A Farewell Address to a Woketopia Gone Wrong

Summary

A Farewell Address to a Woketopia Gone Wrong: Insights from Sasha Stone

Podcast Information:

• Title: Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning with Sasha Stone
• Host/Author: Sasha Stone
• Episode: A Farewell Address to a Woketopia Gone Wrong
• Release Date: January 16, 2025

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Introduction

In the January 16, 2025 episode of "Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning," host Sacha Stone delivers a provocative and impassioned farewell address to what he terms a "woketopia gone wrong." Drawing from his background as a former Democrat and Leftist, Stone articulates his disillusionment with the current trajectory of American politics and culture. This episode delves deep into his critiques of progressive ideologies, corporate influence, and societal shifts that he believes have undermined the foundational values of American society.

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Key Sections

1. Farewell to Progressive Policies and Leadership

Stone opens his address by expressing his inability to continue supporting the current Democratic leadership. He references Joe Biden's departure from politics, comparing it to Eisenhower's warning about the military-industrial complex. Instead of traditional military concerns, Stone identifies the "big tech oligarchy" as the new threat. He criticizes figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos for their influence, mentioning their attendance at Donald Trump's inaugural as a sign of shifting power dynamics. Stone states:

"Well, I'm sorry, Joe. I can't play that game anymore. It's time to say goodbye. Farewell, Joe Biden. Farewell Democrats."
[00:20]

2. Critique of 'Woketopia' Elements

Stone enumerates various aspects of what he perceives as an overreaching progressive agenda. These include:

• Mandated Preferred Pronouns: Stone opposes the enforcement of preferred pronouns in personal bios, viewing it as a symbol of forced ideological conformity.

• Mandated Mask Policies: He criticizes the imposition of mask mandates, labeling them as coerced lies about their efficacy.

• Critical Race and Gender Theory in Schools: Stone objects to the introduction of these theories in elementary education, believing they contribute to societal division.

• Censorship and Surveillance: He laments the government's role in censoring speech on social media platforms, equating it to a loss of free expression.

• Virtue Signaling: Stone denounces the culture of virtue signaling, where individuals publicly display moral righteousness without substantive action.

"Farewell to being forced to lie about whether or not masks work. Farewell to not being allowed to give people the benefit of the doubt."
[00:35]

3. Media and Corporate Influence

A significant portion of Stone's address targets the synergy between Hollywood, Big Pharma, and major corporations. He accuses them of creating a glossy American utopia through pervasive advertising, which he believes misleads the public. Stone uses a metaphor to illustrate this manipulation:

"Just take this pill and you too can be with us in the happy place."
[01:15]

He suggests that these entities have effectively "pumped into the veins of Americans" a false sense of happiness and belonging, thereby controlling public perception and behavior.

4. The Erosion of Masculinity and Individual Freedom

Stone voices concern over the diminishing presence of traditional masculinity and the growing anxiety around everyday expressions and choices. He mentions:

"Farewell to the absence of masculinity. Farewell to worrying about every word that comes out of our mouths."
[01:45]

This sentiment reflects his belief that societal norms have become overly restrictive, stifling genuine self-expression and reinforcing a culture of fear and self-censorship.

5. Internal Challenges within the Left

Stone reflects on the fragmentation and ineffectiveness within the political left. He asserts that internal divisions have rendered the left unable to advocate effectively for its causes. He states:

"There is no saving whatever it is we used to call the Left. There is only saving America from what it had become."
[04:50]

This declaration underscores his belief that the left has lost its way, becoming counterproductive to the very ideals it once championed.

6. Surveillance and Loss of Independent Thought

Drawing parallels to George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984," Stone discusses the pervasive surveillance in modern society. He describes a scenario where independent thought is suppressed by constant monitoring from the government and technology companies:

"We began to wonder what real life even was anymore. It was like Winston and Julia in 1984 trying to carve out some love and lust from the dystopia under Big Brother's ever watchful gaze."
[05:30]

Stone emphasizes the loss of privacy and the inability to engage in free, uncensored discourse as critical threats to democracy.

7. The Potential for Democratic Reclamation

Despite his bleak outlook, Stone offers a glimmer of hope by referencing the "proles" from Orwell's "1984." He suggests that the masses, if they become conscious of their collective strength, could overthrow the entrenched power structures. He envisions:

"If they choose. They could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning."
[07:00]

Stone believes that a spontaneous uprising from the general populace could dismantle the oppressive systems currently in place, though he acknowledges the challenges in achieving such unity.

8. Reflections on Political Events and Figures

Stone critiques specific political events and personalities, including the contentious 2020 election and figures like Adam Schiff and Kamala Harris. He portrays these individuals as emblematic of the dysfunction and hypocrisy plaguing the political landscape:

"The nominee's worth depended on whether or not they would stand up to the tyrant, fascist, rapist, racist dictator that they impeached twice indicted, four times convicted on a bogus felony charge..."
[04:00]

His sharp criticism extends to the broader political apparatus, suggesting a deep-seated corruption and inefficacy.

9. The Inevitable Collapse of Utopias

Stone contends that utopian societies are inherently unsustainable, destined to either morph into authoritarian regimes or collapse entirely. He asserts:

"The problem with utopias is they can't last. They either must become more authoritarian and thus less utopian, or they collapse."
[05:50]

This observation serves as a cautionary note against the unchecked pursuit of ideological purity at the expense of practical governance and societal harmony.

10. The Call for Rebuilding and Tolerance

In concluding his address, Stone shifts from critique to a call for rebuilding. He emphasizes the necessity of tolerance and coexistence amidst chaos. He envisions a future where Americans can "tolerate each other again" and live together despite ideological differences:

"We'll have to learn how to tolerate each other again. Live together somehow. And learn this new way of life."
[09:00]

Stone acknowledges the imperfections of this new societal arrangement but views it as a necessary evolution.

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Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps

• On Resignation from Partisan Politics:
  "Well, I'm sorry, Joe. I can't play that game anymore. It's time to say goodbye."
  [00:20]

• On Forced Ideological Conformity:
  "Farewell to being forced to lie about whether or not masks work."
  [00:35]

• On Corporate Manipulation:
  "Just take this pill and you too can be with us in the happy place."
  [01:15]

• On the Decline of the Left:
  "There is no saving whatever it is we used to call the Left."
  [04:50]

• On Surveillance and Loss of Freedom:
  "It was like Winston and Julia in 1984 trying to carve out some love and lust from the dystopia under Big Brother's ever watchful gaze."
  [05:30]

• On Masses Overthrowing Oppression:
  "They could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning."
  [07:00]

• On Rebuilding Society:
  "We'll have to learn how to tolerate each other again. Live together somehow."
  [09:00]

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Conclusion

Sacha Stone's "Farewell Address to a Woketopia Gone Wrong" serves as a fervent indictment of what he perceives as the overreach of progressive ideologies and the erosion of foundational American values. Through a blend of personal reflections, historical analogies, and sharp criticisms, Stone paints a picture of a society teetering on the brink of collapse due to ideological rigidity, corporate dominance, and pervasive surveillance. However, amidst the bleakness, he offers a cautious optimism that collective action and a return to foundational principles can pave the way for societal rebirth. This episode stands as a clarion call for listeners to reexamine current cultural trajectories and engage in the challenging yet essential work of rebuilding a more balanced and tolerant society.

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For more of Sasha Stone's insights, visit sashastone.substack.com.

Transcript

[Sacha Stone]

Hi, this is Free Thinking through the fourth Turning. My name is Sacha Stone. A farewell address to a woketopia gone wrong and not a moment too soon. Joe Biden said goodbye. He wanted to mirror Eisenhower, who once warned of the military industrial complex. But Biden saw something equally alarming. The big tech oligarchy. He sees Zuckerberg and Bezos attending Trump's inaugural. He greatly fears the power of Elon Musk. He realizes that his side lost control of it and now he wants all of us to be afraid. Well, I'm sorry, Joe. I can't play that game anymore. It's time to say goodbye. Farewell, Joe Biden. Farewell Democrats. Farewell hysteria. Farewell to mandated preferred pronouns in everyone's bio. Farewell to being forced to lie about whether or not masks work. Farewell to not being allowed to give people the benefit of the doubt. Farewell to being too afraid to ask questions about an experimental vaccine. Farewell to critical race and gender theory in elementary schools. Farewell to the ruling oligarchy. Yes, Joe, you were the front man for it. You can't fool me. I was part of it, too. It was like a daisy chain of paper dolls, Hollywood, all major corporate and cultural institutions, Big Pharma, and all of the ads they pumped into the veins of Americans that showcased the American utopia in all of its splendor. Just take this pill and you too can be with us in the happy place. Farewell to a government censoring speech via social media. Farewell to the absence of masculinity. Farewell to worrying about every word that comes out of our mouths. What we drive, what we wear on Halloween, what we buy, what we eat, what we watch, what we desire. Farewell to being made to hate ourselves and everything we know to be true but can't say out loud. Farewell to being the oppressors and the oppressed defined only by the color of our skin. Farewell to hating our history, hating our country, hating our heroes. Farewell to virtue signaling our goodness. Farewell to always being told that it's better to keep your head down and say nothing about any of it. Farewell to never being able to take a joke. Farewell to seeing problematic content in every movie. And farewell to the warning labels now affixed to all of them. Farewell to seeing all men as predators and all women as victims. Farewell to a country ruled by fear because our leaders can't see it any other way. Farewell to a president who called half the country ultra fascists, ultra Maga and extreme Maga Republicans. Farewell to a government that believes its biggest threat comes from the people of the United States. Farewell to life inside the doomsday culture where every single day is the end of the world. Farewell to every word taken literally and seen as another chapter of Mein Kampf. Farewell to repression and sanctimony. Farewell to the long dark winter. Farewell to lawn signs. Farewell to pretending Kamala Harris wasn't a terrible candidate installed by the deep state. Farewell to ever having to worry about speaking the truth. Farewell to the unshakable hopelessness, the unending sadness, the mourning of the long forgotten old left. It's never coming back. Everything has to be rebuilt. Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life. At least now you can have a life bringing it all back home. Watching the confirmation hearings brought it all back. Adam Schiff was still out of his mind, braying like he's Cotton Mather in the Oyer Interminer in Salem, demanding Pam Bondi say Joe Biden won the election. Why did it matter so much to him? Are there really that many Americans out there who need to hear those words said out loud? The nominee's worth depended on whether or not they would stand up to the tyrant, fascist, rapist, racist dictator that they impeached twice indicted, four times convicted on a bogus felony charge and all of which eventually landed in the fevered dreams of a washed up surfer hippie from Hawaii who got himself a gun and tried to kill the president to save democracy. And they still lost. They lost the electoral college and they lost the popular vote. I never get tired of saying that. Talk about owning the libs. What can we do except quote Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire?

[Unknown]

You hear me?

[Sacha Stone]

That's how much America hates them. After all, how hard could it possibly be to beat Hitler? The problem with utopias is they can't last. They either must become more authoritarian and thus less utopian, or they collapse. By the end of our utopia, anyone we knew could be one of those things. A bad person, a sexist, a racist, a homophobe, a bigot, a transphobe. Toxic masculinity, white feminism. Everyone was either an abuser or a victim. The weaker we were, the more we were celebrated. We'd snuffed out all independent thought. We were under constant surveillance by the government, advertisers, AI algorithms, and each other. We began to wonder what real life even was anymore. It was like Winston and Julia in 1984 trying to carve out some love and lust from the dystopia under Big Brother's ever watchful gaze. With children, spies at the ready to tattle and cancel those who break the rules. So if you say Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Like you say two plus two equals five. Then democracy might have a chance. But if you dare think for yourself. And you start looking behind closed doors. And see things you aren't supposed to see. Well, now you threaten democracy. When I pushed open the door of the Doomsday bunker and I escaped. I knew there was no going back. I also knew I couldn't save anyone. Much less the once great culture I used to love. There is no saving whatever it is we used to call the Left. There is only saving America from what it had become. So that all of us can at least have a fighting chance. No, it won't be perfect. Yes, it might be chaos, entertaining chaos, but chaos all the same. We'll have to learn how to tolerate each other again. Live together somehow. And learn this new way of life. Suddenly foisted upon us with the Internet. Because now we know what it looks like to shut ourselves off. From people and ideas we cannot control. If the Democrats on Blue sky and in the Senate confirmation hearings are any indication. Nothing much has changed on the inside. They're still transfixed by the one guy they couldn't cancel. The one guy they couldn't destroy. 1984, part two. If there was hope, it must lie in the proles. Because only there, in those swarming, disregarded masses. 85% of the population of Oceania. Could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated. The Party could not be overthrown from within. Its enemies, if it had any enemies. Had no way of coming together or even identifying one another. Even if the legendary Brotherhood existed. As just possibly it might. It was inconceivable that its members could ever assemble in larger numbers than twos and threes. Rebellion meant a look in the eyes. An inflection of the voice. At most, an occasional whispered word. But the proles, if only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength. Would have no need to conspire. They need only to rise up and shake themselves like a horse shaking off flies. If they choose. They could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning. Surely sooner or later it must occur to them to do it. George Orwell, 1984. And maybe now we're about to find out what happens in the sequel. Does Big Brother find a way to regain power by destroying Elon Musk to retake X and make it Twitter again? Do those of us exiled and canceled remain on the outside? Does the New York Times beg Bari Weiss to come back. Or the Atlantic to throw themselves at the feet of Walter Kern? Or Rolling Stone magazine, the crap rag it has become, offer Matt Taibbi millions to write for them again? Can those on the inside who have speciated with a whole new language and belief system learn to live with the unwashed masses again? Can they tolerate offensive speech? Can it all be one big, happy, dysfunctional family on the inside? The news that Carrie Underwood and the Village People were playing at the inaugural birthed a fresh new crop of mass hysteria and rage. So I'm guessing Saturday Night Live won't have Trump back anytime soon. The Oscars won't ask him to attend, and those who still believe they control this country will hold on to their collapsing empire until ashes, ashes, it all falls down. I don't know, but it doesn't matter, because today we say farewell and oh how sweet it is. Thank you for listening to my podcast, sashastone.substack.com don't forget to leave a review if you like the podcast. And remember to thine own self be true.

[Unknown]

If I had wind and Nora's dumb I'd fly up the river to the one I love fairly well O her knee fair the world early one morning drizzling rain and in my heart I felt a naked pain Very well far the world now one of these mornings it won't be long? You'll call my name and I'll be.

[Sacha Stone]

Gone.

[Unknown]

Fairly well, oh honey, fare fairly well. If I had wings like Nora's dove I'd fly up the river to the one I love oh fairy where oh honey, fair.