“You have to force behaviors,” Larry Fink of BlackRock.

The above quote comes from a 2017 interview that has resurfaced on the internet. In it Mr. Fink (sounds like a Dickens character, “Squeeze them Mr. Fink, squeeze them!”) speaks about how behavior must be forced to change and, in basic, certain prominent groups should use their power and influence to do so. It’s their moral obligation, you lowly folks wouldn’t understand. Those who don’t want to get with the change should be punished in some way. Of course, BlackRock claims that the statement is taken out of context because obviously clear context is not that clear after all.

I’m going to go on a bit of a wandering reflection on a series of topics, I think it will make sense in the end. It will not be systematic but rather a meandering contemplation of some things that have been turning over in my mind for a while now, a small view into my pondering of the Nation and world in which I, together with you, live.

The United States is an interesting place. On a certain level, it is a conglomeration of various cultures. Each culture has certain mindset, beliefs, behavior, and way of interaction. Indisputably, a dominate cultural influence comes from New England area, this is the heart of the Puritan culture during the early years of European settlement on this continent. It was a prominent feature of the original “Thirteen Colonies.”

My children (a number of them now young adults) were both home-schooled and went through public/charter schools. In the vast mosaic of American history one story would always be taught, and sometimes repeated a number of times, it is that of the Salem witch trials. I would think, really? Out of all the possible history, this event is repeated and highlighted with an odd implication of importance. It puzzled me for a while. There are some clear implied themes in the general structure of teaching this historical event in the public sphere. Of course, the Puritans were nominally “Christian,” and the modern instruction of history seems to relish any opportunity to present any flavor of “Christianity” as bigoted. But something deeper is at work in the fact that such an isolated event is taught with such prominent importance.

Ultimately, the Puritans also believed, to a certain extent, in “forcing behaviors.” At that time, they, more or less, claimed that such behaviors – those to be forcefully practiced or not – were indicated in the Bible. At least they tried to reference a higher authority. Behavior is connected to belief. An aspect of Puritan society is, we might say, forcing society to be “good.” They know the best and so, they are doing you a favor by making you comply. You’ll thank them later. The Puritans tended to force the “good” because people are simply depraved sinners and man is unable to exercise free-will. The chosen few must make sure the rest of the plebs believe and behave well. I would be loath to contend that Puritan influence offered no positive contributions to American history, and I certainly won’t. Here I am focusing in on a certain mentality.

But forcing belief and behavior is not unique to Puritans. Wandering briefly into Europe, before the continent of America was even on the European radar and before Martin Luther even inaugurated what is now broadly known as “Protestantism” (from which the Puritans spring forth), the Roman church had the famous “Inquisition.” “Correct” thought was enforced, and those who did not like the program were punished in some way. Rome is watching. It is also another field-day for those who desire to say, “See those Christians are a bunch of bigots!” We will leave that stone for others to turn over. But I won’t defend a bad thing, even if it was done in the name of Christianity.

Orthodox people are also not free from the temptation to use authoritarian force to coerce opponents. The terrible crises of the Old Believers in Russia depicts this. Then Pat. Nikon of Moscow stooped to horribly brutal means to break those who opposed his reforms. Obey or else. Human beings had their tongues cut out and were committed to fire for their lack of submission. Ah, but they were extremist, so they only got what they deserved! Shoulda just obeyed. Such authoritarianism usually creates a lasting scar.

Human freedom of will is a theme that cannot be detached from either the Salem witch trials or the Inquisition or the Nikonian reforms or the modern age. Ultimately, to forcefully force, through authoritarian human means, behavior or belief – which any group from old to modern will claim is for the “good” – treads upon the ground of human free-will. To control behavior is to control people. Strict and invasive control of persons is in contrast to freedom, for control will inevitably tread upon freedom. Such intrusive treading eventually becomes tyrannical.

“Didst Thou not often say then, ‘I will make you free’? But now Thou has seen these ‘free’ men, the old man adds suddenly with a pensive smile. Yes, we’ve paid dearly for it … but at last we have completed that work in Thy name … today people are more persuaded than ever that they have perfect freedom, yet they have brought their freedom to us and laid it humbly at our feet … And we alone shall feed them in Thy name, declaring falsely that it is in Thy name. Oh, never can they feed themselves without us … So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find some one to worship … I tell you that man is tormented by no greater anxiety than to find some one quickly to whom he can hand over that gift of freedom with which the ill-fated creature is born. But only one who can appease their conscience can take over their freedom” (F. Dostoevsky. The Brothers Karamazov. Chap., The Grand Inquisitor).

A lot can be done in a “name,” yet much falsely so. There seems to be plenty of people seeking to relieve man of his burden of freedom. Purported Christians, together with the Grand Inquisitor, to some prophets of modern control, such as Yuval Harari, openly proclaim that human free-will is over. The details vary as to why. In the modern system, the messengers tell us that it is because they will hack and manipulate humanity, aka control. If, they reason, you can be hacked, then you will lose your free-will, or you never really had the thing to start with. It was just a coping mechanism. You don’t need it anyway, they will control you for your good. Really, all we have is the survival of the fittest, power and control makes right. It is quite an irresistible power.

Having briefly followed that little rabbit trail to Europe (and elsewhere!), I wander back to my meandering path here in American history. The Puritans were but one flavor, although a prominent one on the emerging buffet of America. Generally, Puritan thought rejected free-will, it was too corrupted by the fall of man. The only hope for the elect was “irresistible grace” – a grace in which free-will has no part. It’s irresistible, like it or not. So don’t try resisting. Their “puritanical” visions were not shared by the other cultures, many a time. The Scotch-Irish of the Appalachians, for example, were of a much more of a “let me be” mentality. The South seemed contented with connection to the land. And from the West emerged the legend of the cowboy, rugged and independent. I mean no disrespect to the numerous cultures that have had a hand in forming this Nation we know as America by leaving them out, I’m simply painting with broad strokes. It was frustrating for the Puritan culture to encounter the other cultures, especially those that were not too excited about being reformed.

The problem with cultures that are not as interested in forcing belief and behavior is that eventually an outside forceful culture comes and takes upon itself the burdensome task of forcing that culture to be “good” (whatever that may mean). Someone has to have the courage to crush human freedom for the sake of behavioral standardization! For the service of the greater good, someone has to oversee the sacrifice of human free-will.

Most modern ideologies of government view mankind as little cogs in a collective, and the collective must be geared to work according to the desires of those who “know better” – the elect. It’ll be so harmonious after all. It seems to me that in True Christianity, Mankind is view as a community of persons, all sharing the same nature, and transformation fundamentally begins on the level of the person, springing from the heart in a free cooperation with Divine Grace through the Revelation of Jesus Christ. That is, when a person freely gives his heart, then true transformation ensues, and this can then inevitably and organically transform cultures and communities. But here there is no coercion. It is, as it were, “grass roots”, it flows from the bottom up. “Freely you have received, freely give.” Then a true unity ensues, one that is authentic. Generally, when things are coerced from the top down, people will synthetically conform themselves to external standards, and yet much of the time it’s done with no fundamental transformation – no heart at all. Resentment eventually grows. Put that picture of Stalin up, or else! And so the picture goes up, but very few really like Stalin at all (under Soviet Russia it was mandated to hang up a picture of Stalin, yes comrade, everyone loves fearless leader!). In our times, an example could be, hang that “pride” flag up (just wait for June to roll around), or else, you bigot! Persons are hard to control, so they must be forcefully collectivized and communized; frequently in such scenarios it is in a very top down manner. Secretive agencies need to be created to monitor people. All those little cogs have to turn the way you want them to, they do get pesky after all. The opposite radical reaction of extreme individualism that spirals into chaotic anarchy is also extremely negative.

Obviously, there should be good social order. Proper laws have a purpose and point. Lawlessness is terrible. Robbers rampantly robbing people with no substantial consequences is terrible, for example (seems like I’ve seen this happening somewhere … huummm). But that deals with distinct actions, actions that obviously inflicts wrong on a neighbor. Law, in basic, should deal with the constraint of evil actions against others and the repercussions thereof. I’m neither an anarchist nor a relativist. “The world that forgets God, my brothers and sisters, is ruled by injustice toward neighbors and inhumanity toward the weak,” says St. Basil the Great.

Men have been given the freedom to chose to believe the truth or a lie. This freedom comes from God Himself. He asks us to freely embrace Him. If anyone had the “right” to force belief, it would be Him. But He doesn’t.

I believe in absolute Truth but I don’t find that He forcefully forced Himself on anyone. He calls, “whosoever will, come.” The Pharisees had to crucify Him because He was saying, what they considered, to be dangerous things. Of course, Truth clearly implies that there is falsehood. Truth conquers through the light and falsehood wages war from darkness and confusion. Truth clearly proclaims, “this is true”- and it will not compromise with falsehood but it has no need to use authoritarian means to counter it. It needs no invasion army. Speak the truth and those with ears to hear will hear. Truth exposes lies, that is why lies must use force to silence it. The Lord, it seems to me, is always offering to instruct us but never to control us. Instruction respects the proper balance of freedom. It makes clear the standard of truth that people are called to follow.

Cultures and their ensuing mentalities do go through certain series of evolutions. “Witch trials” are an inevitable manifestation of a puritanical culture. In fact, it needs witches to hunt. Here free-will is marginalized and the “irresistible” power is set as an ultimate guiding force. In a general sense, within this cultural expression, a witch is not strictly someone potentially practicing “witchcraft,” rather it is someone holding “values” not approved by the puritan authority. And that is bad mojo. Their evil spell of unapproved thought will disrupt the pursuit of an egalitarian society. Oh, those cursed “conspiracy theories” that inhibit the flourishing of the hive mind! How dare you doubt! For society to be “good” it must be purged, and everyone must profess the approved manifesto. Today, much of the central Government and major Corporations and Main Stream Media operate along a puritanical mindset. They have removed God because they think they are demi-gods. The whole Bible thing has been basically dropped (unless it is a convenient reference for the manipulation of certain people groups), they have a new improved religious confession now. The same fervor to “control and force belief and behavior” and purge out those who will not comply is still very strong. They have been chosen by the gods of money and power to dictate to everyone else, all the poor unenlightened ones, the right way to behave. They are the elect, the elite. Money and power do indeed seem to be irresistible. Believe this way and they will reward you, refuse and there is a price to pay. If you confess wrongly, there will be an inquisition. Although you may not be publicly burned at the stake or drowned in water, they have found public ridicule, name calling, discrimination, and such to be very effective. It doesn’t even need to be rational because emotionalism seems to better push button of control. In fact, don’t think about things at all. “You agrarian, trad-fam, intolerant, fascist, extremist, white-supremacist (apparently now one can have very dark skin and if such a person does not tow the approved secular group-think, they are a white-supremacist on the inside, who knew?),” etc, etc. Witches! We found a witch! What do we do with witches?! Burn ’em!

The commoners must be monitored to make sure they are thinking correctly, for to think incorrectly is a terrible transgression. It is also a very profitable ploy to encourage the commoners to be witch hunters themselves, then they make the work of the elites all the simpler. Watch out, your neighbor could be a witch. Keep an eye on them for the good of society. Who knows what the full implications of the emerging AI will be. Maybe the modern (secular) disdain for the Inquisition and the Salem witch trials is based more in jealousy than in disapproval – it’s not that an inquisition is bad, rather it can only be carried out by modern secularism because history has chosen it as the guiding light of history. “Christians” are bigots if they lead an inquisition but secularist are truly doing it for the good of all! They don’t like the competition. Suppressing “extremist” behavior and ideas seems to be a savory endeavor. Wrong-think becomes an act of intellectual terrorism against those forcing group-think. I guess there may be something to “the pen is more powerful than the sword.” Authoritarian groups seem to fear unsanctioned thoughts and ideas on a level of almost paranoia. Truth has no need of authoritarian force to secure it. Lies need to be upheld through force and fear. Guns and gulags must be deployed to protect them. Truth calls people into the light but lies can only thrive in darkness, confusion, and slander.

Striped of certain constraining factors of Christian ideas, the Puritan culture becomes very terrible. It becomes truly tyrannical. Secular puritanism is a more ruthless standardization than the religious puritans. When our Nation gives emphasis to it, terrible things are done. Then it is not simply the other local American cultures that must be subdued but practically every culture of the world. The decades of forcing “democracy” at the point of a gun exemplify this frightful fruit. The now normal spying on American citizens by their own government agencies also exemplifies this. It is bad when Fascist and Commies do it, but when it is for the preservation of “democracy,” clearly it is okay. The constant fear mongering from Main Stream Media indicates its reliance on lies. The web of “fact-checkers” and censorship are the “civilized” version of cutting the tongue out of your opponent. I’m sorry, you violated the community standards. You can degrade women all day long by watching porn and completely objectifying them, but have the wrong “opinion” and away with you! “Misinformation” is an existential threat. There are witches among us and you won’t be safe until they are purged! They are ever squeezing the grip to preserve power and enforce the approved thought narratives. You have to purge society of the witches.

Overall, it seems that the currently approved group-think and accompanying behaviors are predominantly being forced from the top down. I would wager that if the mechanisms that are forcefully forcing the current approved “behaviors” were removed, a large part of its tenets would wither naturally away. It takes a lot of force, for example to impose male athletes on female sports and bathrooms. Most normal people realize that a man in a women’s swimsuit competing against actual women is an absolute absurdity. Maybe that is part of the goal – to so demoralize people that they will assent to absurdity so to continue as cogs in the machine. Maybe the current self-appointed elect ones get a rush of power-thrill at forcing people to confess obvious lies. Maybe it is indeed a purposeful psychological attack on the mind of people.

And so, it seems that the Salem witch trails do have a prominent place in American history. It could be that the seemingly unbalanced emphasis on it in the teaching of grade-school history may reflect a deep and continuous inner struggle within our Nation. I hope we can rise above the mire of a puritanical existence and control into which we seem to be sinking once again.

That’s my reflection. You are free to take it or leave it.