Aaron Swarz - how did they steal reddit?

The Digital Martyr: Unraveling the Persecution of Aaron Swartz and the Corporate Capture of the Digital Commons

Aaron Swarz - The Internet's Own Boy

This investigative report takes a serious in-depth look, into the complex, and often troubling narrative surrounding the life and death of Aaron Swartz, a figure whose idealism clashed with the rigid structures of institutional power and information control.  In this article, We shall examine the aggressive federal prosecution Aaron Swarz faced for alleged computer crimes, and analyze the disproportionate application of law and its profound human cost. Concurrently, the report scrutinizes the corporate evolution of Reddit, a platform Swartz co-founded, tracing its transformation from a vision of open discourse to a commercially driven entity. By applying the “Embrace, Extend, Extinguish” framework, it reveals how subtle shifts in ownership, policy, and algorithmic design can reshape digital public squares, effectively silencing dissenting voices without overt censorship. The analysis concludes that while direct post-mortem theft of Swartz’s personal digital assets is unsubstantiated, the true “nefarious acts” manifest in the systemic pressures that curtailed his activism and fundamentally altered the digital commons he championed, leaving a critical legacy for future digital citizens.

Introduction: The Enduring Shadow of Aaron Swartz: A Call for Critical Inquiry

Aaron Swartz, a prodigy of the early digital age, remains an emblematic figure in the ongoing discourse concerning digital rights, information accessibility, and the inherent tensions between individual liberty and institutional authority. His life, a vibrant tapestry of technological innovation and fervent activism, was tragically cut short at the age of twenty-six under circumstances that continue to provoke intense scrutiny and speculation. This report undertakes an unflinching, anti-establishment investigation into the forces that converged upon Swartz, exploring the severe legal pressures he endured, the disposition of his digital creations, and the profound metamorphosis of Reddit, a platform he helped bring into existence. The central premise guiding this inquiry is the examination of how idealism, when confronting entrenched power structures, can be systematically undermined, leading to a transformation of digital spaces from promised bastions of liberation to controlled environments. By dissecting these interwoven narratives, this analysis seeks to illuminate the mechanisms through which information control is exerted in our networked society.


Part I: The State’s Hammer: Aaron Swartz and the Weaponization of Law

The JSTOR Incident: Idealism Meets the Law’s Blunt Instrument

Aaron Swartz’s actions in late 2010 and early 2011, involving the download of millions of academic articles from JSTOR via the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) network, were not born of malice or personal gain, but from a profound philosophical conviction in the principle of open access to knowledge. He viewed the paywalling of scholarly research, much of which is publicly funded, as an unjust enclosure of a collective heritage, a “private theft of public culture”. His method involved connecting a laptop to an unlocked wiring closet on the MIT campus and running a Python script, “keepgrabbing.py,” designed to automate the rapid download of articles.

The responses from the entities directly involved in this incident reveal a striking divergence. JSTOR, the digital repository from which the articles were downloaded, initially responded by blocking Swartz’s IP addresses. However, following his arrest, JSTOR reached a civil settlement with Swartz in June 2011, under the terms of which he surrendered the downloaded data. Crucially, JSTOR explicitly communicated to the U.S. Attorney’s Office that they had “no further interest in the matter and did not want to press charges”. MIT, while acknowledging that Swartz’s actions constituted “clear violations of the rules and protocols” of their network, also expressed that the severity of the potential penalties seemed to “go against MIT’s culture of breaking down barriers”. Despite this, MIT maintained a largely neutral stance during the subsequent federal prosecution, a position that drew significant criticism from Swartz’s family and open-access advocates who felt the institution should have actively supported him.

The decision by federal authorities to pursue criminal charges with such intensity, despite the primary alleged victim’s disinterest in prosecution, underscores a fundamental aspect of the state’s power. This pursuit was not primarily about restitution or protecting JSTOR’s immediate financial interests. Instead, it suggests a broader state agenda related to enforcing information control and property rights in the digital age. The perceived “victim” in this scenario extended beyond JSTOR to potentially encompass the established academic publishing industry and the very concept of proprietary information itself, both of which Swartz’s actions directly challenged. This dynamic highlights a critical tension where the state can leverage its legal apparatus to set precedents and make an example of individuals, even when the directly aggrieved party has moved on. It signals a shift from a harm-based justice model to one driven by ideological enforcement and the preservation of entrenched power structures.

Prosecutorial Overreach: A System Rife with Intimidation

Despite JSTOR’s explicit disinterest in criminal prosecution, federal authorities, spearheaded by U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Heymann, pursued Aaron Swartz with an unwavering and, arguably, excessive zeal. Swartz faced multiple felony counts, including wire fraud and eleven violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). These charges carried a cumulative maximum penalty that escalated from 35 years to an astonishing 50 years in prison, alongside a $1 million fine, asset forfeiture, and supervised release.

Prominent critics, including former Nixon White House counsel John Dean and Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig, decried the prosecution as “overcharging” and “overzealous,” even labeling it “Nixonian” in its intensity. Legal experts, such as retired federal judge Nancy Gertner and Jennifer Granick, questioned the proportionality of the charges, noting that such lengthy sentences are virtually unheard of for similar cases. They underscored the CFAA’s nature as a “blunt instrument” with broad and vague interpretations, allowing prosecutors immense discretion.

The prosecution employed highly coercive plea bargaining tactics. Swartz was presented with offers ranging from four to six months in prison if he pleaded guilty to all 13 felonies, coupled with explicit warnings that rejecting these offers would result in significantly harsher terms, including a seven-year sentence if he chose to go to trial and lost. Swartz, however, steadfastly rejected these deals, refusing to admit guilt for actions he genuinely believed were not criminal.

The continuation of escalating charges, despite the alleged victim’s withdrawal and the widespread legal criticism, illustrates a chilling aspect of bureaucratic momentum. Once initiated, the criminal justice system can exhibit a tendency to spiral beyond reasonable bounds. This phenomenon is not necessarily driven by personal animosity but by a systemic imperative to justify its own processes and power. The objective can subtly shift from achieving justice to securing a conviction, making a public example, and validating the system’s existence and authority. This “Kafkaesque” dynamic reveals a profound flaw where the immense power of the state, particularly under ambiguous statutes like the CFAA, can be disproportionately applied to suppress perceived challenges to the established order, thereby creating a chilling effect on digital activism and open-access movements.

Table 1: Key Charges and Potential Penalties Against Aaron Swartz

Charge Category Specific Counts Maximum Statutory Penalty (Fines + Prison) Prosecution’s Plea Offer (Prison) Prosecution’s Proposed Sentence if Convicted at Trial (Prison) JSTOR’s Stance MIT’s Stance
Wire Fraud 2 $1M + 35-50 years 4-6 months (for 13 felonies) 7 years Settled civilly, no desire to press charges Neutral, later critical of severity
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) 11 $1M + 35-50 years 4-6 months (for 13 felonies) 7 years Settled civilly, no desire to press charges Neutral, later critical of severity

 

The Tragic Conclusion: Suicide Under Duress

On January 11, 2013, Aaron Swartz was found dead by suicide in his Brooklyn apartment, at the tender age of twenty-six. The absence of a suicide note left an immediate void, yet the context of his death spoke volumes.

The immediate aftermath was characterized by profound grief and unequivocal condemnation from his family and partner. Their public statement declared, “Aaron’s death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office and at MIT contributed to his death”. Robert Swartz, Aaron’s father, articulated this sentiment even more starkly at his son’s funeral, stating, “Aaron was killed by the government, and MIT betrayed all of its basic principles”.

Further compounding the controversy, it was reported that Swartz’s initial lawyer, Andy Good, had explicitly warned Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Heymann that Swartz was a “suicide risk.” Heymann’s alleged response, “Fine, we’ll lock him up,” if accurate, reveals a chilling indifference to Swartz’s mental state and the potential consequences of the relentless legal pressure. This alleged exchange underscores the perceived lack of empathy and the punitive mindset that critics argued permeated the prosecution.

While the complexities of suicide are undeniable, the direct and forceful statements from Swartz’s family and numerous observers establish a compelling connection between his death and the “intimidation and prosecutorial overreach” he endured. The relentless pursuit, the prospect of decades in prison, and the crushing financial burden, all for actions that JSTOR had settled civilly and did not wish to prosecute criminally, created an unbearable psychological toll. The implicit, or perhaps explicit, aim to “make an example” of Swartz served as a powerful deterrent to others who might dare to challenge established information control systems. This case stands as a stark illustration of the human cost of prosecutorial zeal and the chilling effect it can impose on digital activism and the broader movement for open knowledge. It compels a critical examination of legal systems that prioritize punitive measures over restorative justice or the well-being of individuals, particularly when those individuals challenge powerful interests.

Part II: The Shifting Sands of the Digital Commons: Reddit’s Metamorphosis

From Open Agora to Corporate Property: Reddit’s Foundational Shift

Aaron Swartz’s early involvement in Reddit was foundational, shaping its initial vision as a platform for open discourse and democratic participation. He joined the nascent team in November 2005 when his company, Infogami, merged with Reddit to form “Not A Bug.” Swartz became an “equal owner” and played a crucial role in rewriting Reddit’s codebase from Lisp to Python, utilizing his own web.py framework. This technical shift was driven by a desire for simplicity and maintainability, reflecting the open-source ethos he championed.

However, this period of idealistic, hacker-driven development was short-lived. In October 2006, just over a year after its founding, Reddit (through Not A Bug) was acquired by Condé Nast Publications for an estimated $10 million to $20 million. Swartz quickly found the corporate environment “uncongenial” and was “asked to resign” in January 2007. While debates persist regarding his exact co-founder status, his significant early contributions and ownership stake are well-documented. Reddit later became an independent subsidiary of Condé Nast’s parent company, Advance Publications, in 2011, which remains a major shareholder.

Swartz’s discomfort and eventual ousting from Reddit represent an early and poignant manifestation of the fundamental incompatibility between the open, collaborative, and often anti-commercial ethos of the hacker community and the profit-driven, control-oriented nature of large media corporations. His departure foreshadowed the platform’s inevitable shift away from its founding principles once it was subsumed by corporate interests. This pattern is a recurring theme in the digital realm: platforms born of idealistic, open-source principles frequently struggle to maintain their original character when confronted with the pressures of monetization, scalability, and corporate acquisition. The “transformation from liberation to control” often commences with the very structure of ownership.

Table 2: Reddit Ownership Evolution (2005-Present)

Year Key Event/Ownership Change Primary Owner/Major Shareholder Approximate Valuation/Acquisition Price Monthly Active Users (if available)
2005 Founded Steve Huffman & Alexis Ohanian N/A N/A
2005-2006 Merged with Infogami, formed “Not A Bug” Not A Bug (Huffman, Ohanian, Swartz) N/A N/A
2006 Acquired by Condé Nast Condé Nast Publications $10M – $20M N/A
2007 Aaron Swartz departs Condé Nast Publications N/A N/A
2011 Became independent subsidiary Advance Publications N/A 25 million
2014 Restructured under Advance Publications Advance Publications N/A N/A
2019 Funding round, Tencent investment Advance Publications, Tencent, VC Firms $3 Billion 330 million
2021 $410M funding round Advance Publications, Tencent, VC Firms $10 Billion N/A
22-23 IPO plans announced Advance Publications, Tencent, VC Firms $15 Billion (projected) N/A
2024 Initial Public Offering Public, Advance Publications (40%), Tencent (5%), Sam Altman (9%) $6.4 Billion (IPO) N/A

 

The Tencent Implication: A Glimpse into Global Information Control

A significant inflection point in Reddit’s corporate trajectory was the $150 million investment from Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings in early 2019. This investment, part of a larger $300 million funding round, valued Reddit at $3 billion. The announcement immediately ignited a firestorm of user concern and protest across the platform. Many Redditors voiced profound fears regarding potential censorship and the insidious influence of the Chinese government over the platform’s content. In a remarkable display of digital defiance, users actively posted images known to be banned in China, such as Winnie the Pooh and imagery from the Tiananmen Square protests, as a direct form of symbolic resistance.

While Tencent’s stake was a minority one, reportedly around 5% of the $3 billion valuation , most analysts concluded that this investment was unlikely to grant Tencent direct, controlling influence over Reddit’s content policies outside of China. Tencent is widely recognized as a “passive and stable investor” in numerous Western technology companies. Nevertheless, the sheer perception of a connection to a regime notorious for its stringent internet censorship was sufficient to generate substantial backlash among Reddit’s user base. This reaction highlights a deep-seated distrust of corporate and governmental influence over digital discourse, irrespective of the direct mechanisms of control.

The widespread anxiety triggered by Tencent’s investment reveals that the “silencing” of a platform does not always necessitate direct, overt control. The mere perception of an affiliation with a censorship-heavy regime can be enough to create a chilling effect or encourage self-censorship among users, or at the very least, erode fundamental trust in the platform’s commitment to free speech. This subtle “advisory influence” , or the indirect pressure to align with investor sensibilities, can prove as potent as explicit directives. This scenario illustrates how geopolitical tensions and corporate affiliations can subtly reshape the “digital commons” by influencing user behavior and platform reputation, even without overt “nefarious acts” in content policy. Furthermore, the market’s relentless demand for advertising revenue frequently drives moderation decisions, as controversial content often deters advertisers.

The “Embrace, Extend, Extinguish” Playbook: Silencing Dissent Through Algorithmic Control

The “Embrace, Extend, Extinguish” (EEE) strategy, famously attributed to Microsoft for its historical tactics in achieving market dominance by leveraging open standards , offers a compelling analytical framework for understanding Reddit’s profound transformation post-2013. This strategy involves three distinct phases:

  • Embrace: In its early years, Reddit genuinely embraced user-generated content and relied heavily on a decentralized, community-driven moderation model. This approach fostered a remarkably diverse ecosystem of “subreddits” and cultivated a reputation as a “bastion of free speech,” allowing for organic growth and a wide spectrum of discourse.
  • Extend: Over time, Reddit systematically introduced proprietary features, implemented significant algorithmic changes, and pursued aggressive monetization strategies. Algorithms increasingly began to shape and curate discourse, prioritizing “user engagement for advertising revenue” above all else. Content policies underwent a significant shift, leading to the banning of certain controversial communities and the implementation of “quarantine” functions, signaling a clear departure from its earlier “unlimited free-speech ethos”. This “extension” of control was frequently driven by external pressures from advertisers, lawmakers, and public outcry against problematic content.
  • Extinguish: The cumulative effect of these strategic changes has been a demonstrable “silencing” of certain voices and a fundamental reshaping of the platform’s character, effectively “extinguishing” its original vision of an unfettered digital agora. Users have incrThe Digital Martyreasingly reported feeling confined within “algorithmic cages” , experiencing the proliferation of “echo chambers” , and facing instances of content removal or suppression. The recent Initial Public Offering (IPO) further entrenches this trajectory, with explicit plans to maximize ad revenues and license user-generated content for AI training, raising profound concerns about data privacy and the commodification of online discourse.

The application of the EEE framework to Reddit’s governance reveals a subtle yet profoundly powerful form of control. Algorithms, often engineered to maximize “engagement” for advertising revenue, can inadvertently or intentionally construct “algorithmic cages” and “echo chambers” , thereby limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints and effectively “burying” dissenting voices. This is not censorship in the traditional governmental sense, but rather a corporate-driven curation of public discourse. The imperative for monetization transforms the “marketplace of ideas” into a managed consumer space. This trajectory raises critical questions about the long-term viability of truly democratic digital spaces within economic models fundamentally predicated on private accumulation and control. The “silencing” thus encompasses not merely the banning of content, but the insidious shaping of the very environment in which discourse unfolds, rendering certain ideas less visible or even invisible.

Table 3: Reddit Content Policy and Moderation Milestones (Post-2013)

Year Policy/Moderation Change Rationale Impact/Criticism Relevant Citations
2013 Ban of r/niggers Vote manipulation, inciting violence, disrupting communities First major ban, signaled shift from absolute free speech
2014 Ban of r/beatingwomen Sharing users’ personal information, organizing attacks Highlighted Reddit’s reactive moderation, driven by media pressure
2015 Introduction of “quarantine” function Restricting hateful/offensive content without outright banning Limited accessibility, but didn’t reduce content within subreddits; pushed some content to less moderated spaces
2015 Reddit Blackout Moderator protest against platform changes, lack of communication Demonstrated power of volunteer moderators, led to negotiations
2017 Ban of r/Incels Violating content policy (bullying, harassment) Communities migrated or rebooted under new names
2018 Subreddits allowed to appeal quarantine Response to user feedback, attempt to balance control Indicated ongoing tension between platform and communities
2019 Ban of r/Braincels Promoting rape and suicide, violating bullying/harassment policy Continued pattern of banning problematic communities
2019-Present Increased algorithmic curation, ad monetization Optimizing user engagement for advertising revenue Formation of “algorithmic cages,” “echo chambers,” content suppression
2020 Ban of r/ChapoTrapHouse Consistently hosting rule-breaking content, mods not reining in community Further shift away from “free speech” ethos, communities migrating to alternatives
2024 IPO and AI data licensing To generate revenue, capitalize on user-generated content User backlash over commodification of content, potential for AI-generated spam
2025 AI content rules in subreddits Addressing surge in AI-generated content Communities adapting to new challenges, platform tools for detection needed

 

Part III: The Unaccounted Legacy: Digital Assets and the Absence of Nefarious Transfer

Aaron Swartz’s Digital Footprint: What Was Truly His?

Aaron Swartz’s digital legacy extends far beyond his early contributions to Reddit, embodying a profound commitment to open information and collective knowledge. He was a prolific innovator and advocate, co-developing the RSS web feed format at the remarkably young age of 14, co-founding Creative Commons, and creating the web.py web framework, which he explicitly placed in the public domain, making it freely available for “whatever purpose with absolutely no restrictions”. His work also included significant contributions to the Open Library project, an initiative aimed at creating a free, accessible digital library of all published books.

Perhaps most famously, Swartz undertook the ambitious project of downloading millions of public court documents from PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) with the explicit goal of making them freely accessible to the public, challenging a system that charged for access to public domain information. This act, while drawing an FBI investigation, ultimately resulted in no charges being filed against him. His “Guerilla Open Access Manifesto” eloquently articulated his core philosophy: that information, particularly publicly funded or culturally significant data, should belong to the “commons” and not be privatized or controlled by corporations.

Regarding the JSTOR data, which formed the basis of his federal prosecution, it is crucial to note that this data was “surrendered” as part of a civil settlement with JSTOR before his death. JSTOR explicitly stated they had “no further interest” in the matter, indicating a legal and consensual disposition of that specific digital property. This was a transparent legal agreement, not a clandestine theft.

Swartz’s approach to digital creation and dissemination fundamentally challenged traditional notions of “ownership” and “transfer” of digital assets. His work embodied a philosophy where information, especially publicly funded or culturally significant data, should reside in the “commons,” rather than being privatized or controlled by corporations. His actions directly confronted the concept of “intellectual property” as being equivalent to physical property. Therefore, the conventional “transfer” of his personal digital assets or domains after his death, in a nefarious sense, largely becomes irrelevant. Many of his key creations were designed to be freely available and un-ownable in the traditional, proprietary sense. This highlights the ongoing philosophical and legal battle over information ownership in the digital age, compelling a re-evaluation of who truly benefits from information control and whether existing legal frameworks adequately serve the public good.

The Question of Transfer: A Legal vs. Conspiratorial Lens

The user’s query specifically probes how Swartz’s “content, product, domain and rights were transferred from his possession or that of his inheritors, and how the cpp code and domain transfer was possibly achieved without nefarious acts.” A meticulous examination of the available information reveals no evidence to substantiate a “nefarious” post-mortem transfer of Aaron Swartz’s personal digital assets or domains from his inheritors.

His equity in Reddit was part of the Condé Nast acquisition in 2006, a business transaction that occurred years before his death, and from which he departed in January 2007. This was a conventional corporate buyout, not a clandestine seizure. Furthermore, his web.py codebase, which the query refers to as “cpp code” (though it was Python, not C++), was explicitly placed in the public domain by Swartz himself. Public domain means the code has no restrictions and can be used for “whatever purpose”. Therefore, no “transfer” was necessary post-mortem; it was already freely available to all. The JSTOR data, the subject of his prosecution, was surrendered as part of a civil settlement before his death, and JSTOR had explicitly stated they had “no further interest” in the matter. His other significant projects, such as Open Library and the PACER efforts, were either collaborative ventures or explicitly designed for public access, not proprietary assets intended for traditional “transfer” or inheritance.

The implication of “nefarious acts” in the user’s query, when viewed through the lens of existing evidence, is more accurately directed at the systemic and legal actions that silenced Swartz’s voice and fundamentally transformed the digital landscape he championed. The primary “nefarious acts” were the prosecution itself—the overzealous application of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the coercive plea bargaining tactics, and the immense psychological and financial pressure that demonstrably contributed to his death.

Furthermore, the “silencing” of Reddit, if interpreted as the platform’s shift away from its founding principles, occurred through a gradual process of corporate evolution, policy changes, and algorithmic curation driven by monetization, rather than a direct post-mortem theft of Swartz’s personal digital estate. The “transfer” that occurred was one of control and ethos, from the hands of digital idealists to the grip of corporate and state power, rather than the illicit transfer of physical digital files from his estate.

Swartz himself was no stranger to the opacity of state agencies, having utilized Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to seek information on government investigations into his activities. The documented inaccessibility of some of these FOIA documents further underscores the persistent challenges in achieving full transparency from state actors, contributing to an environment where questions of “nefarious acts” naturally arise, even if direct evidence of post-mortem asset theft is lacking.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the Digital Future: Honoring Swartz’s Vision in a Centralized World

The tragic narrative of Aaron Swartz stands as a chilling indictment of a legal system capable of weaponizing its power against those who challenge established norms of information control. His relentless prosecution, disproportionate to any alleged harm, highlights the systemic “overreach” and “intimidation” inherent in the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a blunt instrument wielded by zealous prosecutors seemingly intent on making an example. This prosecutorial zeal, undeniably contributing to his profound distress and ultimate demise, casts a long, dark shadow over the promise of an open digital future.

Simultaneously, the evolution of Reddit, a platform born from Swartz’s vision of a democratic digital commons, mirrors a broader, unsettling pattern of corporate enclosure. From its early acquisition by Condé Nast to the subsequent investment by Tencent and its recent Initial Public Offering, Reddit’s trajectory reflects a profound shift driven by monetization imperatives. The application of the “Embrace, Extend, Extinguish” framework reveals how a platform can initially embrace user-generated content, then subtly extend its control through proprietary features and algorithmic curation, and ultimately extinguish its original ethos of unfettered discourse. The result is a transformed digital space, meticulously managed and optimized for advertising revenue, where the marketplace of ideas becomes a curated consumer experience.

While a direct, post-mortem “nefarious transfer” of Swartz’s personal digital assets from his inheritors finds no substantiation in the available evidence—his core projects were open-source, and his Reddit equity was settled years prior—the true “nefarious acts” lie in the systemic pressures that silenced his voice and fundamentally reshaped the digital landscape he fought to liberate. The “transfer” that occurred was not of files, but of control and vision from the hands of digital idealists to the pervasive grip of corporate and state power.

Aaron Swartz’s legacy remains a clarion call for vigilance and action. It compels individuals to critically interrogate the forces that shape online environments, to recognize digital infrastructure as a public utility rather than solely private property, and to renew a collective commitment to information freedom as a fundamental right. In a world increasingly defined by centralized digital platforms and algorithmic control, honoring Swartz’s memory demands sustained critical engaTry the Aaron Schwarz QUIZ!gement, a refusal to accept convenient narratives, and a collective imagination to reclaim digital spaces as true sites of authentic democratic participation, meaningful collective deliberation, and genuine human connection, transcending the logic of profit and control.

Author; Ajarn Spencer Littlewood

www.ajarnspencer.com
Try the Aaron Schwarz QUIZ!

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The Secret of the 33rd Degree Mason, & the Resonance of Mind that is Awakened;

Perhaps this talk does not reveal the true secret given to a Free and Accepted Mason of a Lodge during his Mystery Play Initiation as a 33rd degree freemason, but it is still very important  Masonic Lecture by Grand Master Manly P. Hall, valid for everybody around the world when we look at hos he describes the world and the Human Zeitgeist (Mindset). It is the Human Mindset, that has fallen into disarray and out of resonance with Mother Nature, and diverted our path towards self destruction, and Social Decline, which leads to the Fall of Civilizations.

The Lecture was made many years ago, even before Ecology was a Public Issue, and before the Moon Landing, but is almost more relevant today in 2021, than it was way back when in the time that he spoke these great words. One can consider the lecture a true criticism of the democratic capitalist system, and industrialism, and FIAT based non-hard-asset based economies (The Monetary System).

A hint at how humanity went wrong in its thinking (like when Cain Slew Abel, and left the Sons of Seth to continue to inherit the Earth, and the Sons of Cain to Perish in the Great Flood)… And a hint at how our minds should return to resonating WITH nature, not in Conflict with it 

Proof that Humanity has taken a wrong turn along the line, and is about to pay with Social Decline and perhaps Mass Extinction. It is also possible, that if we the population of the World, allow our unenlightened and uneducated leaders to continue to perpetuate their methods, we may be doomed, unless we return to living with Nature, and give up the desires for things described by Grand master Hall in his Lecture, and indeed by Jiddu Krishnamurti in his Talk included below in this blogpost.

The Year Earth Changed

 

The Year Earth Changed is a nature documentary that begins with a striking image from the earliest days of the pandemic: A nearly empty and mostly silent Times Square sets the scene for a film that examines the huge impact COVID had, not on us, but on the world itself. The documentary makes a convincing case that the coronavirus pandemic gave the planet a needed break.

The 48-minute documentary debuts on Apple TV+ on April 16, ahead of Earth Day, and it has a simple conceit. Yes, the pandemic has wreaked all kinds of havoc on humanity. But for animals and nature, a year of us humans largely staying home has provided an unexpected boon. (Source; Apple Insider Review)

This gives us a clue as to how we should be truly living, with nature, not in conflict with it

The Resonance of Mind that is Awakened.

Why Are We Truly Here?

If you wish to begin to understand, then you could benefit by listening to the ascended Thai Buddhist Master, Ajahn Chah;

Are we going through the greatest deception in history? And is it due to our own lack of will and mindfulness? Or is it down to the Evil Agendas of those who Rule, Control and Condition the Minds of the Masses? Are we born all unenlightened and all equally to blame for this mess we have got into? Where the world and nature is fighting back and we face Mass Extinction? Or is it due to certain self-supposedly ‘Awakened’ Individual Groups (yeah they think they are, but if they were, they wouldn’t be behaving like they do)?

 

Want to Investigate More in Full? – Download the Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall.

Manly.P.Hall_The.Secret Teachings.of All Ages

Place Importance on the stories/myths in this post, and try to make your choices as to how you are to learn to live on with Planet Earth, Mother Nature and the Algorithm of Evolution within Nature, in its self created deep-learning code of self learning

If we cannot learn to adapt and renounce the luxuries and technologies we have created to destroy nature, and our own chances of future survival as a race, then we are most certainly doomed to seeing the end of Civilization, and almost certainly nearly total Mass Extinction.

If anybody is to survive what is to come, and is already has begun its process, with only the meek who went off-grid, returning to natural living, & hopefully, inheriting the earth that remains after the proverbial ‘shit hits the fan’. This is meant Ecologically, Socially, Spiritually, Politically, and economically speaking.

I now leave you with a talk about some of the related issues in this post, beginning with some talk about the supposed worldwide plastic bans, which were all over all news channels worldwide in 2019-2020, & suddenly disappeared with the appearance Covid Pandemic, and the overblown promises made by governments about the banning of Carbon Emission Vehicles by 2030, and achieving Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, and why i say this is a deception, or an erroneous assumption by governments, and is impossible to achieve.


Corrupt Singapore Justice persecutes John Tan and Daniel De Costa and Xu Yuanchen after the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run Singapore

The Singaporean Justice and Their Paid Cronies the Singapore Cybercrime Police Division, have Embarrassed the Country in the Eyes of the World Once Again! Poor old John Tan (SDP) and Daniel De Costa, (and Xu Yuan Chen in addition).  John Tan and Daniel both being Persecuted by the CORRUPT SINGAPORE JUDICIARY MAFIA. John is being Persecuted with threats of Contempt to DISQUALIFY him from contesting in the Upcoming Election (Powers that be shitting their pants he might get in), after running the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run with Daniel De Costa both wearing ANTI DEATH PENALTY T-Shirts). 

Corrupt Singapore Justice persecutes John Tan and Daniel De Costa and Xu Yuanchen after the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run Singapore

Corrupt Singapore Justice persecutes John Tan and Daniel De Costa and Xu Yuanchen after the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run Singapore

Daniel De Costa was charged with Criminal Defamation after writing an article for the online citizen on Thursday (Dec 13) for publishing an article that alleged corruption among the Singapore Government’s highest officers. Xu Yuanchen, better known as Terry Xu, was charged alongside the alleged author of the article, 35-year-old Daniel De Costa. De Costa received a second charge of unauthorised access to computer material. Xu Yuanchen, better known as Terry Xu, was charged alongside the alleged author of the article, 35-year-old Daniel De Costa.

36-year-old Mr Terry Xu Yuan Chen, TOC’s editor, has been facing investigations regarding an article that alleged “corruption within the Singapore Government”, as well as matters related to our Constitution.

Daniel De Costa received a second charge of unauthorised access to computer material in addition to the first charge. De Costa had allegedly logged into the email account of a “Willy Sum” and submitted the article to TOC. The article, titled “The Take Away from Seah Kian Ping’s Facebook Post” was published under Willy Sum’s name.

Willy Sum was really a person called Sim Wee Lee, also known as Willy. The article, published on Sep 4, alleged that “we have seen multiple policy and foreign screw-ups, TAMPERING OF THE CONSTITUTION, CORRUPTION AT THE HIGHEST ECHELONS, and apparent lack of respect from foreign powers ever since the demise of founding father Lee Kuan Yew”.

All For Having A Jog In A Legally Registered Jogging Activist Run, and wearing Anti Death Sentence T-Shirts.!!!!!

“Singapore’s ministers should not have the power to singlehandedly silence anybody it wants to, including foreigners and their websites, and freedom of expression.  Singapore’s government wants to be the arbiter of what anyone can say! This is True Human Rights Abuse in Singapore, and STATE COMMITTED at That!”

WHERE IS THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THAT SINGAPORE??? RFMEMBER THE UN TREATY ON THE WORLD CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS YOU SIGNED!!!

As far as Singapore’s Silencing People’s Freedom of Expression is Concerned, even Wikipedia is constantly being re-edited to Hide the Facts about Judicial Corruption in Singapore, removing the true statistics of corruption, and replacing the info with Fake News type Propaganda by agents of the Singapore  Government who constantly monitor any new edits on Wikipedia on the ‘Corruption in Singapore’ page entry.

Whereas according to Human Rights Watch, who Singapore have also attacked, and tried to force the removal of online facts, claiming it to be ‘Fake News’, the Truth sounds more like this; “Singapore’s political environment is stifling, and citizens continue to face severe restrictions on their basic rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The government effectively controls print media, and online media outlets are forced to register with the government and post a significant bond. Bloggers and online media that comment on political issues are targeted for prosecution with vague and overly broad legal provisions on public order, morality, security, and racial and religious harmony.


Returning to the constant Vigil and Re-Editing of Wikipedia, one constantly removed and replaced phrase i have seen re-edited on a daily basis is the statement that ‘Corruption in Singapore is generally perceived as low. Cases are mostly handled by the Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a government agency in Singapore that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors’ The truth is that Corruption is percveived as High by most Citizens, as i myself have asked over 300 Citizens, ALL but 5 of whom agreed that the Justice System is Corrupt, and many Singaporean Citizens also expressed the Opinion that the Women’s Society of Singapore  who rule the Family Justice is also as Corrupt as a Colombian Army Officer. (and that’s saying something!)

In fact, the Singapore Government are not only posting Fake News on Wikipedia, but also on their own websites to bury the true facts posted on other sites, in the Google Search Engine.

Singaporean Government Fake News Propaganda

Government Manipulated Fake News Online to Bury Real Truth, and put it on Page 2 of Google

 

The CPIB are however also Cronies of the Government, and Hence, Part of the Corruption Ring, and will ALWAYS FIND CORRUPTION when investigating the Enemies of the State (Dissidents whose Freedom of Speech is Silenced), but will NEVER FIND CORRUPTION WITHIN ITS OWN ECHELONS.

Mr Xu Yuanchen stands accused by the State of publishing a defamatory article in Willy Sum’s name, without proper verification of the writer’s identity.

De Costa was arrested that same day at 2.50pm. Police also discovered he had plans to leave Singapore on a flight scheduled at 3.45pm. A search warrant allowed them to seize his electronic equipment as well.

Both parties will be charged with “criminal defamation” with possible jail terms of up to 2 years and a fine.

Hats of off to Xu Yuanchen for refusing to sign the below document!

Xu Yuanchen refuses to sign Charge Sheet

Editor Xu has “refused to sign” the charge sheet.

De Costa faces an additional charge for “unauthorised access to computer material” and utilising Mr Sum’s account without permission. He could face a $5,000 fine and/or a 2-year jail term.

I myself find this strange after reporting exactly such a Cybercrime to the Head of the Division itself Office Tan Yong Hua of the Singapore Police Cybercrime Division,

No prosecution was made for the two reported Cybercrimes, commited against me, to Illegally access my Apple Id and iMessages to steal Data and Manipulate it, and present the faked manipulated stolen Data as evidence against me in court, by the Abdutress of my Son, his Own Mother.

She stole the evidence, to evade having to return my Parentally Abducted son Angelo, who was abducted by the mother from Thailand to Singapore in 2014, and used Illegal Methods to Hoodwink the Singaporean Family Justice into not returning the child. Tan Yong Hua told me to fly to Singapore and make a police report, which i did, and after various emails, replied saying no action was going to be taken. Below is the initial email response from the Cybercrime Division.

Singapore Cybercrime Division's head Officer Tan Yong Hua's first response to my rep[ort of a cybercrime to Illegally Obtain Evidence to Dupe the Justice System. The Coirtys Accepted the Stolen Evidence Knowing it was illegally obtained, and ignored the allegations that the data had been manipulated to deceive.

Singapore Cybercrime Division’s head Officer Tan Yong Hua’s first response to my report of a cybercrime, committed by the Abducting Parent (Mother of my Abducted Son Angelo),  to Illegally Obtain Digital Evidence stolen from a private chat with my Brother, to Dupe the Justice System. – DISCLAIMER!!!!  I Ajarn Spencer Littlewood have never signed the Official Secrets Act. Adding such a warning as seen in the above screenshot of an email from the Singapore Police, is not legally Binding, and is in Fact an Intended deception. aimed at silencing or frightening those Citizens who do not know their international right to freedom of speech. It is intended to try to scare potential whistleblowers into revealing the contents of the emails. It is however not  legally acceptable, nor is it binding to put this kind of message in the footer of an email.

I, Ajarn Spencer Littlewood am not subject to, and have never signed the Official Secrets Act of Singapore, and as a British Citizen, am not subject to the laws of a country i neither live in nor visit, Nor do i recognise your self invented laws, so fuck yourselves!!!.

Here below in screenshot of my emails to Tan Yong Hua, is the story i told Tan Yong Hua, before flying to Singapore and fling an Official Police Report which was forwarded to him personally, as requested by him. I now realise that this was to keep the matter hidden, NOT to help me. Being sweet-talked by state officials in Singapore has happened to me on multiple occasions, and i am no longer so Naive to fall for it. I was however at the time, and believed he wished to help, which as it turns out, he didn’t.

Pre-Official Email Response to Singapore Cybercrime Division head Tan Yong Hua, before filing official Police Report for Investigation and Prosecution, which never happened.

Pre-Official Email Response to Singapore Cybercrime Division head Tan Yong Hua

I say to Tan Yong Hua; Why was my Singaporean Ex Wife’s act of “unauthorised access to computer material” not Prosecuted, but the allegations against Daniel Da Costa are????

In my case, the Cybercrime Division refused to Prosecute, and Courts Accepted the Stolen Evidence Knowing it was illegally obtained, and ignored the allegations that the data had been manipulated to deceive. (I shall reveal the Corrupt Judicial Misconducts against Myself and My Internationally Abducted Son Angelo in a separate Post).

SO WHY TAKE ACTION AGAINST DANIEL DA COSTA BUT NOT MY EX WIFE?????

ANSWER THAT TAN YONG HUA!

The Singapore Justice IS UNDENIABLY CORRUPT, as are their Cronies in blue-black, the Police. I myself had a Singaporean log into my Apple ID and use stolen Data to harm me, and Tan Yong Hua head of Cybercrime Division took my complaint and DID NOTHING!  So Cyber-Crimes against Individual Citizens is Ignored by the Singapore Police. But…. when someone criticises the government, The Cybercrime Division Bends over and spreads their Buttocks!

You Failed To Silence Human Rights Watch, and You Singapore, will also Fail to Silence other Human Rights Warriors around the World. For We Are Anonymous, Legion, and We are Not Subject To Your Laws Outside Of Singapore, And You Will Fail To Silence Me, Because You, the Singaporean State, and its Corrupt Singaporean Judiciary, Assisted In The International Parental Child Abduction Of My Son In 2014, To Hide It From Your Compulsory Annual Report To The Un On The Civil Aspects Of International Parental Child Abduction And Article 10 Of The Rights Of The Child

NOW TRY TO SILENCE ME YOU CORRUPT DESPOTS!

Despotic Leader Singapore Lee Hsien

Despotic Leader Singapore Lee Hsien

faceless & nameless

We are En-Masse Virtually Anonymous – We Are Legion – But some of us are brave enough to Show Our Faces, like me, Ajarn Spencer Littlewood. After what you did to my son Singapore, who i shall probably never see again, YOU SHALL PAY WITH THE LOSS OF REPUTATION YOU DESERVE, AS WILL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ASSISTED IN MY SON’S ABDUC TIOBN AND RETENTION, AND REMOVAL OF HIS RIGHT TO ARTICLE 10 OF THE WORLD CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD!

Sources;

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/online-citizen-toc-editor-terry-xu-charged-criminal-defamation-11025326

https://www.yellowribbonprisonrun.sg

https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/03/singapore-reject-sweeping-fake-news-bill

Faces in the Crowd - Life Out of Rhythm

Welcome to Part One of the Destroyer Podcast Series – This is one of my Freestyle Explanations of how on earth we came to find ourselves living as we do, in Human Society as it is, and why we assume that the Monetary System, Education System, Rule and Governance, and Economics are the only way forward for Humanity to Evolve as a Civilisation. it begins with revealing how Governments are Merely the Surviving Systems once formed by Armed Gangs of Barbarians, and how badly they behave and criminal they can be to each other.

Evolutionary Sciences are growing and changing all the time, as new discoveries and technologies permit us to understand the evolutionary process which underlies all creation (the Material and Immaterial Universe)

Genetic Evolution, Social Evolution, Political Evolution, Cultural Evolution, Scientific Evolution…. as to natural Selection and the Human Species, we have not stopped Evolving, nor has our Society stopped evolving.

Humanity has been in Serfdom since well before Feudal Times, in fact since around the time of the law of Hammurabi or before, we have been bullied and ruled and controlled, taxed (robbed) and punished, even executed (often for things which are neither unethical nor sinful, such as having a different belief)

Since international flights became cheaper, we have much more inter-racial marriages and children resulting from this, we eat foods from all around the world. The food we ate in our respective environments in olden days changed how our skin bones and body resistances evolved. Now we are eating everything from Pizza to raw Sushi, and we still do not know how this will affect our genetic evolution.

evolution of human physicality diet is uncertain, but if we study how diet has caused various races on various continents to evolve, we may be able to predict to some extent how we may evolve through international diet

The Evolution of Diet – National Geographic Article

Evolution currently has 5 facets to the ‘science’, namely Natural Selection, Mutation, Genetic Drift, Punctual Equilibria, and Lateral gene Transfer. However, this is in reference to the process of Evolution within the Physical Living Body

Evolution is a process similar to Machine Learning in Computing Artificial Intelligence Algorhithms, the Program learns from Experiencem, and Builds new Versions based on those Experiences.

Humans no longer understand how Machine Learning works nor how an A.I. Algorithm makes its decisions, just as we do not understand how Nature (Evolution), makes its decisions to Evolve into the next Phase.

The use of GPS  devices causes us to focus more on certain parts of the brain and to neglect other parts, which we had to use before for orientation. The use of technology is also influencing which parts of our brain we use, and which we cease to use, and Evolution will adapt to that situation. Our Orientation abilities are hence changing without us knowing what the results will be in the far future.

And so on, there are so many influential factors as to how we ended up in this mess, but Evolution is the force which drives everything, be it the Human greed and Desire for Power that causes Rogue Nations to arise, Empires to be Built, or the Monetary System and Education-Employment system which enslaves and robs us of our children, and makes the population of the world into employees instead of the inheritors of their family’s business/trade.

Evolution is a self learning automated algorithm designed to improve upon itself, just like Google Deep Mind learns from itself.

The series ‘The Destroyer’ will continue soon with a second episode.. the talks fly all over the place, because the world is a complex thing to explain.. but if you can intuit what underlies what i am saying, you may see behind the veils of this Matrix of Control that is both Orwellian and Dystopian, and which needs a great effort on a mass scale to disentangle oneself from.

This is not about Spiritual Enlightenment, it is about Worldly Enlightenment

The next Podcast i record in this series will deal with how Economics, Law, Rule and Government control how Human Civilisation Evolves, and how Economics is the main focal hub of the whole system. A system which is Ruled by Rich Families of Economists, who Own Multinational Corporations, which are much richer and more powerful and influential, than any single Government, or even Governments in Unison.

Peasants and Vassals

Peasants and Vassals

Governments hardly ever work in true Unison Anyway, due to the current ‘Us and Them’ stage of Human Consciousness, which causes us to still require the preservatiobn of individual nations and Cultures, who see each other as strangers, and potential enemies. Each Nation Looks After its Own Interests, and uses its resources to Bully or Extort Trade Deals and benefits from other Nations.

One should listen to the tales of an ex Economic Hitman, to understand properly the things i speak of, and will continue to speak of

Let the ‘Us and Them’ Consciousness’ Mindset end in this Era, and let the World Federation of Ethically Minded Humans begin. Imagine no countries, differences, religions, arguments, wars….

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Bad Governments Links

Criticism of the United Nations

In January 2017, Kuwait carried out its first executions since 2013, hanging seven people.

How the United States Interfered with Nicaragua

British Government Poisoned its Own People in secret Chemical Warfare tests 

Singapore’s Shocking Human Rights Record

Human Rights in Singapore

Human Rights Watch Report 2017 Singapore

Zeitgeist Inane Dragon

DocumentaryZeitgeist Movement Visual Wake-Up Call part One

2007 Release Movie, directed and produced by Peter Joseph

There are currently 4 different Zeitgeist Video Documentaries available om the Zeitgeistmovie.com Website

See More on the Zeitgeist Movement Website.

The Zeitgeist (spirit of the age or spirit of the time) is the dominant set of ideals and beliefs that motivate the actions of the members of a society in a particular period in time. For example, the Zeitgeist of modernism motivated the creation of new forms in the fields of architecture, art, and fashion during much of the 20th century.

Zeitgeist is a powerful force embedded in the individuals of a society. The German word Zeitgeist, translated literally as “time mind” or “time spirit”, is often attributed to the philosopher Georg Hegel, but he never actually used the word. In his works such as Lectures on the Philosophy of History, he uses the phrase der Geist seiner Zeit (the spirit of his time)—for example, “no man can surpass his own time, for the spirit of his time is also his own spirit.” (Wikipedia)

Below a preview of Peter Joseph’s next production ‘Inner Reflections’

Zeitgeist Etymology