Who is Caesar, and why should we care?

LONG READ - approx 10 minutes

This is an extract from my book Start Your Own Country. I wrote this in 2017 and published it the following year. You may be able to see from this how the events of 2020 came as no shock to me.

You can buy the book to see how the story unfolds HERE

Wake Up!

Something is wrong. Terribly wrong. You have always known it, but it used to be easier to deny, to sweep aside in favour of something (anything) new and exciting. ‘Forward to the Future!’ people used to say. But few say that with glee anymore, not since it all went wrong.

The situation is compounded because no one really agrees on what the problem is. Sure, most people have pretty strong views that it is THIS or THAT, or HIM or THEM that brought the crisis, but ask them HOW? or WHEN? or WHY? And the picture becomes murkier. Yet most people can see that things have gone badly WRONG, and this realisation is the start of an awakening.

Awakening should not be feared. We do it every day. Every morning our fantastical dream world (or state of nothingness) recedes and we stagger, half here, half there into our familiar, earth bound existence. Some of us immediately feel the pain and heaviness of the physical – the limbs ache, the head throbs, the heart races, the stomach twists. Others leap enthusiastically, or blindly, into the madness, but even those people need a few moments to adjust. Yes, the early morning is a TIME OF ADJUSTMENT.

So, we begin, pondering our condition, and trying to understand our place. As we work through this, day-by-day, we sooner or later ask – who is in charge here? And the answer is the same for all of us. It is Caesar. Caesar is in charge, and this world is his domain.

Who is Caesar?

A core part of Caesar’s strategy is that you can never clearly identify him. When his name is first mentioned we recall a guy from two thousand years ago – Gaius Julius Caesar – the general who seized power in the last days of the Roman Republic and became its first dictator. But his name, Caesar, transformed into a title for all the many Emperors that followed him, eventually becoming Kaiser and Tsar, with such titles still in active use today.

In all these cases, the person of any individual Caesar is irrelevant, for Caesar lives on symbolically wherever earthly power is exercised. The truth is therefore unavoidable; there is not just one but millions of Caesars, all servants to the One Caesar, all exercising POWER in the OUTER WORLD over SPACE-TIME-EVENTS. This is the definition we must constantly bear in mind for Caesar is present wherever there is ownership, trade, currency, hierarchy, and law. And he (but sometimes she) always demands tribute.

Caesar rules the capitalist system. But he also rules the communist system. He is a socialist, marxist, libertarian, and conservative, all at the same time. He is a registered Republican and a campaigning Democrat, and will encourage you to support any side of an election or referendum that suits his ends. In truth then all political parties belong to him, but because Caesar is no fool he covers his bases by also being the ruler of all revolutionary movements as well as all the authorities and bureaucracies which prop up his status quo. He is the system, and the anti-system.

Caesar is personified in every greying, aging, defunct and bankrupt government as well as every bright new hope. He is a supporter of every ‘Better Way’ and an affiliate of every tradition. Certainly, different Caesars will distribute power, money, property, and opportunity in different ways. One Caesar will definitely benefit one section of society, while another will prioritise elsewhere. This is the way that Caesar ensures that he never loses control and that all changes of government operate Caesar’s rules for Caesar’s benefit. Revolutions to overturn Caesar always result in the proclamation of a New Caesar. It is always true that once the King is dead the new proclamation is ‘Long live the King!’

Every aspect of the human Outer World is in Caesar’s domain. He exerts control over business, industry, government, and charities. He presides over the military as well as maintaining a militia of police and government agencies. He determines, through his servants in the media, what is and is not discussed, but makes sure to offer up the illusion of conversation and enquiry on his fake-play-acting-stages known as radio, TV, and the Internet. He exerts his authority more subtly at festivals, conferences and symposiums where he knows he will find a rich seam of compliant people whom he can scare into doing his bidding. He extends his power further by creating institutions, guilds, unions, and associations to act as his gatekeepers, making sure that they regulate human thought and behaviour across a million sectors of human life.

Different faiths are consecrated in any one of Caesar’s many names, for he is clever enough to know that full control of his human stock can easily be established if people believe themselves free to choose – when all the while Caesar has pre-determined the options available for selection.

Caesar’s goal in all this is to make YOU reliant on HIM, for all the essentials of life. He demands that you relinquish your ability to HEAL YOURSELF and bow before his anointed priests, whom he calls doctors. He intends that you abandon all attempts to EDUCATE YOURSELF and wants you to hand yourself over to his appointed clerics called TEACHERS. He certainly does not want you to FEED YOURSELF nor SUSTAIN YOURSELF in any way. He wants you to become totally dependent upon him and his minions. And he is in no special hurry to achieve this; after all, he has been busy with this for thousands of years.

Already this picture of Caesar will be too much for most people to bear, which is why the TIME OF ADJUSTMENT tends to bring only partial visions of Caesar. Early realisations that something is profoundly wrong tend to occur as a result of a bad experience at the hands of one kind of Caesar. The loss of a job might seed resentment against Capitalist Caesar and draw the victim into social action or resistance of some kind. But equally if one’s awakening occurs while queuing for hours for food then the Marxist Caesar may be identified as the enemy. Yet both these visions are two sides of the same Coin of Caesar. There are many Caesars to rebel against, but if we do so only partially, then we are in danger of swapping one form of external control for another. There is, however, another way, if we can bear it.

Less Obvious Caesars

To really move through the crisis we have to see all of Caesar’s many faces. He could be old, or he could be young. He might be Christian, Muslim, Humanist or Atheist. He might live in a £20 million penthouse, or he may live on the streets. He may say – and then demonstrate – that he cares. He may give, or he may receive, he may speak softly, or he may bully and screech. And never forget, that he could be female. The enemy – for that is who Caesar is – is hard to identify. Here are some, but by no means all, of his faces.

Equality Caesars

‘That which unites us is far greater than that which divides us,’ said Caesar, once.

‘Build bridges, not walls,’ said another Caesar, a little later.

The truth – which Caesar wishes that you do not see – is that each of us are on this planet alone, that we came here alone, must live alone and will die alone.

‘How selfish and uncaring,’ said a third Caesar.

But it is true. And, despite what Caesar said, it is good.

Everyone is different, everyone can do something in a way that no one else can, and everyone is special – at least potentially. And it is in these differences that we can make a meaningful contribution and lead a worthwhile life, despite the fact that Caesar says no. History tells us that people go mad in crowds and, only afterward, privately, one by one, do they come to their senses. Further, no two people are ever in precisely the same place at precisely the same time, and no event is witnessed or interpreted identically by two people. There is, therefore and unavoidably, no equality, either of opportunity or of outcome, and there never will be. But Caesar would love you to think that there could be, because he really gets off on the conflict generated by people who fight for the impossible.

To perpetuate a state of confusion and anger Caesar has bestowed upon his followers EMOTIONAL SUBJECTIVITY, blinding them to the real injustices of the world so that they judge all things through their own narrow lens of preference.

Educational Caesars

Starting at nursery, through school, college, technical workplace skills and continuing professional education, Caesar is supreme. His most favourite arena is in the university where he has successfully installed armies of politically correct safe-space monitors to promote his group-think pyramid scheme of unsustainable debt and unsubstantiated knowledge.

He does this because it is in Caesar’s interests that you raise yourself a little, but not too much. It is important that you are taught certain things that pertain to Caesar, but that the general body of empowering knowledge is kept from you. Certainly, for Caesar, it is vital that you do not educate yourself, for those who do always, eventually, discover his plan. He therefore, long ago, took control of language and forever will decide what is and is not within the acceptable bounds of enquiry. ‘This is what you can say, this is what you must study, this is beyond the pale and that is just stupid,’ he says, through his minions.

Outside of the schoolroom Caesar commands that you worship experts and revere qualified professionals, appreciate only certain forms of culture, and rank approved education and its attendant status as marks of your achievement. Caesar subverts the truth that knowledge is organic and freely available, preferring to promote the culture of accreditation and certification. He especially despises the immutable fact that wisdom is accrued freely and requires no intervention from him.

Management Caesars

Caesar loves compliance, but better still nonconformance. He has many armies, fighting on many fronts, with weapons such as Key Performance Indicators, deliverables, rollouts, implementation periods, and approved provider frameworks. Let us have a meeting about the number of people killed by such managerialism, better still; let us set up a working group with an obscure acronym – CCG, Caesar’s Compliance Group – and invite all his best (worst) brains to contribute.

Healthcare Caesars

Caesar’s Plan, for a while now, has been to promote the idea that the human body is simply a machine, with buttons to press and icons to tap. ‘Do this, to fix that,’ he says. To this end he has co-opted an army of academics, salesmen and physicians to establish healthcare norms, diagnose deviations from those norms and medicate accordingly. Who now, within the healthcare industry, ever speaks of healing? Depend upon Caesar, that is the game. In one of Caesar’s territories, known as the UK, he has even managed to turn state provided healthcare into a national religion. Woe betide anyone, in that country, who questions the integrity of the NHS. Worship all clinicians and healthcare professionals, says Caesar (cleverly giving them much better titles than mere doctor or nurse).

Charity Caesars

Caesar understands that humans must sometimes feel good about themselves. Indeed, he knows that the owner of a puffed-up sense of self is unlikely to ever break free, preferring instead to seek more feel good rewards. To this end Caesar has instigated and promoted belief in the world-changing nature of charity. By this I do not include the individual acts of kindness that occur outside of Caesar’s watch. No, Caesar can accrue nothing from them, but multimillion pound international feel-good projects? They can feed his hunger admirably well, especially when after millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours a charitable foundation is barely able to point to a single sustained improvement, even though it may be able to rally an army of enthusiastic supporters.

Performance Caesars

Actors, singers, musicians, dancers, writers – all these are prime fodder for Caesar, for the very act of creativity is one of abnegation, the setting aside of oneself in order to inhabit an alternative role or embody a bigger idea. And while the creative is in this heightened state Caesar strikes, invading the hearts and minds of these eager, empty vessels, such that they start to believe the words that come from their mouths, or pens. You cannot trust creative folk to lead you to the Promised Land, because many of them do not even know who they are themselves.

Political Caesars

Antifa, Black Lives Matter, the IRA, the KKK, Baader Meinhof, ETA, Bolsheviks, Cromwell’s Roundheads – no matter age or circumstance there will always be new Political Caesars. Most antisystem movements whizz up like rockets, make a tremendous impact, and then fall to the ground. But some – the Nazi Party of Germany, the British Labour Party, France’s En Marche – seize control of the citadel, only for their followers to learn that Caesar always reigns in THIS DOMAIN.

Communism is Caesar covering his bets, and social justice equity movements are Caesar doubling down that same bet, for he will never relinquish power, though he will willingly change those who guard his city, according to the times.

The mob, as well as the police who resist them, are both Caesar simultaneously, for they each form part of the ant-hill, hierarchical, top-down power structure that Caesar so relies upon.

Environmental Caesars

“Intone the mantra of man-made climate change at every turn,” says Caesar, “and never a skeptic be. Lo, behold the sacred hockey-stick graph that predicteth a grim fate for humanity. Clasp thee to thy bosom for protection and question not the holy writ handed down to you by my priests, who you know as scientists. Obey and accept this, utterly, lest ye be shamed and cast out of the city.”

It has been one of Caesar’s most effective operations, to place the questioning of climate change, its causes, scope and solutions, beyond the perimeter of serious discussion. In extreme cases, even when someone claims not to know – having not even travelled as far as not believing, simply not knowing – they risk censure and ridicule. All must abase themselves before the Science of Caesar and accept completely the pronouncements of its intolerants.

Legal Caesars

Abandon and forget any idea that you can claim a piece of land, and declare yourself sovereign and free upon it by renouncing the laws of the country in which you live. Unilateral Declarations of Independence, within Caesar’s domain, never work. In fact, to attempt such is just another imperial entanglement, drawing you into deeper involvement with Caesar. Forget discovering ancient land rights or crafting new interpretations of Caesar’s Law. Caesar rules this domain utterly and he reserves unto himself the ability to sanction you, restrict your movements and legislate your livelihood, even out of existence if he so wishes. Even when society eventually installs a New Caesar he too will exert all the same powers, just in a different direction. Caesar appears differently to different people at different times. But whether he presents as an armed soldier, a psychiatrist, a TV Licensing Enforcement Officer, health visitor, government approved Named Person, parking attendant, door supervisor, environmental health officer or any kind of compliance officer or marshall the effect is always the same – installing control, and breeding dependence. Caesar cannot be bargained with, ignored or resisted. He demands tribute, for he rules in this domain – No Exceptions!

Caesar’s Servants

It is unfortunate yet wholly true that Caesar has many servants, some of whom are innocent well-meaning people who have been co-opted to his cause. It is more unfortunate still, that these people must, inevitably, be against you. Of course, they do not mean to be, and they certainly would not admit their role or responsibility, but their servitude to Caesar trumps their humanity. Caesar has them, because they owe him.

Debts to Caesar take many forms. Mortgages, student loans, bank overdrafts, credit card balances – all these things are monies owed to Caesar, but there are many more forms of debt than this. Whatever the currency used, Caesar will have his payment for he gives nothing freely. But it is not just cash that he wants, for he accrues unto himself all the blood, sweat and tears that you have put into earning that cash too.

Beware when trying to identify Caesar’s servants. Caesar rules most effectively where his flag is not flown and those who have truly renounced Caesar have done so invisibly, below his radar. Caesar may be male or female, he may be gay or straight, Christian or Muslim, American or Chinese, young or old, happy or sad, he may speak in support of Caesar, or identify himself as part of the resistance – but whatever form he takes Caesar’s servants are always inauthentic and conditional. Caesar’s servants are also fearful, which is why they are his servants. They may be intelligent, but they are not brave and are scared of their own shadow, their own thoughts and their own image. They live in fear of the latest news and of how it might affect them.

Updates from Caesar: The News – forget it!

Journalists are no longer – if indeed they ever were – fearless seekers speaking truth unto power. They are, in the main, partial and biased, whose reports contain 1% news and 99% opinion. The News is a business, concerned with telling its audience, not what is, but what they should think of what is not. The News – whether presented seriously and soberly in print, or visually on screen through jokes and fast paced sequences – is, under Caesar, simply interpretation upon interpretation and its repetitious nature – the showing of traumatic sequences over and over again – is toxic to the health and strength of its audience.

Within the News media every event is deemed as unprecedented, or so utterly shocking that it warrants immediate attention and analysis, though this is always done with the reporters thumb firmly on the scales of balance to ensure that everything said supports Caesar’s narrative of System versus anti-System, while ensuring that Caesar reigns whatever the system. Breaking News, folks – the News is of no use and the revolution will not be televised.

And what of the good and gracious army of fact-checkers whose nemesis is Fake News? Well, they are just reincarnated inquisitors with the power of Caesar behind them. They do not want to eradicate Fake News, because Caesar needs it, and uses it freely as a way to cast all contrary opinions aside.

It is clear to see that Caesar has not been standing still in these times, and has heartily embraced technology, realising early on that much greater control would be possible if the population believed itself to be engaged and involved. He has therefore been fully on board with the drive to like, share and comment, ensuring that the available multiple-choice options contain little of any real substance. Social media has worked wonders for Caesar, and he has greatly appreciated how his subjects so readily come together to grieve after an event while remaining unable to see clearly enough to prevent the event in the first place.

Buy the book, and write a happy ending to this story HERE.

There is a way out of this state of affairs, but only by seeing it as it truly is.