Battle of the Memes

Ju-jutsu (or “the art of suppleness”), as its name implies is based upon the principal of softness or elasticity to hardness or stiffness. Its secret lies in keeping one’s body full of ki, with elasticity in one’s limbs, and being ever on the alert to turn the strength of one’s foe to one’s own advantage with the minimum employment of one’s own muscular force.

Secrets of the Samurai by A. Westbrook and O. Ratti, 1973

A Wild Sea at Choshi by Katsushika Hokusai

Chaos has a way of spreading like wildfire. When we lack presence of mind, our focus and clarity diminish, leaving us vulnerable to losing our individuality. Emotions and distractions cloud our thinking and rationalization, creating openings for opponents and saboteurs to infiltrate our minds easily. As I emphasized in previous posts, it is crucial to deeply understand oneself as an individual before diving into worldly affairs. The art of self-possession fosters mental clarity, allowing us to perceive the world precisely and objectively from a higher vantage point. Only when we have mastered our individuality can we unite with other like-minded individuals to fight for liberty.

I know, my musings may seem like a sick joke. I am astounded by my recent posts, where I touched on hopefulness and cooperation, among other things. But truth be told, I am dissatisfied with the way this game of life is being played. I wish to align myself with the rebels, but as I see it, the game is mostly controlled by the slaves. I must pull some strings, leave breadcrumbs here and there for the curious to follow. So, zoom out with me for a moment, let's examine what the rebels are up against...

Genes and memes. It is a battle against our own genes and the memes created by willing survival machines – the programmers who construct diabolical ideas capable of eradicating individual freedom. What makes the demagogue of the slaves so dangerous? The demagogue is a mere puppet of a foreign master, yet incredibly effective because he resonates with the masses. Why? Because they understand him. He dresses and speaks like them, using everyday street language to voice empty promises. He employs body language and charisma to appear relatable and, at times, "intimidating" and "strong-willed" – all traits of a manipulative individual.

Relatability has long been a strategy employed by successful invaders throughout history. Even foreign genes employ this mechanism when infecting a host. In horizontal gene transfer, for instance, foreign genes that bear close resemblance to the host's genome in terms of genic signatures and architectures (such as GC content, gene length, intron number, or codon usage bias) are more likely to be retained or positively selected. In an analogous manner, horizontal meme transfer (a term I coined) refers to the transmission of foreign ideas, beliefs, or memes that closely align with those of the survival machines. It's akin to welcoming familiar faces or family into your home. Your guard is lowered, and you accept them because of the trust you have in them. Similarly, the masses embrace whatever the demagogue promotes because they trust him; he is familiar to them, like family.

What else makes this demagogue so threatening? He (or his master) employs various tactics described in General Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" against human survival machines, including intelligence gathering, spreading false information (especially through social media), polarization (such as black vs. white, red vs. yellow, good vs. evil), and techniques of encirclement and ambiguity. While these strategies may be impressive, they are, quite frankly, gathering dust, outdated and unoriginal methods of warfare. However, they remain highly effective when employed against individuals who are unaware of their manipulation. After all, these techniques are primarily psychological. With great mental clarity, survival machines can easily discern and confront these manipulative tactics. All wars are ultimately mind games. Your ability to consciously and strategically detect and counter these manipulations will ultimately save you in the long run.

Gaifu Kaisei (Fine Wind, Clear Weather) [‘Red Fuji’] by Katsushika Hokusai, 1760-1849

During my time in Japan, my friend Mr. Ryuki imparted some valuable lessons about the ways of the Samurai. "Imagine yourself as a Samurai," he said. "A Samurai, like a skilled strategist, does not rely on impulsive attacks against an opponent. Instead, through swift maneuvers and calculated moves, he cleverly utilizes the enemy's aggressive energy to his own advantage. To emerge victorious, you must think quickly and flow like water. Always stay several steps ahead of your opponent. Winning wars requires more than simply fighting fire with fire."

Mr. Ryuki's advice provoked contemplation. If my opponent, for instance, employs social media as a weapon of control or manipulation, how should I respond? As the opponent of the rebels, I would be frightened if the majority suddenly deactivated their accounts. I would lose my weapon, my means of communication. I would no longer be able to read my enemies or utilize my army of trolls.

As rebels, your goal is to neutralize my strengths and expose my vulnerabilities. Once caught in a precarious position, you can target my blind spots. Attack me emotionally and psychologically. Present yourselves as stronger than I perceive you to be. Forge alliances with the masses, especially those who can provide economic support (such as local farmers, laborers, businessmen, military personnel, etc.). Do not be deceived when I plead for mercy. Ensure that you completely undermine me and skillfully bring the game to a close.

In the grand complexity of the battle, countless permutations of strategies await implementation against any opponent. To execute these strategies effectively, one must master the art of self-possession and harness the power to transform chaos and ambiguity into creative processes. In the fight against genes and memes, only the strong, those unwilling to be victims of circumstances, will ultimately triumph.

References/further readings:

1. Alinsky, S. D. (1989). Rules for radicals: A practical primer for realistic radicals. Vintage.

2. Greene, R. (2010). The 33 strategies of war (Vol. 1). Profile Books.

3. Machiavelli, N. (2008). The prince. Hackett Publishing.

4. Musashi, M., &; Miyamoto, M. (2005). The book of five rings. Shambhala Publications.

5. Ratti, O., & Westbrook, A. (2011). Secrets of the samurai: The martial arts of feudal Japan. Tuttle Publishing.

6. Robb, J. (2007). Brave new war: The next stage of terrorism and the end of globalization. John Wiley &; Sons.

7. Simpson, B. (2014). Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over Adversity, 1822-1865. Zenith Press.

8. Tzu, S. (2008). The art of war. In Strategic Studies (pp. 63-91). Routledge.