No Surrender! Finding serenity, freedom and meaning amid tyranny

Calvin Mulligan, Futurescapes.ca (c) All rights reserved, August 2, 2024

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be in dread.” I Peter 3:14 

There’s no denying the Powers-that-Be are engaged in a brutal no-holds-barred war against humanity. Nor is there any denying it has taken a heavy toll on hearts, minds and bodies. After seven years of intensive psychological manipulation, it may be useful to ask how others historically have remained sane and whole in the midst of prolonged war and captivity. Nietzsche’s famous line: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”, comes to mind. To paraphrase, one who has a purpose in life can endure almost any misery. 

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychologist (1905-1997) and author of Man’s Search for Meaning (1946) drew strength from Nietzsche’s dictum during his own imprisonment in multiple concentration camps in World War II. In fact, he made it and his surroundings a matter of personal study. He discovered that prisoners “who did not lose their sense of purpose and meaning in life were able to survive much longer than those who had lost their way.” I would add that maintaining a positive view in term of a possible future can also be important. Frankl made a habit of visualizing himself giving lectures to receptive audiences in the future. He concluded that many prison camp deaths were more appropriately attributed to loss of hope and meaning than a lack of food. There’s something instructive in Frankl’s personal tactics and findings regarding the significance ofa sense of purpose  and meaning for those in oppressive circumstances.  

At times like this, it’s natural for our escapist impulse to emerge; “Just make it all go away….please!” we may pray on occasion. But that’s not the Creator’s approach to refining the human spirit, nor is it Frankl’s formula for finding meaning. The latter asserts that “man’s freedom is not freedom from, but freedom to” confront life’s challenges and find meaning in the process. Frankl describes three sources of meaning: work, loving relationships and suffering. “What man actually needs”, says Frankl, “is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him.”  

Well, we’re about as far from a “tensionless state” as I can imagine. Seemingly, it’s during oppressive circumstances like ours that it’s most important to seek clarity as to who one is and what his or her mission in life is. It’’s not simply a matter of keeping hope alive and sustaining our mental health and well-being. It’s also a matter of our ability to contribute to the cause, a matter of performance. Sun Tzu (The Art of War) linked knowledge of self, along with knowledge of the enemy, to success in battle. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” 

Logically then, clarity regarding oneself and life mission can: 

• reduce vulnerability to distraction, self-interest and malaise (as Frankl suggests).;
• focus the mind and our efforts, thus enhancing our contribution;
• enable an individual to transcend pain and hardship; and 
• bolster confidence and contribute to well-being and personal satisfaction.

The emboldening effect of a sense of purpose is clearly illustrated in the lives of individuals that have surfaced in the current struggle against tyranny. We’ve seen numerous resisters take bold action in defence of ordinary people, despite the personal cost. The nurse who substituted saline solution injections for the risky vaxx comes to mind. While I seek to avoid “fandom”, I’m buoyed in spirit by the examples of those who put their employment, lifestyle, reputation, relationships and in some instances their life on the line. This includes both high profile names in research and medicine like Tenpenny, Merrick, Cahill, Yeadon, McCullough, Bridle, Hodkinson, Trozzi and countless others who dared to defy the regime. 

I’ve heard it said that the most powerful man or woman in the world is the one who needs nothing. Their values and sense of purpose (or divine calling) is such that these individuals can’t be bought. In the case of the Great Covid Deception, they demonstrated their independence. They didn’t need social media “influencer” payola, approving “atta boy” and “atta girl” back pats from superiors, applause from colleagues, the camaraderie of vaxx cult members, approval of family and friends, Big Brother’s false assurances of safety and security, the affirmation of spouses nor special privileges from the state. Nada! They are anchored by a deep understanding of who they are and their assignment and guided by closely-held values and moral principles. 

Perhaps it’s this powerful anchoring which enables these resilient individuals to pivot when their situation requires it. For much of their lives, the four Brunson Brothers, (American trumpet players), believed their role was entertaining with their brand of trumpet music. But their musical careers never took off. In recent years, they have taken on a new challenge. The four brothers and committed patriots, none of whom are lawyers, have brought a pivotal case to the US Supreme Court. The decision could have massive implications if the court determines that members of Congress failed to fulfill their oath of office and investigate the situation when the integrity of election results is in doubt. (See 2020 US election)

The Cabal/NWO coup of 2020 has shattered world views and shaken many out of life-on-autopilot. We’ve had to face the figurative “man in the mirror” and decide what’s of ultimate importance. I recall reading about a soft-spoken Australian man who was subjected to a lengthy interrogation by Australian “gestapo” in 2020. He spoke calmly and clearly regarding his stance in support of fundamental human freedoms and his willingness to die defending them. I’m sure that the Canadian pastors who have been imprisoned for keeping their churches open during the lockdowns have thought a great deal about their respective missions in life. The heat of this conflict has, in many respects, been clarifying. Some may recall hearing the personal declaration of a defiant Oklahoma MD in a 2020 Vaccine Choice Canada interview? His statement, “I was born for this fight” continues to resonate. It doesn’t sound like the sentiment of someone reconciled to enslavement. Rather, it’s indicative of an individual who relishes his assigned role in an undertaking of major historic significance. 

No one knows with certainty the duration or the outcome of the great struggle that now engulfs humanity. We’ve been told that we can expect some very disruptive events to unfold in coming months and with it, potentially significant casualties. For now at least, continued tyranny can be expected. So, in Frankl’s terms, freedom from that reality seems remote. But if we embrace his understanding that genuine human freedom is freedom to …, our outlook is very different. Has there ever been a greater opportunity to exercise the freedom to love and serve others, speak truth, stand for peace, seek forgiveness, call for justice, repudiate evil, expose darkness and deception, demonstrate courage, rally the faint-hearted, nurture health and healing, protect the innocent, comfort the grieving, and imagine and create the new…? The possibilities in this agonizing and momentous struggle are endless. 

— Calvin 

Endnotes

Vicktor Frankl, Happiness and Meaning: The bottom line, The Pursuit of Happiness. https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/viktor-frankl/

Vicktor Frankl: A “Man’s Search for Meaning”, The Financial Philosopher. https://financialphilosopher.typepad.com/thefinancialphilosopher/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning.html

The Art of War, Sun Tzu, translated by Lionel Giles. https://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.html

Golden Jackass Hat Trick Newsletter, July 2023, by Dr. Jim Willie (subscription) 

Man’s search for meaning, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Search_for_Meaning