Your anecdote about the Mongolians who failed to comprehend the necessity of being integrated into the machine is truly profound. It aptly illustrates the workings of this entire system. In today's "civilized" society, the common person has surrendered themselves to the machine, becoming enslaved by technique. Peace.
Regarding your anecdote concerning the The Lord's Prayer, I am presently looking into the history of long-term debt cancellations and found out that "...and forgive them their debts," in The Lord's Prayer has been mistranslated to "...and forgive them their trespasses (or sins)," from the Greek ὀφειλήματα/ὀφειλέταις (debts/debtors).
The debt "reset" in the past was another technique to ensure social peace and stability. The present day "great reset' due 2030 will involve debt forgiveness in exchange for permanent enslavement with the help of technology (5G, digital ID, UBI, CBDCs etc.)
I have been thinking about this and how it fits with my current world view. Some observations:
- JE was a Christian but wrote his books as a social scientist not as a theologian. Plus he was an academic and wrote like one.
- Without the proper context, I don't believe technique fully explains all of history and where we are now. Your earlier work provides that context.
- Techniques for disseminating propaganda and manage the herd have existed since Fir'awn if not earlier. But technique has been finessed incrementally over time with the help of the scientific method. Technology has allowed technique to be implemented in ways not possible earlier to increase utility, efficiency and most importantly STUPIDITY.
- Technologies such as the printing press and the internet democratized information so technique had to be completely changed from withholding information to inventing lots of it. The democratization did allow the willing "few" around the globe to access the truth, improve upon it and disseminate it further. The quality of information available today pertaining to the Quran and related content that helps to connect the dots is much superior today than it was 20 years ago.
- Technique doesn't itself have any morals. Its those applying it to advance agendas and the herd embracing it to fulfil their base desires that determines its impact on humanity.
- The TGP does provide a solution with the most probable outcome being a complete paradigm shift. But there is a chance, albeit very low, the 'the dominant ones' repent and turn the ship around. In that case, I would argue technique along with technology could potentially be applied to live in accordance with the Suzerain treaty we formed with God.
It is also my belief that technique has been present since the earliest of Man's advanced civilizations, and that these civilizations were just as dependent on them as we are today. However, what is intriguing is that none of these civilizations were able to liberate themselves from this reliance voluntarily. The true turning point appears to have been initiated by what brother Gerrans has termed The God Protocol. It appears that we may be on the brink of a similar breakthrough once again. Regarding the possibility of the elites changing their ways and finding redemption, I hold the belief that Allah has hardened their hearts and they remain blind to the truth and the warner this time is the Quran.
I agree that Technique has existed before (in the sense that Ellul uses it). The difference is that we have electricity, computing power, nuclear power, etc. on the one hand, and have abandoned all moral restraints on the other.
According to Kaczinski's analysis (and here I am summarising), the only way out is to unplug from all man-made engines. Personally, I don't see that happening.
I agree that God has hardened their hearts. I see no way out of that reality, but God knows best.
It is my opinion that the advancements of our civilization, such as electricity and other sophisticated byproducts of technique, were not solely exclusive to us. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that past advanced civilizations, which have since been destroyed, also possessed the capability of harnessing electricity and possibly even some form of computing power. Otherwise, it would be difficult to justify the highly intricate architecture of ancient civilizations, which could not have been constructed with primitive tools alone. Peace.
In a video you’ve done in the past you’ve recommended some books And my favorites from those you have recommended is the imitation of Christ and the desert fathers...
Do you know similar books that are edifying in faith ?
The Consolation of Philosophy is great (Boethius). Also Meditations (Marcus Aurelius). The book (there is only one) "by" Epictetus (actually by his student). The City of God by Augustine is worth a look if you want the longest blog from Late Antiquity (mostly about explaining why Christianity was most definitely not responsible for the decline of the Roman empire), but his Confessions is more interesting. The Rule of St Benedict is interesting for other reasons. Pilgrim's Progress may work for you. My personal favourite is Al-Qushayri's Epistle on Sufism. You will probably want to skip through the isnad-like introductions to each part, but the meat is excellent and many of those stories have stayed with me long after reading them.
I would also add Emerson's essay Self-Reliance. It is something I have gone back to a number of times over the course of my life. It provides principles sufficient for a man who resolves to choose who and what he ultimately wants to be rather than to allow those choices to be made for him by his environment.
It cannot be undone. It is an outcome of the "Enlightenment" and is become the new (and universal) religion with the postulates I listed in the talk. I highly recommend both books! For a broader perspective I also recommend René Guénon's The Crisis of the Modern World as well as his The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times.
Your anecdote about the Mongolians who failed to comprehend the necessity of being integrated into the machine is truly profound. It aptly illustrates the workings of this entire system. In today's "civilized" society, the common person has surrendered themselves to the machine, becoming enslaved by technique. Peace.
Regarding your anecdote concerning the The Lord's Prayer, I am presently looking into the history of long-term debt cancellations and found out that "...and forgive them their debts," in The Lord's Prayer has been mistranslated to "...and forgive them their trespasses (or sins)," from the Greek ὀφειλήματα/ὀφειλέταις (debts/debtors).
The debt "reset" in the past was another technique to ensure social peace and stability. The present day "great reset' due 2030 will involve debt forgiveness in exchange for permanent enslavement with the help of technology (5G, digital ID, UBI, CBDCs etc.)
Peace
Interesting. The ancient institution of the jubilee relates to what you are saying also (not practiced anymore, of course).
I have been thinking about this and how it fits with my current world view. Some observations:
- JE was a Christian but wrote his books as a social scientist not as a theologian. Plus he was an academic and wrote like one.
- Without the proper context, I don't believe technique fully explains all of history and where we are now. Your earlier work provides that context.
- Techniques for disseminating propaganda and manage the herd have existed since Fir'awn if not earlier. But technique has been finessed incrementally over time with the help of the scientific method. Technology has allowed technique to be implemented in ways not possible earlier to increase utility, efficiency and most importantly STUPIDITY.
- Technologies such as the printing press and the internet democratized information so technique had to be completely changed from withholding information to inventing lots of it. The democratization did allow the willing "few" around the globe to access the truth, improve upon it and disseminate it further. The quality of information available today pertaining to the Quran and related content that helps to connect the dots is much superior today than it was 20 years ago.
- Technique doesn't itself have any morals. Its those applying it to advance agendas and the herd embracing it to fulfil their base desires that determines its impact on humanity.
- The TGP does provide a solution with the most probable outcome being a complete paradigm shift. But there is a chance, albeit very low, the 'the dominant ones' repent and turn the ship around. In that case, I would argue technique along with technology could potentially be applied to live in accordance with the Suzerain treaty we formed with God.
Peace.
Certainly, TGP provides the only solution I know of.
I am concentrating on Technique because it is a way of illustrating to thinking people who do not come from the Qur'anic worldview:
1. Why the "when enough people wake up" manta is faulty
2. Why "more / better democracy" is a fallacy
3. Why you have to look beyond either Technique or its causes
Peace,
Sam Gerrans
It is also my belief that technique has been present since the earliest of Man's advanced civilizations, and that these civilizations were just as dependent on them as we are today. However, what is intriguing is that none of these civilizations were able to liberate themselves from this reliance voluntarily. The true turning point appears to have been initiated by what brother Gerrans has termed The God Protocol. It appears that we may be on the brink of a similar breakthrough once again. Regarding the possibility of the elites changing their ways and finding redemption, I hold the belief that Allah has hardened their hearts and they remain blind to the truth and the warner this time is the Quran.
I agree that Technique has existed before (in the sense that Ellul uses it). The difference is that we have electricity, computing power, nuclear power, etc. on the one hand, and have abandoned all moral restraints on the other.
According to Kaczinski's analysis (and here I am summarising), the only way out is to unplug from all man-made engines. Personally, I don't see that happening.
I agree that God has hardened their hearts. I see no way out of that reality, but God knows best.
It is my opinion that the advancements of our civilization, such as electricity and other sophisticated byproducts of technique, were not solely exclusive to us. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that past advanced civilizations, which have since been destroyed, also possessed the capability of harnessing electricity and possibly even some form of computing power. Otherwise, it would be difficult to justify the highly intricate architecture of ancient civilizations, which could not have been constructed with primitive tools alone. Peace.
Peace,
In a video you’ve done in the past you’ve recommended some books And my favorites from those you have recommended is the imitation of Christ and the desert fathers...
Do you know similar books that are edifying in faith ?
The Consolation of Philosophy is great (Boethius). Also Meditations (Marcus Aurelius). The book (there is only one) "by" Epictetus (actually by his student). The City of God by Augustine is worth a look if you want the longest blog from Late Antiquity (mostly about explaining why Christianity was most definitely not responsible for the decline of the Roman empire), but his Confessions is more interesting. The Rule of St Benedict is interesting for other reasons. Pilgrim's Progress may work for you. My personal favourite is Al-Qushayri's Epistle on Sufism. You will probably want to skip through the isnad-like introductions to each part, but the meat is excellent and many of those stories have stayed with me long after reading them.
Peace.
Thank you so much and God bless you, sir
You're very welcome.
I would also add Emerson's essay Self-Reliance. It is something I have gone back to a number of times over the course of my life. It provides principles sufficient for a man who resolves to choose who and what he ultimately wants to be rather than to allow those choices to be made for him by his environment.
Peace.
I really appreciate your insights sir. Thank you so much.
Thank you Sam, for these talks.
A question I have, if I may:
Is Ellul ever saying that 'Technique' is an inevitable outcome in terms of human nature and society?
(I haven't read the two books yet.. 'Propaganda' and 'The Technological Society', though I will)
Just from listening to your interpretation though, this is what I'm wondering.
Was 'Technique' initiated through a choice at some point?
An inevitable path, that started with a choice, related to efficiency?
And if a different choice had been made - obviously the outcome would have been different?
i.e. A mistake was made, that now cannot be undone?
It cannot be undone. It is an outcome of the "Enlightenment" and is become the new (and universal) religion with the postulates I listed in the talk. I highly recommend both books! For a broader perspective I also recommend René Guénon's The Crisis of the Modern World as well as his The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times.
Thanks for the reply Sam - much appreciated.
Blessings to you and your family.