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Terrific piece Christopher. Miss your sanity on FB.

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Good to hear from you, mate. I'll be back.

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Here in Florida, cases have gone up because of the variant. The 7-day averages for new infections for the past two months are between 1,200 and 17,000. For two months straight, it has climbed back up. And yet, the death rate for that same period (according to google's Covid data page) is between 15-62, roughly on par with annual death from pneumonia. . .But lock down the West because we said so. Stop enforcing criminal law. Because it favors us when you obey, and they don't. Because we like being rich and going everywhere you can't, and your absence is especially pleasurable. Feels like we have the whole Earth to ourselves. . . It isn't just that, and that is more likely a subconscious motivation, but what in the hell is going on? Is it as simple as the authoritarian impulse in that 30%? All the sociopaths are having a ball? If it is, then it makes sense that those calling for freedom and resistance (a genuine one this time), are branded domestic terrorists.

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The authoritarian 30% (Arendt's estimation amongst others) wouldn't be comprised of the sociopathic elements you refer to. Though, I'd guess the sociopathic take advantage of that ready-and-waiting one-third to whom authoritarianism is a natural fit. I mean, people say 'It wouldn't happen here' and it does precisely when the one group manipulates that rather sizeable constituency.

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Yeah, it’s the 1% of sociopaths dictating to the 30% who love it for some reason. Seems a reasonable assessment.

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Yes. Add another 10 to 15% and you've got a country at your disposal. Almost makes libertarianism appealing!

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How dare you. Lol. The libertarian middle is the only way to mitigate the two extremes. It’s not textbook libertarianism, but ‘classical liberalism’ is too flaccid a term these days.

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I'm a Red Tory. Though, I take the libertarian approach toward free speech, etc. Just not the insane economic approach which has caused 90% of modern malaise. Thanks, Reagan et al.

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Aug 4, 2021Liked by Christopher Gage

Wonderful piece! 👏

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Mwah!

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