Opting Out of the Oncoming Dystopia
Creating Parallel and Alternative Societies and Cultures as Part of the Answer
The Problem
In my quest to understand and heal my own chronic illness, I was inevitably drawn to consider the wider societal and cultural impacts on our suffering. Indeed, it would seem to me that the stresses of “modern” life, and all the institutionalized trauma, are indelibly intertwined with the rise and rise of chronic conditions of every type.
It became clear to me that the shift to an increasingly authoritarian style of governance is a massive trigger of the adverse childhood experiences, traumas and body memories we may have already built up. Recapitulation of childhood experiences and traumas are known to be major factors in chronic suffering and symptoms as adults, and so much of modern life seems almost to be designed to constantly trigger them.
In particular, I view the patriarchal “do what I say, not as I do” messaging, the blaming and shaming, the divisiveness, the not being seen or heard, being silenced and censored, being made to feel unwanted, the name calling, loss of control, removal of freedoms, and so forth, arising from way the powers-that-be in our society are currently governing, as a disaster for health and wellbeing.
Indeed, to my mind, these tyrannical, negligent, narcissistic, unjust, bullyboy, and patriarchal “modern” styles of government and institutions (including schools, justice systems, medical systems, academia, and media), are a cultural level reflection of the very same tyrannical/negligent/unfair modes of upbringing and education that many of us who are suffering as adults encountered as children.
So, I think the way our culture is currently configured makes it much harder for us to heal, and the way the culture seems to be rapidly further declining, is making this situation worse. Thus, for myself, seeking change and a better way to be at the societal, as well as personal, levels is important for the healing process, and hence my opposition to the institutionalize narratives is not separate for my quest for health, but are part and parcel of it. Indeed, vocally opposing, in the right places, the oncoming tyranny, and thus having my voice heard, finding safety in numbers, being solution oriented, and finding a sense of purpose and meaning, is a big part of my own healing too.
By the “oncoming tyranny”, I am referring to things like the programmable Central Bank Digital Currencies, the digital IDs, the 15-minute cities, the power grab by the WHO, the censorship, the loss of human rights, including the right to protest, the enforced austerity through net zero, and absolute zero, agendas, the transhumanism (modifying us through genetic alteration and merging us with technology), the exploitation of children, and so forth, which are all anathema to our health and wellbeing.
The Partial Solutions
It is clear to me, now, that we can’t vote or protest our way out of this oncoming dystopia, because all the political parties and the police and military have been captured, and have become so very corrupt. Waiting for a rebel president or prime minister, or an Elon Musk, to come along and save us is not going to happen, and waiting for a saviour is preventing us from taking action. We have to save ourselves.
What has also become clear to me more recently, is that waiting and hoping for enough people to wake up, and to speak up, isn’t the answer either. There are too many folks too afraid to stand up and be counted, while there are very many more who are wilfully blind or actually want and welcome what is coming.
So I have struggled to see a way out or around this. However, I recently watched a podcast interview, which gave me renewed hope, and helped me see there was another way.
The point the interviewee in the podcast makes is that we don’t need to wake up most of the population, or to directly fight the technocrats, or even to stop them. We can self-create other ways to live, which exists alongside/outside the dystopian, mainstream society and culture. He gives definite examples that emphasise this is not only possible, but also is ubiquitous in any society, such as the Amish, the traveller community in the UK, the Czech folk movement under communism. He is not saying that these particular examples are paragons or role models, but these illustrate that alternative/parallel societies within societies, which the mainstream society does not have the will or resources to curtail, have always existed.
Indeed, when one thinks about it, we can see that enclaves, subcultures, religious communities, and underworlds, abound in every society.
In fact, many of us have some experience of, and are actively participating in, this already, at least in regards to some parts of the current society.
For example, many of us have already largely opted out of the medical and healthcare system whose main purpose seems to be to keep us alive but ill, choosing to only use it in the case of acute injury, and instead finding significantly better ways to health through natural solutions, trauma healing and alternative non-medicalized approaches.
Many have opted out of using Big Tech products and social media, and are finding decentralized alternatives or open systems, or are using non-Google search engines, and VPNs so we can’t be tracked. The fact that the “dark web” exists again shows that parallel systems can and do exist outside the purview of the authorities. For more information, ideas and developments on this I.T. front, I highly recommend
’s substack.More and more people are growing their own food, or creating food co-operatives. Parents are grouping together to create their own home-schooling environments. Cryptocurrencies are being used as alternative/parallel money systems. The idea the interviewee in the podcast above has is to create a co-operative fund to buy up land, and stop it falling into the hands of private corporations, so the public can still access nature, and connection with the land can be preserved.
So these are all examples highlighting how it is possible to partially opt out of the mainstream culture and systems. I suggest we need to start thinking more about, and actually building, these alternative systems, which centre health, well-being, and human flourishing.
Any parallel society is likely to be much smaller than the dystopian mainstream one, again because the majority will either sleepwalk into or actively want to live in the technocracy . This actually works out in our favour, as this means we will have communities which are closer to the Dunbar Number for stable societies, allowing a stronger sense of community, in which organic and regenerative food production methods can be sustainable, and bartering systems can work, and we can get back to a simpler life which are hearts yearn for. [I find it interesting to note that in virtually every dystopian novel, or movie, when the protagonists escape the city-prisons, they invariable find an alternative culture which is more humane, traditional and in touch with nature, on the outside].
In this type of solution, we don’t have to directly fight the elites tooth and nail, nor get exasperated that the majority won’t ever wake up, but instead we mainly ignore them, and get on with creating the society we do want to live in - but we do need to start helping to build it soon.
"Indeed, vocally opposing, in the right places, the oncoming tyranny, and thus having my voice heard, finding safety in numbers, being solution oriented, and finding a sense of purpose and meaning, is a big part of my own healing too."
I agree this is essential and fully connected to one's health and healing.
I agree, parallel societies (even partially) are already underway and this will be a growing, naturally occurring phenomena as more and more of us say "No" to what's being offered and look for new solutions.
Despite 'their' apparent presence (magnified by captured media) they are losing control. We don't need to fear them. And, as you note, we don't need a large % to create new avenues and options.
Thanks, Gary.
Ain't gonna work, Gary, but don't believe me. Ask some preppers, who have been thinking this thing out for three decades.
A commune makes you all an easy target to shoot, or to spray, or to bomb, or to beseige you.
Rule one: Be a small target. One person is as small as it gets. But meet allies discreetly. Never meet in numbers higher than ten. If necessary, form cells.
Rule two: Adopt guerilla tactics. Identify your key enemy figures, which are probably your CMO, local media editors, leading politicians, their handlers, and AMA committee. Don't kill anybody, just disable them. Blind is a real handicap. Disappear them is better still.
Rule Three: Shame local military personnel into training you all as militia, but under the guise of community security. Form a security company.
Four: Identify a safe communication system. Proton will do or a start. But code will be essential.
Or just give up. Peaceful non-violent protest is a euphemism for giving up.