Days ago, at a table with old acquaintances, one of them explained to me with absolute certainty why the gold went up, why the dollar fell, who lowers the planes, who raises the temperatures and who decided the pandemic in a basement in Geneva. All in fifteen minutes. Without one «I don't know.».
I looked at him and I was jealous of him.
I have been working on the markets for thirty years and I still can't tell you for sure why PPC went up yesterday or whether in a year it will be 10 or 40 Euros.
He knows who rules the planet. I read balance sheets, reports from the Fed, practically monetary committees, and finally I end up with a coward. «possible»He has seen two videos on YouTube and has come to conclusions that Kissinger would envy.
Lies are happy people. I say it without a hint of irony.
They are happy because they have what the rest of the world has sought in vain since the caverns: answers. Easy answers to unanswered questions. Why is there poverty? The bankers. Why are we getting sick? The vaccines. Why is it raining in August? The sprays. Their lives are a crossword puzzle where all solutions are written on some hidden page that they themselves know where they are.
The rationalist, on the contrary, is doomed to live with uncertainty. Saying «data indicate», «the possibility is», «the data is insufficient»Review. To deny. Science is an endless «Let's see it again.». Who can stand living like this? Man doesn't thirst for truth. Thirsty for sure. And certainty is sold much cheaper than truth, usually with free transportation.
But there's something deeper that took me years to figure it out.
The conspirator, deep down, is a deeply religious man, even when he declares an atheist. He firmly believes that someone is ruling. That there's a plan. That behind chaos there is a will, even evil, even of Rothschild or the Syrian people. And a will, however vicious, is infinitely more reassuring than the truth: that no one governs. That the world is a system of billions of people making everyday decisions – other geniuses, most moderate, several stupid – and the result is seen in the eight-year news.
Behind every «They spray us.» There is a child's prayer hidden: someone is watching us. Even to hurt us, but he's watching us. There is, they believe, a divine welfare that protects us from any stupid decision we make. It's not our fault we went bankrupt, it's Merkel's fault. It is not our fault that we voted for what we voted for. It's not our fault the kid doesn't read, it's the 5G. Conspiracy is the only religion in history that promises forgiveness of sins without even repentance.
And here's the dangerous part. Because a society that believes the steering wheel always holds it «others»It's a society that never takes the wheel. Why save, if «They'll take them from us.»? Why invest if «It's all rigged.»Why would you vote with your mind if «They decide.»; Fatalism is the most expensive product that this place consumes and consumes it duty-free.
The markets, which so hate lies, are the exact opposite sight: millions of people without a central plan, without an invisible orchestra manager, who produce order through chaos. No Bilderberg Club has decided the price of coffee. It was decided by the drought in Brazil and the thirst for caffeine of two billion Asians. But that's boring. It's not good for video.
You'll tell me: what's the matter? Let them be happy.
It's okay. Because these happy people vote. And they vote whoever promises to punish them «invisible» Which is all because we never have to look in the mirror.
The spray is no graphic exception to Greek society. It is its most faithful mirror: a society that has for decades preferred comforting conspiracy to unpleasant responsibility.
📬🖊️ Reader letters
Answer/School to Article «The far right is coming...»
Good morning, Mr. Stupa.
As a resident of Germany in the last 9 years and on the occasion of your article «Here comes the right...», I would like to add some comments which, on the AfD phenomenon that are not widely known in Greece.
AfD may be described as a far-right party, but its rapid rise is not explained in terms of ideology, but in terms of social and economic reality. Germany has always had a large number of immigrants when it opened its doors to workers, e.g. from Turkey, Greece, etc., in order to meet its need for cheap labour. The essential difference with the present immigration reality is that that wave came strictly to work and contribute, while today a significant part of the newcomers is either unable to integrate or is not even seeking such a thing. A typical example, almost 15 years after the Syrian crisis, about 50% of the Syrian population in Germany still live with benefits (the allowance – Bürgergeld – covers rent and bills entirely, in addition to an additional monthly aid).
At the same time, the German economy is going through an unprecedented period. The increase in energy costs after 2022, the competition from the Chinese industry and the stagnation of productivity have dissolved the sense of security for the average German worker. Against these problems, the political system seems paralyzed: bureaucracy remains monstrous, while the coalition of left and green forces —Even when he's out of government— has sufficient institutional influence to block substantial reforms. The result is that time is working in favour of AfD, which, in my opinion, is now a matter of time before the government takes over.
It is no coincidence that at the same time there are reports of incidents of violence, stabbings and murders linked, unfortunately, repeatedly to certain social groups. This fact feeds a sense of insecurity that is not just perception, but is also reflected in official statistics criminal data.
All the above has brought AfD to the fore in recent years.
On the other hand, the Germans, for known historical reasons, bear a burden of guilt that prevents them from openly expressing their opposition to open borders policies. This gap between what many citizens think privately and what they dare to say publicly is, in my opinion, the basic mechanism that feeds the AfD. The party acts as the only form willing to speak openly of reforms where the rest are stalling, whether in economics or immigration. In discussions about this with German friends, some still see AfD as something similar to the Golden Dawn, while others regard it as a necessary evil or the only voice of reason in front of the parties of the centre and the left who ignore the big picture.
In closing, the message that the government has been passing on to the economic part lately is as follows: a social model is not viable when someone who works and contributes has almost the same income or level of life as someone who lives for years at the expense of the state.
We expect to see who will have the courage to carry out the necessary reforms.
With respect,
Basil Sarris
