In the totalitarian states of old, the government had to put its enemies on a train to the gulag. But in the modern total state, the Gulag comes to you. The overwhelming use of violence is undoubtedly effective at silencing political dissidents, but it also comes with serious drawbacks.
00:00:59.980But our modern total state is not ruled by leaders who are either capable of, or competent in, the wide-scale use of force.
00:01:16.340Unfortunately for the modern dissident, they don't need to be.
00:01:20.140Technology has proven a far more effective tool of control.
00:01:24.420In the totalitarian states of old, the government had to put its enemies on a train to the gulag.
00:01:30.560But in the modern total state, the gulag comes to you.
00:01:34.280The overwhelming use of violence is undoubtedly effective at silencing political dissidents, but it also comes with serious drawbacks.
00:01:44.160First, a regime needs a group of men willing and able to unleash brutal acts upon their neighbors.
00:01:49.540And even if they can compel men to commit such horrific acts, a regime has to worry about the cost.
00:01:56.860People tend to notice violent action and register it as an immediate existential threat.
00:02:02.200A population is far more likely to take action and defend itself against horrific violence than the slow and steady technological suppression wielded by our current elites.
00:02:13.000A ruling class also has to be concerned about the optics of widespread violence.
00:02:19.860It can be difficult to sell particularly heinous acts to the more moderate segments of your population.
00:02:26.180Soft power does a much better job of suppressing opposition without triggering the fight-or-flight reflex in your average citizen.
00:02:34.520The ability of the regime to punish conservatives begins with the education of their children.
00:02:39.980The children of conservatives must report to government-operated learning facilities unless their parents have the affluence and awareness necessary to provide alternative education.
00:02:51.660In those facilities, the children of conservatives are taught that their parents are backwards and evil and likely seeking to oppress them.
00:02:59.920If the students are Christian, they're taught that their faith is ignorant and responsible for unspeakable atrocities.
00:03:06.300If they're white, they're taught that their skin color makes them irredeemably racist, automatically guilty of a grave sin for which they can never atone.
00:03:15.860Most children are taught that the morals of their parents are silly or hateful, especially the ones about restricting sexuality,
00:03:23.040and that they may need to use the state to shield their newfound sexual identity from the ignorant bigotry of their family.
00:03:29.060All children are taught that the historical American nation is basically one extended war crime which moves from atrocity to atrocity
00:03:37.780and must be fundamentally transformed if it's to be cleansed of its iniquity.
00:03:43.420The next stage of political oppression occurs as those students consider moving on to university.
00:03:49.900The college system has become the de facto credentialing mechanism that almost all high- and mid-status jobs use to sort their applicants.
00:03:59.060These progressive seminaries actively discriminate against conservatives by forcing applicants to write admissions essays
00:04:05.840that essentially serve as statements of faith, requiring students to find creative ways of expressing their total devotion to woke ideology.
00:04:14.620Even if a conservative student does make it past this process,
00:04:18.880all they've won is the honor of going deeply into debt to pay professors who hate them
00:04:23.780to preach fiery sermons denouncing every value they've ever held dear.
00:04:28.980Any attempt to stand up and offer an alternative viewpoint puts that student's $100,000-plus investment at risk,
00:04:36.140possibly destroying their career before they've even obtained the degree in question.
00:04:39.920Are you a college student who feels isolated as Cthulhu swims ever leftward?
00:04:44.800The Intercollegiate Studies Institute is here to help.
00:04:47.740ISI offers programs and opportunities for conservative students across the country.
00:04:52.480ISI understands that conservatives and right-of-center students feel isolated on campus
00:04:56.840and that you're often fighting for your own reputation, dignity, and future.
00:05:01.440Through ISI, you can learn about what Russell Kirk called permanent things,
00:05:04.900the philosophical and political teachings that shaped and made Western civilization great.
00:05:09.920ISI also offers many opportunities to jumpstart your career.
00:05:13.840For example, Nate Hockman, who's been a guest on this show multiple times,
00:05:17.380got his start at National Review through ISI,
00:05:20.060and he's just one of many journalists that ISI has helped start their career.
00:05:24.040If you're a graduate student, ISI offers funding opportunities
00:05:27.460to sponsor the next generation of college professors.
00:05:30.420But most importantly, ISI offers college students a community of people that will help them grow.
00:05:36.300If you're a college student, ISI can help you start a student organization
00:05:40.220or a student newspaper, or meet other like-minded students at various conferences and events.
00:05:46.480ISI is here to educate the next generation of great Americans.