As a Satanist, I believe it's important to remain aware, to keep your eyes and ears on the pulse of the world so that we can act accordingly.

A philosopher I read avidly has written a lot on social politics, and has brought light to some troubling issues we as a community should be careful of.

The state of social politics is, frankly, oppressive. Certain voices are silenced, others are blasted on megaphones. Historical circumstances are abused as a political commodity at the expense of actual, tangible merit.

But the issue of most concern regards the nature of oppression. In the past, tyrannies would openly punish a dissident as an example. Nowadays, this liberal tyranny operates covertly, and is far more dangerous.

He poses an interesting example:
In the past, parents would demand of their children to visit their grandparents 'or else'. Now, parents inform their children that their grandparents would enjoy the company of their grandchildren.

The difference, while subtle, highlights how people are being thought-controlled. Where previously the child could be angry at their parent for making such a demand, now the child has no one to blame but themselves for visiting, or indeed not visiting, their grandparent.

Current social politics involves a complex "blame game". Leaderships of all kind - from government to employers - disguise themselves from being oppressors by invoking your agency. Phrases like "It's in your own interest", "It's not like you" and "I encourage you", while are managerial jargon to get a task complete, are ways of controlling how you think - specifically, to make you your own oppressor.

Further adding to the oppression is context. Often, this kind of language will make you out to be your own oppressor in trying times (such as when something goes wrong), but the language changes when in more successful situations, suggesting at collaboration and good, constructive leadership. Therefore, they want you solely responsible for your shortcomings, but want to share in your successes.

Be keenly alert to the way people speak. What they say, how they say it and when they say it could be an attempt on manipulating your mind.

Be critical. Your mind is your own and no one should take that from you, but also consider that you may be prone to error, and use it as a learning experience. But also don't so readily accept blame when someone accuses you of something: it may be a way of making you oppress yourself with unnecessary guilt.

Stay safe out there.