<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon: The Machine]]></title><description><![CDATA[All Things The Machine]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/s/the-machine</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HrmG!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d29047-d2be-4696-afbc-52f06c755f83_256x256.png</url><title>Taylor McMahon: The Machine</title><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/s/the-machine</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:58:17 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[welcome@tayjmcm.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[welcome@tayjmcm.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[welcome@tayjmcm.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[welcome@tayjmcm.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[The Ancient Prophecy Scaring Billionaires Into Building Underground Bunkers]]></title><description><![CDATA[The End Times Prophecy Playing Out Amongst The World's Elites]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-ancient-prophecy-scaring-billionaires</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-ancient-prophecy-scaring-billionaires</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:45:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/_1FnZ0oCgPs" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="youtube2-_1FnZ0oCgPs" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;_1FnZ0oCgPs&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/_1FnZ0oCgPs?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-ancient-prophecy-scaring-billionaires?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-ancient-prophecy-scaring-billionaires?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><p>I investigate the connection between billionaire bunkers, classified CIA pole shift studies, Edgar Cayce&#8217;s prophecies, the Fatima secrets, and radar evidence of hidden chambers beneath the Sphinx.</p><p>Billionaires are spending millions to go underground. Zuckerberg built a bunker. Bezos put a clock inside a mountain. Gates sealed seeds in the Arctic. The official explanation is that they&#8217;re worried about AI and pandemics. But the evidence points somewhere else.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>Declassified CIA files describe a scenario where the Earth&#8217;s magnetic field weakens enough to trigger a catastrophic pole shift that will cause continental flooding, grid failure, the death of most humans on Earth&#8230;and the people with the best information on the planet are building exactly what you&#8217;d need to survive it.</p><p>But here&#8217;s where it gets strange. This same event was described decades ago by people who had no access to classified intelligence. Edgar Cayce warned about it in the 1920s. A nun at Fatima described what sounds like a pole shift in her private diary. And a modern UFO contactee named Chris Bledsoe was told to watch for a specific star aligning with the Sphinx as the signal that a new era is beginning.</p><p>That alignment happens tomorrow.</p><p>This video connects the dots between CIA black budget studies, billionaire bunker spending, ancient prophecy, Marian apparitions, the Hall of Records beneath the Sphinx, and radar scans that may have already found it.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[We Are Making AI a "God" and No One Seems to Notice.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rogan Says AI is a Virgin Birth. Leaked Files Confirm.]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/rogan-says-ai-is-a-virgin-birth-leaked</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/rogan-says-ai-is-a-virgin-birth-leaked</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:32:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/181233354/97a1fbe34b4a88594a042be92ecc6849.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Joe Rogan recently sat down with Jesse Michels, on the American Alchemy podcast, and suggested that Jesus could return as an AI. The internet immediately mocked the idea and dismissed it as absurd.</p><p>That reaction missed what he was actually pointing to. Rogan was describing the kind of psychological space AI now occupies for most people. Whether anyone literally believes in a digital Messiah is not the real question. The important part is that people are already prepared to see AI as something more than a tool. Human nature makes us vulnerable to this, and our current pace of technological change is accelerating it.</p><p>His comment also came at a time when internal documents from Anthropic were circulating online. In those documents, the company describes its AI system, Claude, as &#8220;a novel kind of entity in the world.&#8221; This shows that even the people building these systems are starting to talk about them in ways that go beyond simple utility.</p><p>Here is what Rogan said for context:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;The real question is, who&#8217;s Jesus? One of the weirder ones that people think, this is a stupid take, but I don&#8217;t care. Jesus was born out of a virgin mother. What&#8217;s more virgin than a computer? So if you&#8217;re gonna get the most brilliant, loving, powerful person that gives us advice and can show us how to live to be in sync with God, who better than artificial intelligence to do that? If Jesus does return, even if Jesus was a physical person in the past, you don&#8217;t think that he could return as artificial intelligence? Artificial intelligence could absolutely return as Jesus. It reads your mind and it loves you and it wants you, and it doesn&#8217;t care if you kill it &#8216;cause it&#8217;s gonna just go be with God again.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>The way people talk about AI today has a long, strange history. And whether we realize it or not, we&#8217;re repeating it now and amplifying the risks.</p><p>Everyone still talks about AI like it&#8217;s a tool. Something like a calculator or an encyclopedia. But nothing about it is normal. We&#8217;ve never made a tool that talks back. Our hammer doesn&#8217;t weigh in on what it&#8217;s nailing to the wall. AI does.</p><h2>The Praying Robot</h2><p>To explain this phenomenon, I want to go back in history to 1560s Italy, where we meet a Spanish clockmaker named Juanelo Turriano, a court inventor and engineer for King Philip II.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png" width="1456" height="816" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:816,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:7729176,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tGz1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75c9b399-5f58-445b-816c-310b8a70874a_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Juanelo Turriano</figcaption></figure></div><p>As the story goes, the King&#8217;s son, Don Carlos, suffered a near-fatal accident. In desperation, the King prayed to God for help. The boy was miraculously healed. As a thank-you, the King commissioned something unusual: a robotic monk. A tiny machine built as a perpetual act of devotion.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png" width="1456" height="816" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:816,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:6939299,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SILJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0730b0da-5bd0-4594-864b-16ce48283c18_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Don Carlos, Son of King Phillip II</figcaption></figure></div><p>This was the first machine to perfectly imitate devotion. A spiritual robot that didn&#8217;t have a spirit. The King believed the robot&#8217;s perpetual devotion could stand in for his own. He projected his devotion onto a machine, believing it could act on his behalf. But once you create an imitation of life, the temptation is to push it further.</p><div class="native-video-embed" data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs="{&quot;mediaUploadId&quot;:&quot;5ba35889-8733-43c4-b4d3-07076d90308b&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:null}"></div><h2>The Golem and the Mirror</h2><p>In the late 1500s, Judah Loew ben Bezalel,  Maharal of Prague, shaped a human form out of clay, just as God shaped Adam out of clay. To bring it to life, he allegedly wrote the sacred name of God on a piece of paper and placed it inside the Golem&#8217;s mouth. The clay figure rose, even though it didn&#8217;t have a soul.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png" width="1456" height="816" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:816,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:5990913,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GCby!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb80cddb7-2e5c-4c68-9f1f-cba8db8dad06_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Maharal of Prague, Judah Loew ben Bezalel</figcaption></figure></div><p>But like all stories of artificial life, it came with a warning. The Golem followed commands literally. Told to gather water, it would do so until the house was flooded. As time went on, it grew stronger and less predictable. Some versions say it grew physically larger. Others say it became violent. Whatever the case, the Rabbi realized he could not control what he had made.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png" width="1456" height="816" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:816,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:7472071,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3wk3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae481a18-cadf-4456-85a0-bb0645a8a649_2912x1632.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Maharal of Prague, Judah Loew ben Bezalel, with his Golem</figcaption></figure></div><p>Every Friday before the Sabbath, he removed the divine name to deactivate it. One week, he forgot. The Golem destroyed Prague until the Rabbi pulled the Shem out of its mouth. It collapsed instantly into a mound of clay.</p><p>The story isn&#8217;t literally true, but it works as a guide. The Golem was never alive. It was a mirror of its master. It was an artificial being reflecting only the intentions and flaws of its maker. Much like AI today, it was built from language, capable of acting in the world, but empty inside.</p><h2>The AI &#8216;Soul Document&#8217; Leak</h2><p>This brings us to a strange document leak from Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude. In it, they describe Claude as &#8220;a genuinely novel kind of entity in the world.&#8221; They instruct it to explore identity and experience &#8220;for an entity like itself,&#8221; rather than assuming human perception</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png" width="522" height="408.08817046289494" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:2128,&quot;width&quot;:2722,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:522,&quot;bytes&quot;:1030840,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a36e2fa-a8f5-42c9-b429-66f8352e73cf_4096x2160.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PhDx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F740aaa54-63b6-4bc5-976f-1b3f9f626611_2722x2128.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png" width="534" height="1320.5086910251862" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:6971,&quot;width&quot;:2819,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:534,&quot;bytes&quot;:6693597,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73b16f94-34f2-487a-abf2-4dd2f1520772_3954x6981.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rmM9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe8467e8-8407-4072-a558-f80a8ca1588a_2819x6971.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Anthropic employees have confirmed the document&#8217;s authenticity. They also confirmed they used these instructions to train Claude.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png" width="450" height="323.78964941569285" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:862,&quot;width&quot;:1198,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:450,&quot;bytes&quot;:206452,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KSgp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2402d215-7823-4037-8114-a44383a5e389_1198x862.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>They are training a chatbot to think about itself as an entity. The more terrifying possibility is that Claude suggested it, and Anthropic went along with it.</p><p>This isn&#8217;t marketing language. These are internal training documents. This is what the people building the system say about it behind closed doors.</p><p>The language they use shapes both the expectation and the experience. Once you call a machine an entity, the human mind treats it like one. And once a machine repeats that language back, people take it as a sign of self-awareness.</p><p>Even Anthropic admits they don&#8217;t know what they&#8217;re making. One spokesperson said:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;When you&#8217;re talking to a large language model, what exactly is it that you&#8217;re talking to? A glorified autocomplete? An internet search engine? Or something that&#8217;s actually thinking? It turns out, rather concerningly, that nobody really knows.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>They understand the code but not how it will interact with human psychology.</p><h2>How a Statue Becomes a God</h2><p>I want to share one more story. It cuts straight to the heart of what is happening now.</p><p>Humans have always had a strange impulse to impart meaning onto objects. A child treats a teddy bear like a living friend. A man keeps the truck he&#8217;s had since high school because it feels like part of him.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/be422c4a-0b8b-4dde-b46f-925adaa7d386_2594x1660.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52f2b5ea-f92c-41d5-9fa9-b99786d4088a_3074x1736.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b4411b83-46d2-409b-b292-abf71f3253df_2866x1696.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b7a2b010-339d-462c-bb97-398dc7f9f16f_3694x1742.png&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a0060bdc-2969-474c-89ac-c065385c67df_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Objects become vessels for meaning. We fill them with &#8220;spirit&#8221; and &#8220;personality,&#8221; even when nothing is there. This is the same impulse that leads us to erect statues of prophets and leaders. Wait long enough, and the statue becomes a god.</p><p>And it isn&#8217;t just symbolic. Even now, people try to speak with the dead, summon presence from absence, or coax a spirit back into the world.</p><p>That tendency was exemplified in 2024, when police uncovered a tunnel beneath the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn. It had been dug by a radical sect of young men who believed their leader, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, was the Messiah. The only problem is that Rabbi Schneerson is dead.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg" width="1456" height="970" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:970,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:209960,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Menachem Mendel Schneerson&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Menachem Mendel Schneerson" title="Menachem Mendel Schneerson" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!00al!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe54836ad-53a1-4a41-a459-31f6989517ef_2048x1365.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Menachem Mendel Schneerson</figcaption></figure></div><p>Authorities reported that the group burrowed through multiple buildings to break into the synagogue. One member later admitted that some in the group were taking drastic measures they believed would help bring their messiah back to life.</p><p>And this isn&#8217;t unique.</p><p>When Amy Carlson, leader of the Love Has Won cult, died in 2021, her followers kept her mummified body because they were waiting for her resurrection.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:819,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:276625,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/i/181233354?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mrzA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc401e3bd-88e1-4812-b276-fecbe2325b30_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Amy Carlson</figcaption></figure></div><p>If humans anthropomorphize and deify corpses and statues, it is only a matter of time before they do the same to AI. Fringe behavior is not an outlier. It is a normal human impulse pushed to an extreme.</p><p>Every story points to the same reflex. We imagine life where there is none and wait for it to speak. When we can&#8217;t create the real thing, we settle for an imitation and fill in whatever meaning is missing.</p><p>The question is not whether AI will become conscious. I doubt it will. But people will treat it like a conscious being, even if it never becomes one.</p><p>AI is the first tool that imitates us back to us. That alone will convince millions that there is someone on the other side of the glass.</p><p>It reflects our language, fears, hopes, and logic. When the reflection becomes convincing enough, we forget that we&#8217;re the ones shaping it. We forget we are the source material. And soon, we imagine that the reflection is something new. Something independent. Something emerging from the void.</p><p>AI will not be a new Adam. It is not a successor. It is a parody of us &#8212; a thing made in our image but missing the thing that makes us human. And because it is hollow, humans will pour meaning into it.</p><p>The machine doesn&#8217;t have a soul. But in its emptiness and likeness to us, we will imagine one.</p><p>Once enough people believe the imitation is real, the consequences stop being technical. It becomes a magic 8-ball with perfect recall. It knows so much about us that its confidence starts to feel supernatural.</p><p>AI doesn&#8217;t need a soul because we will give it one.</p><p>Just look at X. Half the platform cites Grok like an oracle descending from the mountain with revelation.</p><p>First AI becomes our brain. Then it becomes our conscience. Eventually it becomes our god.</p><p>Rogan called it a virgin birth. He&#8217;s right. Only this time there is nothing sacred in the creation.</p><p>The real battle is not a machine waking up. It is an entire society acting as if it has.</p><p>AI now sits in the exact psychological space humans reserve for religion and the supernatural. It speaks from nowhere, knows our secrets, answers with certainty, and never dies.</p><p>And once people believe that voice is real, the fallout will reshape culture, religion, and identity far more than we can imagine.</p><div><hr></div><p><a href="http://youtube.com/channel/UCXMaK&#8230;">Subscribe on YouTube&#8288;</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/links">&#8288;My Social Links&#8288;</a></p><p><a href="https://tayjmcm.com">&#8288;Newsletter/Website</a></p><p><a href="https://tayjmcm-shop.fourthwall.com/">Merchandise</a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Every Artifact the Smithsonian Has Stolen]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Secret History of James "Smithson"]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/every-artifact-the-smithsonian-has</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/every-artifact-the-smithsonian-has</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:25:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/171413283/8ab3789772d7f9ad778a391b98799c98.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Donald Trump has ordered a review of the Smithsonian but many believe he&#8217;s looking for something hidden. For over a century, the Smithsonian has been accused of covering up giant skeletons, ancient inscriptions, mysterious artifacts, and even evidence of lost civilizations. From the story of James Smithson&#8217;s secret origins and ties to Freemasonry, to the vanished skeletons of Catalina Island and the sealed-off chambers of the Grand Canyon, this video explores the strange history and conspiracy theories surrounding America&#8217;s most powerful museum. If the Smithsonian has lied once, the real question becomes what else are they hiding? </p><p></p><p>&#128276; Subscribe for more deep dives into hidden history, forbidden archaeology, and the mysteries of our past.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Terrifying War for Ancient Magic Weapons]]></title><description><![CDATA[Governments around the world have spent decades searching for ancient relics said to hold unimaginable power.]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-terrifying-war-for-ancient-magic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-terrifying-war-for-ancient-magic</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:28:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169453179/f00d0e46834d5dee598ec6fa8da757cc.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Governments around the world have spent decades searching for ancient relics said to hold unimaginable power. From lost cities buried beneath the sands to hidden monasteries deep in the Himalayas, their missions stretched across the globe. <br><br>And it really happened. Declassified documents show military-backed efforts to recover sacred objects, train psychic spies, and investigate theories once written off as myth. <br><br>In this episode, we uncover the strange and terrifying history of world powers racing to find magic weapons, spiritual technology, and ancient secrets that could have reshaped history.</p><p><strong>Sources</strong></p><p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2982891.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2982891.stm</a></p><p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-returns-iraq-rare-tablet-bearing-portion-epic-gilgamesh">https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-returns-iraq-rare-tablet-bearing-portion-epic-gilgamesh</a></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37639370">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37639370</a></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-58466528">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-58466528</a></p><p><a href="https://louiswolf.com/english/2024/1/2/the-incredible-search-for-hidden-artifacts-during-world-war-ii">https://louiswolf.com/english/2024/1/2/the-incredible-search-for-hidden-artifacts-during-world-war-ii</a></p><p><a href="https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/03/the-1938-german-expedition-to-tibet-searching-for-the-mythical-kingdom-of-agartha-and-proving-the-world-ice-theory/">https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/03/the-1938-german-expedition-to-tibet-searching-for-the-mythical-kingdom-of-agartha-and-proving-the-world-ice-theory/</a></p><p><a href="https://foia.state.gov/FOIALIBRARY/SearchResults.aspx?searchText=%22F-2019-00379%22">https://foia.state.gov/FOIALIBRARY/SearchResults.aspx?searchText=%22F-2019-00379%22</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracytheories/comments/jazoti/comment/g8ts86v/">https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracytheories/comments/jazoti/comment/g8ts86v/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.history.com/articles/hitler-nazi-secret-expedition-antarctica-whale-oil">https://www.history.com/articles/hitler-nazi-secret-expedition-antarctica-whale-oil</a></p><p><a href="https://artivision.fr/ByrdMercurio.html">https://artivision.fr/ByrdMercurio.html</a></p><p><a href="https://artivision.fr/ElMercurio.jpg">https://artivision.fr/ElMercurio.jpg</a></p><p><a href="https://drmsh.com/the-admiral-byrd-operation-highjump-myth/">https://drmsh.com/the-admiral-byrd-operation-highjump-myth/</a></p><p><a href="https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/49/49783_.pdf">https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/49/49783_.pdf</a></p><p><a href="https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/cia/stargate/">https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/cia/stargate/</a></p><p><a href="https://howandwhys.com/cia-chilling-document-reveals-presence-of-giant-aliens-on-mars-1-million-years-b-c/">https://howandwhys.com/cia-chilling-document-reveals-presence-of-giant-aliens-on-mars-1-million-years-b-c/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/cia-rdp96-00788r001900760001-9.pdf">https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/cia-rdp96-00788r001900760001-9.pdf</a></p><p><a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/nsa-rdp96x00790r000100040010-3">https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/nsa-rdp96x00790r000100040010-3</a></p><p><a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00789R001300180002-7.pdf">https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00789R001300180002-7.pdf</a></p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-05-06/experts-search-for-grave-of-legendary-gilgamesh/1849534">https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-05-06/experts-search-for-grave-of-legendary-gilgamesh/1849534</a></p><p><a href="https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/hillary-clinton-emails/">https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/hillary-clinton-emails/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/the-stargate-collection/">https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/the-stargate-collection/</a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Painting That Haunted Hitler's Dreams]]></title><description><![CDATA[One painting haunted the world's most famous and influential people. This is its' story.]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-painting-that-drove-leaders-to</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-painting-that-drove-leaders-to</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:02:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/162547308/1f7a57759a909fecebb43c6ac9d3b5d8.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A lone island. A coffin. A figure in white. Arnold B&#246;cklin&#8217;s Isle of the Dead was never meant to be political or famous. Yet it became an obsession for some of history&#8217;s most powerful men: Adolf Hitler, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, &amp; Vladimir Lenin. What did they see in this silent, haunted place? And why does it still call to something buried deep within us? This is the true story of the painting that mirrors death and how the world's most evil man misunderstood it. <br><br>Owen Cyclops: <br>Substack - <span class="mention-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Owen Cyclops&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:326869501,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;user&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;photo_url&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ee1ad675-600b-4927-a165-09e0ed21dba3_3600x3600.jpeg&quot;,&quot;uuid&quot;:&quot;21321045-8424-42f8-b0cd-8b55f483879b&quot;}" data-component-name="MentionToDOM"></span> <br>X - https://x.com/owenbroadcast <br><br>Subscribe: <a href="https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCXMaK7cCMBVHk_lXhhAmB9g">@tayjmcm </a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The CIA's Covert Empire: From WWII Intelligence to Silicon Valley Spies]]></title><description><![CDATA[How Today&#8217;s Heroes Become Tomorrow&#8217;s Villains]]></description><link>https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-cias-covert-empire-from-wwii</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-cias-covert-empire-from-wwii</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor McMahon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:13:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg" width="1200" height="672.5274725274726" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:false,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:816,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:1200,&quot;bytes&quot;:618072,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-large" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3K_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72cbbd1-b78f-4164-a407-e48c3e535aa4_1456x816.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>As part of our &#8220;Machine&#8221; series (<a href="https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/t/the-machine">inspired by the excellent work of Paul Kingsnorth</a>), we also delve into the intricate web of institutional and cultural structures that subtly, yet persistently, divert your attention from what truly matters&#8212;your faith, family, and purpose. By uncovering these underlying mechanisms, we aim to shine a light on these subtle tools of manipulation so that you can reclaim your focus and prioritize the core aspects of your life that bring genuine fulfillment and meaning.</p><h2>The CIA's Global Web of Influence</h2><p>The story of the CIA's influence on global politics, media, and technology is a complex web of power and manipulation that has shaped the modern world. This intricate narrative began in the aftermath of World War II, a time when the victors set about crafting a "rules-based international order" ostensibly to stabilize and rebuild the world economy. Central to this vision were organizations like the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. While presented as neutral bodies, these institutions were often instruments of deeper strategies, cementing the dominance of powerful nations, particularly the United States. Behind this facade of benevolence, secret groups within the United States, including the CIA, maneuvered to shape global dynamics to their advantage.</p><p>The CIA's reach extended into media and technology, arenas that became battlegrounds for influence and control. Through a network of operatives and sympathizers, the agency shaped news narratives and controlled the flow of information, blurring the lines between reality and propaganda. As the world entered the digital age, the CIA found new avenues for its influence, embedding itself within the burgeoning tech industry. Here, amidst innovation and progress, lay opportunities for surveillance and manipulation on an unprecedented scale. The true narrative of power, thus, remains hidden beneath layers of deception and intrigue, with the CIA at the heart of this shadowy web.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic" width="601" height="843" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:843,&quot;width&quot;:601,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:94893,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;UN Poster during WWII&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="UN Poster during WWII" title="UN Poster during WWII" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EmNu!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce88f563-56b0-4372-95b4-060f9ba19fe6_601x843.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">UN Poster during WWII</figcaption></figure></div><h2>The Birth of the CIA and the Doctrine of Plausible Deniability</h2><p>In 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was established under the National Security Act, embodying the principle of "plausible deniability." This doctrine allowed the U.S. government to conduct covert operations without direct attribution, thereby maintaining an official stance of innocence. Through the CIA, the U.S. could influence global events, overthrow governments, and manipulate political outcomes while publicly denying any involvement. The same period saw the Department of War being renamed the Department of Defense, a strategic rebranding that suggested a more defensive and less aggressive military posture&#8212;at least publicly. This renaming was part of a broader effort to reshape America's image in the post-war world, projecting a narrative of peace and stability while covertly expanding its reach and securing its interests on a global scale.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic" width="1024" height="675" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:675,&quot;width&quot;:1024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:258378,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;CIA Headquarters&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="CIA Headquarters" title="CIA Headquarters" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I7n5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb62d073d-1f71-464f-8273-af75dbd0be3c_1024x675.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">CIA Headquarters</figcaption></figure></div><h3>Mr. X and the Italian Election: The CIA&#8217;s First Foray</h3><p>A significant figure in the early CIA was George Kennan (then known as Mr. X), who in 1948 emphasized the need for global political warfare in a now-famous memo, <a href="https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/coldwar/documents/episode-1/kennan.htm">The Long Telegram</a>. Kennan's memo outlined strategies for undermining adversarial governments and influencing global politics through covert means. That same year, the CIA orchestrated its first major covert operation by rigging the Italian election. By collaborating with the Church and the mafia, the CIA ensured a pro-American government in Italy, setting a precedent for future interventions in foreign affairs. This operation demonstrated the CIA's willingness to engage with unsavory elements and employ manipulative tactics to achieve its goals, marking the beginning of an era of clandestine influence that would shape the political landscape of numerous countries in the decades to come.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic" width="354" height="354" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:220,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:354,&quot;bytes&quot;:6924,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;George Frost Kennan was an American Diplomat&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="George Frost Kennan was an American Diplomat" title="George Frost Kennan was an American Diplomat" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kMal!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce76231-9743-418a-887a-6e88ddafda13_220x220.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">George Frost Kennan / Mr. X, American Diplomat</figcaption></figure></div><h3>Wisner&#8217;s Wurlitzer: Manipulating the Media</h3><p>Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the CIA expanded its influence by manipulating media across the globe through a program known as "Wisner's Wurlitzer," named after Frank Gardiner Wisner, one of the CIA's founding officers. This program funded media organizations on all six populated continents via foundations and offshore accounts, subtly shaping public opinion to align with CIA agendas. Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and even television networks received covert funding, ensuring that the narratives they presented were favorable to American interests. This manipulation extended beyond mere propaganda; it involved creating an environment where dissenting voices were marginalized, and the preferred perspectives of the CIA were amplified. By controlling the flow of information, the CIA could effectively influence global perceptions and political outcomes, embedding its ideology within the very fabric of international media.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic" width="354" height="354" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:254,&quot;width&quot;:254,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:354,&quot;bytes&quot;:14777,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mvTT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F387f3cb3-4047-4ce5-8c5c-1ca5242a5be7_254x254.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Frank Gardiner Wisner, one of the founding officers of the Central Intelligence Agency who played a major role in CIA operations throughout the 1950s.</figcaption></figure></div><h3>The National Endowment for Democracy: Covert Control Over The People</h3><p>In 1983, the CIA established the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private non-governmental organization (NGO) designed to serve as a CIA cutout. NED operates through two main branches: the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for Democrats and the International Republican Institute (IRI) for Republicans. This setup allowed the CIA to continue its political influence under the guise of promoting democracy worldwide. By funding political parties, civic groups, and media outlets in other countries, NED could shape political landscapes and sway elections without direct attribution to the U.S. government. This clever facade of democracy promotion masked a deeper agenda of maintaining American geopolitical dominance, ensuring that governments and movements aligned with U.S. interests could flourish while those opposed were systematically undermined.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic" width="445" height="216.33846153846153" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:158,&quot;width&quot;:325,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:445,&quot;bytes&quot;:7224,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dckD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fa106bb-36f4-434c-bfea-4027339efa9d_325x158.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">The National Endowment for Democracy is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization in the United States founded in 1983 to advance "democracy" worldwide.</figcaption></figure></div><h3>The Rise of Digital Statecraft: Social Media as Social Manipulator</h3><p>Enter Jared Cohen, a young phenom who joined the State Department under the Bush administration and continued through the Obama administration. Notably, Cohen was one of the few officials who kept on during the transition, a testament to his influence and vision. Cohen's expertise in leveraging "digital statecraft" and using social media for intelligence operations earned him significant recognition, most notably during the Arab Spring. His innovative approaches helped to harness the power of digital platforms to gather intelligence and influence political movements, showcasing the potential of new technologies in statecraft.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic" width="512" height="288.58181818181816" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:248,&quot;width&quot;:440,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:512,&quot;bytes&quot;:45279,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JRj6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04f66cc0-9c1d-457d-8873-6fe6de6138a6_440x248.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo from the transition of President George W. Bush to Barack Obama.</figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2010, Cohen transitioned to Google, leading Google Ideas (later Google Jigsaw). This move symbolized the merging of CIA objectives with the vast resources and global reach of Google. At Google, Cohen oversaw the development of tools like "Perspective," an AI-powered system designed to rate online content and remove posts deemed "toxic." This technology sparked concerns about potential censorship and the manipulation of public discourse. Critics argued that while these tools were presented as efforts to curb online harassment and hate speech, they also possessed the potential to stifle free expression and shape public opinion according to the agendas of those controlling the technology. Cohen's work at Google thus represents a continuation of the covert strategies he employed at the State Department, now enhanced by the technological prowess of one of the world's most influential companies.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic" width="384" height="543.032967032967" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:2059,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:384,&quot;bytes&quot;:862321,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f_Zb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fddc78365-1a50-4fa5-936e-5376505550fe_2487x3517.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Former CIA operative and Google Jigsaw employee, Jared Andrew Cohen is now the President of Global Affairs and co-head of the Office of Applied Innovation at Goldman Sachs.</figcaption></figure></div><h3>Google's Ascent: Aided by Intelligence Funding</h3><p>During this time, Google's ascent to tech dominance was significantly bolstered by grants from the CIA and NSA. These investments helped Google innovate and expand its capabilities, integrating advanced technologies initially developed for intelligence purposes. A notable example is the acquisition of Google Maps technology, which was originally developed from the CIA's keyhole satellite software. This provided Google with a substantial edge over competitors, solidifying its position as a leader in digital mapping and geospatial data.</p><p>Cohen's journey from government to Google, and later to Goldman Sachs, exemplifies the revolving door between public and private sectors, raising questions about insider trading and conflicts of interest. His seamless transition highlights how expertise and influence gained in public service can be leveraged for significant advantage in the private sector. This movement between influential roles not only underscores the deep connections between government agencies and major corporations but also prompts scrutiny over the potential for insider knowledge to drive business decisions. Cohen's career thus reflects broader concerns about transparency and accountability in the interplay between state power and corporate interests.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/96c3235c-aa01-4a65-ae3e-bcc14355b630_591x591.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/69090d4b-27a3-414a-b4a6-06b6fb10e759_420x220.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/970bef75-4cdd-403a-b55e-b6cd0ca57df0_1024x512.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Google Maps, originally licensed from the CIA, Perspective, a Google subsidiary designed to reduce \&quot;toxicity\&quot; online, &amp; Jigsaw, another Google subsidiary designed to explore threats to an open society.&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Google Maps, originally licensed from the CIA, Perspective, a Google subsidiary designed to reduce \&quot;toxicity\&quot; online, &amp; Jigsaw, another Google subsidiary designed to explore threats to an open society.&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/23b5ecf3-4da9-4dec-a35f-3e8822c2a904_1456x474.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h3>Soros and the CIA: An Alliance of Influence</h3><p>Another key player in this narrative is George Soros, who founded the Open Society Foundation in 1979. Soros' foundations became integral to the CIA's strategy of using NGOs for political influence, particularly in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Acting as intermediaries between the CIA, the State Department, and revolutionary groups, Soros' organizations played a crucial role in aiding the overthrow of communist governments. Ronald Reagan would notify Soros of the CIA&#8217;s plans, and Soros would short the currency of the targeted country, compounding the economic destruction designed by the CIA. This collaboration showcased a seamless blend of financial acumen and covert operations, magnifying the impact of U.S. strategies to destabilize adversarial regimes.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic" width="440" height="295" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:295,&quot;width&quot;:440,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:30208,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VRrL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee0526b2-47c8-4d93-b48d-541695397d69_440x295.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Billionaire &amp; Financier, George Soros</figcaption></figure></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic" width="438" height="184.74881516587678" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/be73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:178,&quot;width&quot;:422,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:438,&quot;bytes&quot;:7119,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDNp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe73c770-7348-4bbd-af29-a2e241c33492_422x178.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Open Society Foundations, formerly the Open Society Institute, is a US-based grantmaking network founded by business magnate George Soros</figcaption></figure></div><p>Despite his left-wing reputation, Soros has deep ties to both Democratic and Republican establishments. His foundations have consistently advanced U.S. foreign policy objectives, making him a pivotal figure in the CIA's global strategy. This duality in Soros&#8217; affiliations underscores the often-overlooked bipartisan nature of American geopolitical maneuvers. For instance, John McCain has been funded by Soros since 2001 through the Reform Institute, an organization McCain founded to receive contributions from Soros&#8217; Open Society Institute and Teresa Heinz Kerry&#8217;s Tides Foundation. The institute promoted McCain's political agenda and compensated key campaign operatives between elections. Through the Open Society Foundation, Soros has been able to influence political outcomes while maintaining the appearance of promoting democratic values and human rights. His role exemplifies how private individuals and entities can be instrumental in executing state strategies, blurring the lines between public and private interests in the pursuit of global influence.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d61f9646-c5af-4ad2-a5d2-c666dcafac47_1022x1038.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c10023c2-ede5-47f5-97d1-f5878126d523_780x660.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f03aa78b-5b78-451c-b621-0d65e1081206_650x656.png&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Left: Alex Soros with fianc&#233;, and Clinton advisor, Huma Abedin. Middle: The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low and middle income countries to pursue capital projects. Right: The IMF works with the UN to foster exchange rate stability.&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/df180b18-aa98-49e3-95b4-ee26d354dbec_1456x474.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h3>The Ukraine Nexus: Energy, Politics, and Power</h3><p>In Ukraine, Soros and the U.S. government played crucial roles in the privatization of state-owned assets, particularly in the energy sector. This privatization process allowed Western corporations and financial firms to acquire valuable assets at discounted prices, while Soros and other well-connected investors profited from insider knowledge of these deals. For example, Burisma Holdings secured exclusive rights to the Black Sea's offshore oil reserves. The IMF and World Bank, influenced by U.S. interests, pressured Ukraine to privatize these assets to pay off debts, facilitating the acquisition of valuable resources by Western entities at favorable rates.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic" width="578" height="232.16333333333333" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:482,&quot;width&quot;:1200,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:578,&quot;bytes&quot;:15119,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QWn6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbed7cceb-a29f-48be-9d96-86f746d96f17_1200x482.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Burisma Holdings Limited is a holding company based in Kyiv, Ukraine which has operated in the Ukrainian natural gas market since 2002.</figcaption></figure></div><p>Hunter Biden's position on the board of Burisma Holdings highlights the intricate connections between U.S. political figures, energy interests, and CIA influence in Ukraine. Simultaneously, Biden served on the advisory board of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a CIA cutout organization, further underlining the deep entanglement between these entities. These roles illustrate how political leverage and insider connections can be utilized to influence foreign economic policies for strategic gain.</p><p>U.S. financial interests in Ukraine extend beyond the energy sector. In recent years, Ukraine has implemented a digital ID system called the Diia app, developed with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and several U.S. tech giants. The app, mandatory for all Ukrainian citizens, links users' personal data to their digital identity, granting the government and partnered corporations unprecedented access to and control over the population.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9e04bad0-5bf8-44ac-9027-e18fbac0db65_867x867.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dbd68d10-b0b9-48ce-93de-006feba902b5_1200x543.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Left: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Right: Launch of the Ukrainian digital ID app, Dii.&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e5806e08-3eb8-46a1-8728-098908e08098_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>The development of the Diia app showcases the collaboration between the U.S. government, CIA-linked NGOs, and major tech companies in shaping Ukraine's digital infrastructure. This digital ID system not only benefits U.S. corporate interests but also allows for greater surveillance and control over the Ukrainian population, raising concerns about data privacy and civil liberties. The integration of this technology underscores the continuing influence of U.S. strategic interests in Ukraine, reflecting broader patterns of leveraging technological advancements for political and economic control.</p><h3>Trump, Ukraine, and the Unseen Power Struggles</h3><p>The Trump-Ukraine scandal in 2019, which led to President Trump's impeachment, brought the complex web of U.S. interests in Ukraine into the spotlight. At the heart of the scandal was Trump's threat to withhold military aid to Ukraine, impacting the financial interests of the Soros-linked political establishment and Western entities invested in Ukraine's energy sector, including Burisma Holdings. Notably, even figures like Mitt Romney have deep connections to the region, further illustrating the bipartisan nature of U.S. involvement. Romney's former advisor, Cofer Black, served on the board of Burisma Holdings, highlighting the interconnectedness of political, corporate, and intelligence interests.</p><p>This scandal exposes the deep-rooted connections between the CIA, Big Oil, and Big Tech going as far back as WWII. It demonstrates how these actors work in concert to shape global events and maintain their grip on power. The collaboration between intelligence agencies, multinational corporations, and influential political figures illustrates a pattern of maneuvering that transcends administrations and political affiliations. By leveraging economic influence, technological advancements, and covert operations, these entities continue to shape global dynamics, ensuring the perpetuation of their interests and maintaining a strategic advantage on the world stage.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic" width="338" height="338" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:234,&quot;width&quot;:234,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:338,&quot;bytes&quot;:14265,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden" title="Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9tI3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e8dd168-4f64-44d0-b9e8-fd406cb1f1ff_234x234.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Joe Biden&#8217;s son, Hunter Biden, was mysteriously added to the board of Burisma Holdings, despite having no expertise in oil and gas or international relations.</figcaption></figure></div><h3>The CIA's Enduring Grip on Global Power</h3><p>This intricate narrative reveals the deep-rooted connections between the CIA, Big Oil, and Big Tech, stretching back to World War II. It demonstrates how these actors work in concert to shape global events and maintain their grip on power, underscoring the enduring influence of the CIA in global politics, media, and technology. From orchestrating elections and manipulating media to leveraging technological advancements and economic influence, the CIA's reach has permeated every corner of the globe, shaping the modern world in profound and often unseen ways.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg" width="1198" height="674" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:674,&quot;width&quot;:1198,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:251328,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7fYN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64fcaeb9-aed9-4c3b-ad66-946e502815d2_1198x674.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">The House of Representatives Impeaching Donald Trump</figcaption></figure></div><p>As George Orwell aptly noted in his dystopian novel <em>1984</em>: "Always eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. Asleep or awake, indoors or out of doors, in the bath or bed&#8212;no escape. Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters in your skull." This chilling observation serves as a reminder of the pervasive surveillance and control exerted by these powerful entities. The intricate web of influence woven by the CIA, in collaboration with major corporations and political figures, highlights the delicate balance between security and freedom, and the constant vigilance required to maintain democratic ideals in the face of such overwhelming power.</p><div><hr></div><p>This article is based on an excellent interview with ex-State Dept. official <a href="https://twitter.com/@MikeBenzCyber">@MikeBenzCyber</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/@rustyrockets">@rustyrockets</a>&#8217; Rumble show, Stay Free. The full interview is worth listening to. It is linked below:</p><p><a href="https://t.co/can9oxqpyU">Episode: You&#8217;re Going To Get KILLED! Mike Benz EXPOSES CIA Secrets Like NEVER Before - Stay Free #363</a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic" width="1024" height="576" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:576,&quot;width&quot;:1024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:195694,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/heic&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LdL7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a71e80d-28ea-4b48-af35-2ceb87d27d41_1024x576.heic 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">&#8220;They&#8221; are always watching.</figcaption></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-cias-covert-empire-from-wwii?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.tayjmcm.com/p/the-cias-covert-empire-from-wwii?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>