"Nothing appears more surprising to those, who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few; and the implicit submission, with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers. When we enquire by what means this wonder is effected, we shall find, that, as Force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular."
That’s David Hume, y’all. Where he says, “Force,” I say power. Power is relative to context. Not sometimes but always. And while the state has a monopoly on violence, it never has a monopoly on power. The people have that. Not sometimes but always.
The image is a still from David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001). It came to my mind as I considered the truth of Hume's words, particularly...the fact that a very small number of very frightened people (who are afraid of each other) "run things" until they don't. Fear is the real enemy.
Consider the words of the prophet: “Fight the real enemy.”
Wrote a short song bout this situation in Tennessee: https://youtube.com/shorts/ko6xZ1BR2X4?si=DptFwBEzlope1inw
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