Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Controlling the Narrative Is Not the Same As Controlling the World

Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Charles Hugh Smith

“The core dynamic of this era is the notion that controlling the narrative controls the world, as persuading the populace to believe something is true controls their convictions which then control their behaviors. Centralized powers discovered the potential for narrative control to control the world in the 20th century, as mass communications enabled centralized control of what is presented as true and important. Propaganda has an ugly tone, so now we say narrative control, which is of course a comically obvious propaganda technique. … But narrative control doesn’t actually control the world.” (11/03/26)

https://mises.org/power-market/controlling-narrative-not-same-controlling-world

Thomas L. Knapp

No Matter What Happens in Today’s Elections, We Still Have Work To Do.

Source: Roads Go Ever On
by Bekah Graham

“Voting is only the beginning for those united against fascism. In fact, I expect our hardest days are still ahead—and we are going to need each other to get through them.” (11/03/26)

https://bekahgwen.substack.com/p/no-matter-what-we-still-have-work

Thomas L. Knapp

NASA’s Swift observatory is expected to return to Earth on November 4

Source: Engadget

“NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will re-enter our atmosphere around 3:30AM Eastern time tomorrow, November 4, according to the US Armed Forces’ predictions. The exact time could be different, as the prediction has an ‘uncertainty of 11 hours.’ But the 3,200-pound spacecraft is heading back to Earth for sure, 22 years after it launched and after the agency’s attempt to save it failed. … The agency ended Swift observatory’s operations in late October after it entered safe mode and prepared for re-entry.” (11/03/26)

https://www.engadget.com/2305059/nasas-swift-observatory-is-expected-to-re-enter-earth-on-november-4/

Thomas L. Knapp

Negative Partisanship Psychosis Infects Both Parties

Source: The Dispatch
by Justin Stapley

“The philosophical throughline that intersects both justifying absolute support for Trump, and every Republican, and declaring absolute opposition to Trump, and every Republican, contains significant elements of civic decay and political discord, namely zero-sum political thinking and negative partisanship. Further, both perspectives are intellectually inconsistent, holding justifications for their positions that they only consider legitimate from their own perspectives and never from others. Both perspectives have suppressed the better angels of their nature in the name of the spirit of party.” (11/03/26)

https://thedispatch.com/article/haley-stevens-abdul-el-sayed-donald-trump-republicans-democrats-negative-partisanship/

Thomas L. Knapp

Britain’s elites are in hysterics over looming “war” with Russia

Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Ian Proud

“British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting recently said the U.K. has 1000 days to be ‘ready with our allies to fight and win.’ The enemy is obvious: Russia. The catch: London doesn’t have the cash to fight, and ordinary folk aren’t interested. This latest reminder that war with our Slavic foes is imminent is vague and unspecified, and frankly tedious.” (11/03/26)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/britain-war-russia/

Thomas L. Knapp