Being a Conspiracy Wizard in a Muggle World

How to not to lose friends and alienate people

As mandates arrive and vaccine ‘certificates’ loom in the place I call home, like most people who are ‘jab hesitant’ I find myself suddenly in the ‘most hated’ list of people who don’t know me. And many who do know, even like me, are disappointed, and probably shaking their heads, blaming my ignorance on falling for fake news.

Last Saturday I had a conversation with a Maori who explained that it was our turn to experience being marginalized like ‘they’ had, and that over the next 50 years, we may slowly gain some voice in the community. I agreed that he may right and I am preparing for the worst. But I also expressed my doubt that it would take that long, and that history doesn’t excuse those who in the present are supporting this apartheid system. (Yes, I confess I used the word Nazi!).

I also pointed out that since non-jabbed Maori may be soon mandated off their own Marae, and since they probably believe they are not endangering their elders, maybe they should, at least be allowed to voice their side of the story, before these important decisions are finalised. Surely?

We continued a while, with him speaking dismissively of naïve young Maori anti-jabbers who believe that Michelle Obama is a man. I held my tongue. Just as I am learning to do so when people talk about 9/11, Trump, Flat Earth, Q-anon, Illuminati, Moon landings, Marks of the Beast, Transhumanism and 5G.

Yes, I have opinions about all those subjects, but these days it’s these sorts of topics and conversations that tend to alienate us further and just prove our craziness in the eyes of others. Trying to convey years of research from all sorts of sources, with all its complexity and contradictions, is a waste of time. As is appealing to what I may see as common sense or ethics.

So, that evening, I mostly held my tongue, and after the elephant in the room had at least been acknowledged and we knew where everyone stood, we moved on to other topics, then spent several hours watching 70’s and 80’s music videos and showing each other our favourite new music discoveries.

It was a lovely evening. I was glad I voiced where I stood. But I’m also relieved to know that I can still enjoy the company of people with different opinions, without taking it personally, feeling victimised or picking a fight.

It can be a huge shock to suddenly discover that what looked like a simple private choice is now the reason you are being ostracised and humiliated by society, especially when it’s your nearest and dearest. But I think it’s vital that we are willing to explore how we may be making it worse.

In Byron Katie’s ‘The Work’, she gets people to ask themselves, whenever a certain thought it distressing them. 'Is it true?' And if yes, to ask again, 'Do I absolutely know it to be true? '

Some of the strong emotions we may be experiencing right now, are because of strings of unquestioned thoughts, which may include thoughts of a future where you are living under a bridge, hiding out from the jab-police, and never having contact with your family again.

They may also include hopes of ‘White Hats arriving on White Horses’ to arrest the evil doers in the land.

Since any conspiracy theorist worth their weight, understands that the waters of information are deliberately muddied, it may be worth asking ourselves the question ‘Do I absolutely know this to be true?’ a lot more often.

Even if we are really convinced about conspiracy A, B or C; Byron Katie’s 3rd question goes further and asks ‘How do you feel and behave when you believe A, B or C?

Often the answer is ‘I feel quite disturbed and then disturb others’. Of course, you are disturbed if you absolutely believe your government are trying to poisoning everyone, and your family can’t see it, and think you are crazy. However, getting into any discussion with others, when we are emotional, is bound to create more problems.

This short video about ‘How Beliefs Work’ is powerful. Probably everyone who watches will apply it others. We all think ‘I don’t have beliefs, I have the truth’. It’s the others that are brainwashed.

It takes a zen master-like detachment from one’s own mind to really not get emotionally attached to and therefore defensive of our beliefs. And yet, we need to try. Not only for our own mental health, but if we are to engage at all with the world, let alone have a positive influence, we need to be as calm and as rational as possible.

With politicisation and fear mongering all helping to dehumanise a minority of the population, it’s important that we also don’t dehumanise the majority. It’s easy to make jab or no-jab, into the only thing we have in common or against each other. Forgetting that each is doing what they believe right for themselves and the whole, each side feeling shocked or saddened by the division, each side suffering losses of their own, each influenced by fear.

We may not agree with someone’s stance, but we can at least empathise with their feelings. We know the kind of social programming that has led to this Stanford Experiment type situation. But if the worst fears of the jab reluctant prove to be true, do we really want to spend the next few years isolated from everyone we love. If not, I think its incumbent on all us, to make an effort to remain connected to people and not to get into an isolated bubble, where we need secret hand signals to identify each other, or ‘pure blood’ identities to feel superior.

‘But I am being banned from my own family dinner, club, church, marae, pub’, you may lament. ‘I don’t want to be isolated but ‘they’ are doing it’. Or maybe both sides are slightly relieved that they won’t have to listen to the ‘other’ spouting nonsense over a beer, a turkey or a Hãngi.

With the forces of evil and our own egos, working to keep us divided, it seems crucial that we tap into the energy of love.

That love might mean keeping good feelings for those who have been influenced to hate what they believe you stand for.

It may look like sending a letter to a loved one who you can’t see because you haven’t been jabbed, briefly explaining your reasons, emphasising how much you love them and haven’t taken the decision lightly.

It may look like patiently listening to your friend, and not jumping in with all your proofs and opinions. Gently, humbly stating your truth and then moving on other topics you have in common.

It may look like holding back on passively aggressively sighing and groaning throughout the 6pm news, or compulsively pointing out all the mind control programming in every show your loved ones are watching.

It may look like the humility to admit that none of us have the full picture, and all us are going to die sooner or later, so maybe let’s just focus on admiring the roses in your garden in the meantime.

It may look like making your own living situation as happy and sustainable as possible, so that you can offer hospitality to loved ones, if or when things do go pear shaped.

If a dystopian future is near, it’s more likely that the people you have maintained a relationship with are going to do the ‘right thing’ by you, than if you demonised them. You are also much more likely to influence their outlook, if you stick to the basics. Don’t bombard them with your evidence of a global child sacrificing cabal. If do you find an open ear and mind, a few choice facts will probably go a lot further.

If you are struggling to understand why your loved ones can’t listen to you, or even react with hostility, despite your attempts at calm, humble, logical debate, this fascinating talk by a clinical psychology professor may help.

I think more people will start to change their minds, as the world situation becomes clearer, as news and personal experience of side effects grows, as the ugly reality of presenting jab certificates sinks in.

Perhaps we can make that shift easier, not by using the same tactics and attitudes we feel we are experiencing from others, but by keeping an open heart and a humble attitude. The world is facing changes of perhaps biblical proportions, and we are all being tested in different ways.

If we give in to the delicious self-righteous dopamine hit that a tribal mentality creates, others will justify their treating us as dangerous ‘others’. If we learn to look beyond the masks, beyond the temporary opinions, beyond the informed or uninformed decisions, to the being within; then when we speak, we will have the language of love (if not agreement) on our tongues, and this is much easier to listen to, than the voice of division. And when we listen, we will actually listen, not sit preparing our arguments, or making assumptions.

Perhaps a few words from Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech may be useful for us all to recall and adapt to our present day struggles.

‘We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. . . . must not lead us to distrust all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

Whatever your personal approach to the challenges of the day, whether you want to protest in the streets, run to the hills, or just adjust to the new norm, never forget, the real battle is never with your fellow citizens, and believe it or not, it's not even with the government or the global elite, but it is much much closer to home. It may sound like a cliché, but that doesn't mean its not true.