Home » Posts tagged 'witch hunt'

Tag Archives: witch hunt

Olduvai
Click on image to purchase

Olduvai III: Catacylsm
Click on image to purchase

Post categories

Post Archives by Category

The Age of Exterminations (III). Why you Should be Worried. Very Worried

October 4, 2021

The Age of Exterminations (III). Why you Should be Worried. Very Worried

 Disclaimer. I am no prophet and I have no crystal ball. I am just trying to find patterns in history. And I think many historical events can be explained simply on the basis of the tendency of people to try to make money whenever possible, even at the cost of doing the most evil things imaginable. That sometimes leads me to making rather somber predictions, as in this post, the 3rd of a series on mass exterminations (part one and part two). Sorry about these rather negative considerations, but think that I may well be wrong — and I hope so! (above: a hospital in Chernobyl in 2018: is that the destiny of our health care centers?)

The extermination of social subgroups is a relatively recent phenomenon in history but, unfortunately, it seems to have become more and more frequent in recent times. Often, as in the case of the witch-hunting age, extermination is the result of a perfectly rational attitude that develops in societies under heavy stress. When a social subgroup is relatively wealthy, can be identified, and can’t offer significant military resistance, there are good chances that its members will be exterminated and their assets confiscated. The classic case was that of the Jews in Europe up to the 1st half of the 20th century.

At this point, considering that our society is surely under heavy stress, the question is: which subgroup could be the next target for extermination? I think I have an answer:

The most likely target for the next extermination round is middle-class retirees. 

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Time for a new Witch Hunt? The pandemic could change more things than you would have expected.

November 27, 2020

Time for a new Witch Hunt? The pandemic could change more things than you would have expected.


A detail of Benvenuto Cellini’s “Perseus and Medusa,” a statuary group created in 1554 and presently in Florence, Italy. It is considered a work of art, but it is also remarkable for the detailed depiction of an extremely violent act: the beheading of Medusa, shown as a young woman in the group. It is rarely noted that this piece was created in the midst of the rise of a wave of violence against women in Europe, exterminated as witches. Clearly, Cellini’s scene is influenced by this trend, even though witches were normally burned at the stake rather than beheaded. (but that had a tradition, too!) 

Which historical period saw the largest number of witch hunts? If you answered “the Middle Ages,” you were wrong. Surprised? Don’t we all know that the Middle Ages, were the “Dark Ages,” a time of barbarism and superstition, surely it was at that time that witches were hunted and burned. Who didn’t see the “Burn the Witch” clip by the Monthy Python? It takes place in a typical medievalish setting.But, no. Burning witches is NOT a medieval thing. Look at the data. Trials and executions for witchcraft picked up well after that the Middle Ages were officially over, at some moment around the end of the 15th century.

At the highest moment of this homicidal frenzy, about 2500 people per year were burned in Europe for a total estimated as about 50,000-100,000. Not a very large number in comparison to the population of the time, but a significant number, nevertheless.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

The Disgusting Embrace of Witch-Hunting McCarthyism by ‘Liberals’

January 11, 2017

The Disgusting Embrace of Witch-Hunting McCarthyism by 'Liberals’

The Disgusting Embrace of Witch-Hunting McCarthyism by ‘Liberals’

So-called «liberals» and «progressives», who once derided those on the political right who accused their ideological forbearers of kowtowing to the «Reds» and «Soviets» during the era of Senator Joseph McCarthy, have dusted off McCarthy’s playbook and are using the very same tactics against Donald Trump and his supporters. The modern-day McCarthyites, mostly neo-conservative Republicans and Hillary Clinton Democrats, are hitting the airwaves, print media, and the Internet hard with accusations of Russian links by Trump and his advisers while haphazardly throwing around lists of alleged «Russian agents».

There is very little difference between what McCarthy told the Ohio County Republican Women’s Club in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1950:

«I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department».

In November 2016, a shadowy and anonymous group of self-described «nonpartisan» public policy wonks, computer scientists, and national security specialists calling themselves «PropOrNot» (Propaganda or Not) published a list of 200 websites cited as «peddlers of Russian propaganda during the election season, with combined audiences of at least 15 million Americans». The Washington Post, Associated Press, and other corporate-controlled media outlets dutifully reported this diatribe as «news». At least during the witch-hunting days of McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), those accused of being Communist agents knew who their accusers were and could face them down publicly.

Rather than condemn the modern-day witch-hunting by faux liberals and progressives, the American media has provided the accusers with maximum support. When CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow called out McCarthy for his bullying tactics on nationwide television, he received support from America’s major newspapers:

The conservative Washington Evening Star wrote: «everyone… resents and detests the bully boy tactics which Senator McCarthy so often employs.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

The Volkswagen scandal: say goodbye to the internal combustion engine!

September 23, 2015

The Volkswagen scandal: say goodbye to the internal combustion engine!

By now, I guess that everyone in the world has heard of how Volkswagen cheated consumers by falsifying the results of the emission tests from their diesel engines. It is a true witch hunt unleashed against Volkswagen. Maybe there are good reasons for it, but I think it is also something that should be taken with caution. A lot of it.

I have been a consultant for the automotive industry for some 20 years and I think that I know the way they operate. And I can tell you that they are not equipped for “cheating”, intended as willingly ignoring or breaking the law. They just don’t do that, they understand very well that the result could be something like what’s happening to Volkswagen nowadays; something that could lead to their end as a car manufacturer. On the contrary, carmakers tend to be extremely legalistic and apply to the letter the current laws and regulations.

This said, it is also clear that car makers are there to make a profit and their managers are supposed to “get results”. So, if the laws and the regulations are not clear, or do not explicitly say that something is forbidden; then, if that something is supposed to provide some advantage to the company, it may be done.

This is, I think, what happened in this case. It is very well known that the results of the pollution tests made in the lab are always much better than those made on the road. And it is very well known that the performances of cars as measured in standardized tests are always much better than those of real cars. It is all very well known and documented: look for instance here and here. (h/t G.Meneghello).
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

Olduvai IV: Courage
Click on image to read excerpts

Olduvai II: Exodus
Click on image to purchase

Click on image to purchase @ FriesenPress