Elon Musk’s tweet worked a triggering treat. (Read the replies).
"Novus Ordo Seclorum" is a Latin phrase which translates to "New Order of the Ages." The motto appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, which is also featured on the back of the one-dollar bill. Here's a brief overview (according to Musk’s own AI-orb, Grok):
The phrase was chosen by Charles Thomson, a Latin scholar, as part of the Great Seal's design in 1782. It reflects the idea of a new beginning for America, symbolizing the establishment of a new era with the founding of the United States.
It's part of the seal where an unfinished pyramid signifies strength and duration, with the eye of providence above it, often interpreted as the watchful eye of God or a symbol of divine approval for the American experiment.
While officially it represents enlightenment and the dawn of a new age of reason and republican government, some fringe theories have misconstrued this phrase to suggest more secretive or malevolent intentions, often linked with conspiracy theories about secret societies or new world order conspiracies.
Now, it hasn’t escaped quite a few people that the last 4 years has felt a bit like the start of a new era - and not in a good way (hence the name of this substack). Some believe that there are clear bi-partisan sources of the new era, or new world order. Hence Musk’s tweet could be seen as confirmation of that or simply an attempt to troll the NWO conspiracy theorists.
When I quote-tweeted Musk’s tweet this morning asking which it might be I provoked Nelly Tells (https://twitter.com/NellyTells) to expound her view via a thread of tweets. I have edited slightly:
Both. And tapping into messianism. But completely deniable as Musk is known to love to troll.
I also know from Trump (and now Elon) derangement folk that some of them (fully warranted) have gone full conspiracy theorist regarding Big Tech technocrats, so this will have them apoplectic.
There’s clear evidence to suggest Musk,Thiel,and Vance are fully on board the technocratic train. The derangement syndrome though - interestingly & frustratingly - prevents the afflicted from seeing that the threat comes from both sides (I guess like those who are only focussed on communism).
I’m currently mentally wrestling with myself as to whether my sense that there’s more opportunity to steer the technocracy from the right away from the zero human rights recognition model is real or if that’s just my own cognitive bias delusion.
If they are about growth, meritocracy, even US supremacy then it is basically back to the old model that had its own depravities (surveillance, war for profits/resources, disregard for the poor or disadvantaged, poor worker rights, chauvinism) so the question is twofold:
Will we still be free to fight against such cruelties or will they lockdown, surveil, predictively program, behaviourally nudge (or shove) so much that there will be zero opportunity to resist?
Is it all a false facade and really we are still looking at control via digital IDs, CBDC controls, carbon and social credits at least for the plebs and only the cronies will be participating in capitalism and meritocracy?
Absolute power corrupts absolutely so probably there is no need for conspiracy. The worst case scenario is where it ends up if unchecked.
I do feel like we have, at least for a little while, a new opportunity to try and change course.
I do believe that one can eat an elephant one bite at a time and I think that with the connectivity of the internet people’s negative beliefs & mood are actually impacting humanity’s direction.
I’m no flower child full of light and delusion but I think a good dose from a large number of people of stoicism, determination and a non-negotiable stance on human rights could - potentially - if injected into the zeitgeist have an impact on humanity’s direction.
Shit, we’re all going to die anyway so just present hard arse even if we’re not.
What do you think? Comments open below.
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Trump is not our saviour--but he has already provided the environment in which we can save ourselves. I disagreed profoundly with many of his policies -warp speed, lockdowns-but the atmosphere has changed.
I do feel-as a retired army officer said that "a heavy weight of existential anxiety has been lifted"
We will know much more when we see who he surrounds himself with.
As I think I mentioned yesterday - the ‘free’ public of the Western world so far this century have been continuously presented at election time between ‘pestilence’ & ‘Armageddon’
In Nov 2000 - who can forget the terrible fall out (for weeks) between George W. Bush & Al Gore resulting in many Americans ‘dangling’ in the eyes of the world for weeks without a president?
In 2010 - the UK was in a similar position with a hung vote resulting in Cameron finally breaking into the downstairs toilet window of Downing St by standing precariously on the shoulders of the useless (but good pre-election orator) Nick Clegg.
This is our problem in the West.
All of my life I’ve straddled a thinking (& doing) position between the left & the right. I’m not alone - in fact most people are moderates at heart. They don’t want (& don’t need) extremism.
But that’s what the 21st century has served up the public in spades. Extremism. The whole West has been in the extremism business. ‘Mass’ immigration. ‘Catastrophic’ climate change. ‘Terrorism’ fiscally, religiously, societally.
Perhaps our best bet as a western civilisation is to swing our legs collectively out of bed every morning with the word ‘moderate’ at the very forefront of our minds?
How mild mannered will today be?
That might be our greatest weapon against those in the world relentlessly pulling us all into extremism?