and that the other side is the true source of evil. Very few recognize that both sides serve the same masters, and even fewer truly desire a world free from empire, exploitation, and control. Instead, many simply want the same system to continue—but under the leadership of "their" billionaires rather than "the other side’s" billionaires.
It is this manufactured division that allows the ruling class to maintain its grip on power, while ordinary people remain caught in endless battles against each other—battles that were never meant to be won, only prolonged.
My hope is that more of us will begin to see through this illusion and recognize that true liberation will not come from choosing between two sides of the same corrupt hierarchical system, but from dismantling the structures of oppression altogether and building something better—something truly rooted in dignity, caring, equality of worth and freedom for ALL
Thank you. And if I may, I want to share another crucial resource that I believe is deeply relevant to understanding what’s happening right now. The billionaire elites in power—abusive, exploitative, and utterly indifferent to human life—are shifting their focus. For years, they conditioned the public to see Russia as the ultimate enemy. Now, they’re redirecting that fear and hostility toward China, with Iran and Muslims as secondary targets. You can read about this ongoing shift here: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnspritzler/p/defense-sec-hegseth-launches-the
This isn’t just a change in rhetoric; it’s a well-worn strategy. These elites, whose only guiding principle is domination and exploitation, need a "boogeyman" enemy to keep people afraid, divided, and loyal to their rule. The following resource explains exactly how they use this tactic to manipulate the public: https://www.pdrboston.org/oppressors-need-bogeyman-enemies I urge everyone to read this essay carefully—it’s eye-opening and essential for anyone who truly wants to understand what’s going on.
A particularly tragic part of this manipulation is how well-intentioned but deeply deceived MAGA supporters are being used as foot soldiers for the billionaire class. No group has been more aggressively propagandized. Many of them genuinely believe they’re fighting against the elite, yet in reality they are helping the worst hierarchical abusers on this planet to maintain control over us. The elites know that by creating an "evil foreign enemy"—whether it’s communists, Muslims, Iranians, or now the Chinese—they can rally their base, stoke fear, and keep people clinging to their so-called "patriotic" leadership as our supposed "protectors" from that "evil monstrous scary enemy over there who is coming to get ya".
The strategy is simple: convince people that they are under attack, promise them protection, and demand loyalty in return. The cost? Our freedoms, our money, and our future. While these billionaires pretend to be "saving America," they are in fact transferring the wealth to the ultra-rich, and constructing a technocratic control system designed to strip ordinary people of power and independence.
None of this would be possible without the unwitting support of those who have been led to believe that cheering for the billionaire oligarchs is the path to freedom and "fighting tje deep state". The billionaire class has masterfully used social media algorithms and echo chambers to trap people in a cycle of misinformation, where loyalty to corrupt elites is mistaken for rebellion against them.
Breaking free from this illusion requires stepping back, questioning the narratives being pushed, and recognizing the real forces at play. Understanding this manipulation is IMHO the first step toward true freed9m.
Will read it. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate your passion for the truth/exposing manipulation and your caring for life and people. Definitely needed in these times of pervasive propaganda & deceit and of greed trumping life, freedom, dignity and love.
Yes, reflecting on some conversations with friends in the last few days I find myself prickling at all the advice I’ve received. And seeing how condescending it feels and tiresome. I don’t share things to get help. I share to connect. To reveal my heart. To open the possibility of a shared experience or just to let myself be known deeply.
Charles, I worked for a great architect years ago called Sverre Fehn who had a book called the Thought of Construction. He talked about much the same losses that go unnoticed for instance the loss of the shadows and stars at night and the room that fire light makes in the darkness lost with the advent of the electric light bulb. Also about how music and storytelling was frozen to be shipped out for consumption with the advent of recording. Your voice and passion for the real physical world - the world we physically live in and your voice for our boundless inner world in our heart and spirit...like good (live) music with my friends...very much appreciated. Your work is one of the stars I follow to help me navigate in the darkness - my life at sea. Thankyou.
I look forward to more and more people zooming out beyond their particular crap political party. It feels beyond self-indulgence to dwell in this ego trip of my party in 2025, when they're all a disgrace, they all lead to the Machine, and it's obvious we need to change the system. And there's a space for everyone there. Happy resting, I like your framing. Very adrenal fatigue-recoveryish.
Just read Robin Wall Kimmerer's new little book called The Serviceberry in which you are quoted a couple of times. So this podcast sounds like a nice accompaniment. Grateful for you. Rest up!
My adrenal advice is a theory about the nature of the god/goddess that a doctor friend shared with me. The god/goddess is inept. For instance, they may know it would be best for you if you moved, but they can't figure out how to motivate you. So they burn down your house, and you move. Many physical challenges get us to do what we need to do. That's been my experience. Rest, Charles, knowing that an inept goddess/god is with you.
Yes, I keep getting asked to decide on one side of a binary proposal. Are you in agreement with A or with B? I am neither in agreement or against. I observe patterns. I observe outcome from patterns. I observe my own psychological process and that of others. I don’t like violence, separative and divisive actions. I release my own divisive and separative actions. I allow myself to entertain multiple perspectives. I attempt to include and understand the points of view of others. I call out clear abuse. I relax concern.
As a former Democrat, turned Independent, and now a Trump voter, I'm still in a state of shock at how fast the world is spinning. I haven't felt good about the USA leadership since supporting Bernie in 2016. It's been downhill from there. I will say though that this MAGA MAHA movement seems to be a lot more transparent than past regimes, and they're actually doing stuff that others only talked about. I'm cautiously hopeful for the future and it's kinda sad to watch my Liberal friends writhing in anger and despair.
"People are still trying to figure out whether I am pro-Trump or anti-Trump, but it is that reflex that lies near the heart of the crisis of civilization. We cling on to the dying plot line of us versus them, hoping its resolution will deliver us from evil. But a much greater drama is unfolding."
Charles doesn't want sympathy, so here's a reality check: most of the rest of us don't get to step back, "rest" and "enjoy life". Most of the rest of us have to keep grinding to put food on the table and keep a roof over our family's heads. Probably because most of the rest of us didn't grift a couple hundred thousand dollars from a sham political campaign. So yeah, you'll be hearing no sympathy from me bud.
Feeling you, Charles. Thank you for sharing from the heart. I see myself dropping so often into looking for how I'm right, and better than, 'them' (whoever 'they' happen to be in that instance). On the converse, I put myself below others (like yourself). Who am I to write, and share, when there are people like Charles doing it so much better?
Either way is a loser's game, leaving me with a heart cabinet empty of all but the empty whispers of ghosts.
So all this comes home to this morning. As I sat in the darkness, breathing with life. Breathing for myself. And for my unborn child. And the hope of a more beautiful world (😉). And, in that moment, it was enough. Just to be with myself. Emptying and filling myself.
All this to say: I see you. I feel you. I hope you can prioritise the rest you need.
I am intrigued by your concluding statement—“But a much greater drama is unfolding. I’ll keep writing about that as my energy allows.”—and so eager to read whatever you will have to say about this.
I feel like I know so many people who have to hear the words of this essay! Can I just say bullseye? 🎯 I loved every paragraph. Sacred Economy, AI, post-polarization… you are at the front of an evolution of humanity. Your reduction in the quantity of work to take care of yourself, and rest, is natural and wise. Stay the course.
Love your open honesty and ability to navigate the rapids of your life and rest in the still waters, whilst being used as click bait .....no small feat thank you for sharing your boundaries and your way of making meaning in the world. It's in these times your voice is needed most, sharing your gifts and taking care of yourself whilst all around appears to be crumbling is vital, thank you
Excellent words, Charles. I especially appreciate your staking out your own space and privacy re: your health -- more advice and input is not helpful. It's an "inside job," in your own mind, and the decisions you make about how to spend your time and energy. Ultimately true for every one of us.And I also really agree with your understanding that the "us vs. them" way of thinking and trying to solve our planetary dilemma is ending. An entirely new consciousness is what's beginning to emerge, and that's the place to put our passion and attention. Much love, brother.
Yes, very true. I personally completely understand why people might ask Charles whether he is pro-Trump or anti-Trump, but I believe that framing the discussion this way misses the bigger picture—on two important levels.
First, the question itself assumes that our only choices are between two factions of a system designed to serve the interests of billionaires—the pro-empire, profit-driven, life-destroying capitalist elites of either the DNC or the RNC. But it is absolutely possible (and, in my view, wise) to reject both Trump, who is a tool of oligarchic interests, and the Democratic establishment, which ultimately serves the same billionaire class under a different guise. That is where my heart stands, and I’d love to share why.
Second, the debate over whether to support or oppose Trump often distracts from the deeper issue at hand. Trump, despite his theatrics and posturing, is not the true architect of the system we live under. He is merely a vehicle—a tool used by the billionaire class to consolidate their power, dismantle protections that stand in the way of their profits, and push society into a new era of technocratic feudalism, where a tiny elite controls vast populations of struggling people. The illusion of political opposition helps maintain this control, convincing people that they have a real choice while the system itself remains unchanged.
Trump’s role in this is to keep his supporters distracted with the narrative that he is an outsider, fighting against the elite on behalf of the common person. But in reality, his administration, packed with neoconservatives, religious fundamentalists, and corporate profiteers, worked to serve the billionaire class just as ruthlessly as any other. His supporters have been led to believe that he is leading a rebellion against the establishment, but in truth, he is just another face of the same empire. And while mainstream liberals may see through Trump’s deception, many of them fall into a parallel trap—believing that the Democratic establishment is a force for good, when in reality, it operates within the same corrupt system, just with different rhetoric.
These dynamics are well-explored in several insightful articles that highlight how both Trumpism and anti-Trumpism serve the same ruling class:
1. www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/both-trumpism-and-anti-trumpism-are
2. This essay shows exactly the FALSE DICHOTOMY that the elite present to us, letting us "choose" our poison, letting us choose if we want to be ruled by corporate power or oligarch power. Both "choices" are not for our benefit.
https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-choice-this-election-is-between
3. This essay shows you precisely and in detail exactly the tricks that the billionaire oligarchs are using to divide- and-control us, and manipulate is into believing that they are on our side
https://johnspritzler.substack.com/p/i-found-it-the-misplaced-owners-manual please note that the essay is written in a sarcastic tone, as if it is an instruction manual for a billionaire on how to deceive the people to better control us. This is a MUST-READ in my view.
4. The face at the front desk changes every 4-8 years but the ruling corporation remains the same. Full details here
https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-face-at-the-front-desk-changes?
5. Contrary to the deceptive MAGA/MAHA/Qanon propaganda that is constantly hammered into the head of well-intentioned but gullible and uninformed people, trump is NOT fighting a deep state, and the billionaire ruling class is no more afraid of trump than the tooth fairy. See all the details proving this here
https://johnspritzler.substack.com/p/the-billionaire-class-is-no-more
In my view, the main difference between these two factions is not in their goals but in their methods. Trump represents a more overt, unapologetic form of oligarchic control—he doesn’t bother to disguise his greed, ruthlessness, and authoritarian tendencies. Meanwhile, the Democratic establishment cloaks its equally pro-billionaire, anti-human policies in the language of compassion and justice, deceiving people into thinking they are on the side of the oppressed while enacting policies that serve the wealthy elite.
At the core of it all, the global oligarchy operates through both wings of the system—the so-called "left" and "right." The Democratic leadership weaponizes language about love, inclusion, and progress to push forward the same corporate interests that the "populist" right promotes under the guise of fighting for freedom. The result is a carefully managed illusion of opposition, where both sides manipulate their followers into believing that the true enemy is not the billionaire ruling class, but the other half of the population.
Psychologically, this divide is maintained in different ways: the liberal billionaore faction preaches hollow slogans of love while enforcing control, while the conservative billiionaore faction of rne empire rallies its base through narratives of "greatness" crushing others to benefit oneself, domination, power over, and force. Both sides keep their supporters trapped in a cycle of fear, outrage, and division, ensuring that no real challenge to the billionaire oligarchs ever emerges.
The heartbreaking reality is that most people have been funneled into ideological enclosures, believing that their chosen faction is the solution and that the other side is the true source of evil. Very few recognize that both sides serve the same masters, and even fewer truly desire a world free from empire, exploitation, and control. Instead, many simply want the same system to continue—but under the leadership of "their" billionaires rather than "the other side’s" billionaires.
It is this manufactured division that allows the ruling class to maintain its grip on power, while ordinary people remain caught in endless battles against each other—battles that were never meant to be won, only prolonged.
My hope is that more of us will begin to see through this illusion and recognize that true liberation will not come from choosing between two sides of the same corrupt hierarchical system, but from dismantling the structures of oppression altogether and building something better—something truly rooted in dignity, caring, equality of worth and freedom for ALL
Wow!! Powerful comment. But yes, fully agree with you, you hit the nail right on the head
Will check out those links. Thank you for caring
Thank you. And if I may, I want to share another crucial resource that I believe is deeply relevant to understanding what’s happening right now. The billionaire elites in power—abusive, exploitative, and utterly indifferent to human life—are shifting their focus. For years, they conditioned the public to see Russia as the ultimate enemy. Now, they’re redirecting that fear and hostility toward China, with Iran and Muslims as secondary targets. You can read about this ongoing shift here: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnspritzler/p/defense-sec-hegseth-launches-the
This isn’t just a change in rhetoric; it’s a well-worn strategy. These elites, whose only guiding principle is domination and exploitation, need a "boogeyman" enemy to keep people afraid, divided, and loyal to their rule. The following resource explains exactly how they use this tactic to manipulate the public: https://www.pdrboston.org/oppressors-need-bogeyman-enemies I urge everyone to read this essay carefully—it’s eye-opening and essential for anyone who truly wants to understand what’s going on.
A particularly tragic part of this manipulation is how well-intentioned but deeply deceived MAGA supporters are being used as foot soldiers for the billionaire class. No group has been more aggressively propagandized. Many of them genuinely believe they’re fighting against the elite, yet in reality they are helping the worst hierarchical abusers on this planet to maintain control over us. The elites know that by creating an "evil foreign enemy"—whether it’s communists, Muslims, Iranians, or now the Chinese—they can rally their base, stoke fear, and keep people clinging to their so-called "patriotic" leadership as our supposed "protectors" from that "evil monstrous scary enemy over there who is coming to get ya".
The strategy is simple: convince people that they are under attack, promise them protection, and demand loyalty in return. The cost? Our freedoms, our money, and our future. While these billionaires pretend to be "saving America," they are in fact transferring the wealth to the ultra-rich, and constructing a technocratic control system designed to strip ordinary people of power and independence.
None of this would be possible without the unwitting support of those who have been led to believe that cheering for the billionaire oligarchs is the path to freedom and "fighting tje deep state". The billionaire class has masterfully used social media algorithms and echo chambers to trap people in a cycle of misinformation, where loyalty to corrupt elites is mistaken for rebellion against them.
Breaking free from this illusion requires stepping back, questioning the narratives being pushed, and recognizing the real forces at play. Understanding this manipulation is IMHO the first step toward true freed9m.
Will read it. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate your passion for the truth/exposing manipulation and your caring for life and people. Definitely needed in these times of pervasive propaganda & deceit and of greed trumping life, freedom, dignity and love.
Yes, reflecting on some conversations with friends in the last few days I find myself prickling at all the advice I’ve received. And seeing how condescending it feels and tiresome. I don’t share things to get help. I share to connect. To reveal my heart. To open the possibility of a shared experience or just to let myself be known deeply.
Great comments, Mark.
No need for me to add anything.
💜
Charles, I worked for a great architect years ago called Sverre Fehn who had a book called the Thought of Construction. He talked about much the same losses that go unnoticed for instance the loss of the shadows and stars at night and the room that fire light makes in the darkness lost with the advent of the electric light bulb. Also about how music and storytelling was frozen to be shipped out for consumption with the advent of recording. Your voice and passion for the real physical world - the world we physically live in and your voice for our boundless inner world in our heart and spirit...like good (live) music with my friends...very much appreciated. Your work is one of the stars I follow to help me navigate in the darkness - my life at sea. Thankyou.
I look forward to more and more people zooming out beyond their particular crap political party. It feels beyond self-indulgence to dwell in this ego trip of my party in 2025, when they're all a disgrace, they all lead to the Machine, and it's obvious we need to change the system. And there's a space for everyone there. Happy resting, I like your framing. Very adrenal fatigue-recoveryish.
Just read Robin Wall Kimmerer's new little book called The Serviceberry in which you are quoted a couple of times. So this podcast sounds like a nice accompaniment. Grateful for you. Rest up!
Thanks for the reminder that telling the truth simply and directly is helpful in itself.
My adrenal advice is a theory about the nature of the god/goddess that a doctor friend shared with me. The god/goddess is inept. For instance, they may know it would be best for you if you moved, but they can't figure out how to motivate you. So they burn down your house, and you move. Many physical challenges get us to do what we need to do. That's been my experience. Rest, Charles, knowing that an inept goddess/god is with you.
This is a fun idea! Thanks
Yes, I keep getting asked to decide on one side of a binary proposal. Are you in agreement with A or with B? I am neither in agreement or against. I observe patterns. I observe outcome from patterns. I observe my own psychological process and that of others. I don’t like violence, separative and divisive actions. I release my own divisive and separative actions. I allow myself to entertain multiple perspectives. I attempt to include and understand the points of view of others. I call out clear abuse. I relax concern.
As a former Democrat, turned Independent, and now a Trump voter, I'm still in a state of shock at how fast the world is spinning. I haven't felt good about the USA leadership since supporting Bernie in 2016. It's been downhill from there. I will say though that this MAGA MAHA movement seems to be a lot more transparent than past regimes, and they're actually doing stuff that others only talked about. I'm cautiously hopeful for the future and it's kinda sad to watch my Liberal friends writhing in anger and despair.
This reference describes the nature of applied right-wing politics and its connection to opus dei
http://opentabernacle.wordpress.com/2024/09/02/opus-deis-influence-on-project-2025 it features a link (in one of the comments) to a book by Gareth Gore titled Opus
Check out another book by David Brock on opus dei titled STENCH.
Also check out an essay by Matthew Fox titled Trump and the Maga Movement As Anti-Christ.
Thank you for communicating my sentiments so clearly.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, then you are siding with the oppressor.” - Desmond Tutu
"People are still trying to figure out whether I am pro-Trump or anti-Trump, but it is that reflex that lies near the heart of the crisis of civilization. We cling on to the dying plot line of us versus them, hoping its resolution will deliver us from evil. But a much greater drama is unfolding."
This.
Sending love and gratitude to you.
Charles doesn't want sympathy, so here's a reality check: most of the rest of us don't get to step back, "rest" and "enjoy life". Most of the rest of us have to keep grinding to put food on the table and keep a roof over our family's heads. Probably because most of the rest of us didn't grift a couple hundred thousand dollars from a sham political campaign. So yeah, you'll be hearing no sympathy from me bud.
Feeling you, Charles. Thank you for sharing from the heart. I see myself dropping so often into looking for how I'm right, and better than, 'them' (whoever 'they' happen to be in that instance). On the converse, I put myself below others (like yourself). Who am I to write, and share, when there are people like Charles doing it so much better?
Either way is a loser's game, leaving me with a heart cabinet empty of all but the empty whispers of ghosts.
So all this comes home to this morning. As I sat in the darkness, breathing with life. Breathing for myself. And for my unborn child. And the hope of a more beautiful world (😉). And, in that moment, it was enough. Just to be with myself. Emptying and filling myself.
All this to say: I see you. I feel you. I hope you can prioritise the rest you need.
Much love and many thanks
Nathan
I am intrigued by your concluding statement—“But a much greater drama is unfolding. I’ll keep writing about that as my energy allows.”—and so eager to read whatever you will have to say about this.
I feel like I know so many people who have to hear the words of this essay! Can I just say bullseye? 🎯 I loved every paragraph. Sacred Economy, AI, post-polarization… you are at the front of an evolution of humanity. Your reduction in the quantity of work to take care of yourself, and rest, is natural and wise. Stay the course.
Thank you Charles.
Love your open honesty and ability to navigate the rapids of your life and rest in the still waters, whilst being used as click bait .....no small feat thank you for sharing your boundaries and your way of making meaning in the world. It's in these times your voice is needed most, sharing your gifts and taking care of yourself whilst all around appears to be crumbling is vital, thank you