Parwy's Blog: The Anti-Woke Expert: “We Are Witnessing The Fall Of The UK & The USA!”

Konstantin Kisin is a Russian-British satirist and co-host of the podcast TRIGGERnometry. He is also the best-selling author of the book, ‘An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West’. In this conversation, Konstantin and Steven discuss topics such as, how wokeness has lost true meaning, the dangers of a victim mindset, the real reason men are struggling, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Threat of Ideological Extremism and Societal Suicide

Ideology is considered detrimental because once an individual adopts a prepackaged set of beliefs, they may quickly lose interest in the truth.
The ideology of wokeness promotes a hierarchy of oppression and victimhood, viewing people as groups of oppressors and victims rather than individuals, which is dangerous because teaching people to be victims actually causes them to suffer in real life.
Historically, most civilizations are not destroyed externally but through cultural suicide, a threat that the author attributes to rampant progressivism or "woke culture".
The core belief driving this threat is that Western society and its history are inherently bad, being based on slavery, colonialism, and exploitation. This narrative undermines the willingness of people to defend the West or teach its values to their children.

Wokeism: Definition, Characteristics, and Harm

Wokeness, which gained traction around 2014, was initially a self-compliment used by activists who felt "awakened" to systemic forces like intersectionality, white privilege, and male privilege. It now serves as an insult for those seen as detached from reality, obsessed with trivial issues, and interested in narratives over facts.
Wokeism is essentially a new form of Marxism ("Race/Gender Marxism"), where the lens of oppression shifts from the Bourgeois vs. the working class to different racial, sexual, and gender groups.
This ideology creates a hierarchy of oppression where groups deemed more victimized (e.g., ethnic minorities, women) are considered morally superior, while successful groups (e.g., white people, or even high-achieving Asians in America) are viewed as suspect or oppressors. This generalized, simplistic view of people, treating them as groups rather than individuals, is destructive.
The Harm of Victimhood:
- Adopting a victimhood mindset acts as a perceptual filter, predetermining negative outcomes (perception is projection). People who believe they are victims look for and find evidence of discrimination, even when it doesn't exist (e.g., the scar experiment).
- It fosters learned helplessness, as opposed to resilience and strength, which are the messages truly needed by people who suffer discrimination.
- Victimhood may offer temporary emotional relief (feeling understood) but does not actually improve life outcomes.
Echoing Marxism, woke ideology frames unequal outcomes among identity groups as evidence of systemic oppression and seeks to engineer equality of outcome rather than equality of opportunity. The pursuit of equal outcomes, while superficially attractive and virtue signalling, harms society. A more effective approach is to focus on policies that guarantee equal opportunities for everyone.

Geopolitical Consequences of Western Weakness

As the West loses confidence, becomes more divided, and is distracted by trivial arguments (e.g., "arguing about what a woman is"), other countries view this as a signal of weakness and capitalise on it.
The geopolitics seen in recent years, including the war in Ukraine, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and China's assertiveness over Taiwan, would likely not be happening if the West were not signalling division and weakness.
The West's dominance is largely based on technological advantage, which stems from the fundamental values of freedom of research and expression.
The decline of the West's dominance, hastened by internal division, is expected to lead to more global conflict and violence, as powerful nations like Russia and China compete for the dominant position in a "multi-polar world".
If the West ceases to be dominant, its core values (human rights, freedom of speech, equality of treatment) will likely not be considered values at all by succeeding dominant powers.

Foreign Influence and Demoralization

The division within the West is partly fueled by foreign forces, particularly Russia, who have historically encouraged and funded militant and disruptive groups to destabilise Western societies.
Soviet intelligence focused heavily on demoralization, which is the process of dividing society and activating internal nefarious forces against it.
Foreign influence operations are not designed to elect a specific person but to create a "cacophony of Lies" and confusion so that people lose faith in institutions and don't know what to believe or think.
Foreign actors amplify the voices of people who already agree with them by providing money and influence, using these internal forces to sew discord.

Critique of Rigid Ideology and Political Labelling

Having lived in the Soviet Union and witnessed its collapse, the author learned that subscribing to someone else's ideology means inevitably suspending one's own judgment about right and wrong to appease the tribe.
The interest should be in truth and societal thriving, not in tribal affiliation.
Political labelling (e.g., calling an opponent "communist" or "far right") is now mostly used as a weapon to dismiss opponents rather than engage in genuine conversation.
The right answer for social policies (e.g., taxes, government spending, immigration) is contextual, not dictated by rigid, ideological positions.

The Economic and Generational Context

The West's significant economic problems, such as operating with debt over 100% of GDP, reflect a breakdown of the intergenerational contract, as the current generation is borrowing from the future (their children).
GDP per capita is falling, meaning the Gen Z generation is likely to be poorer than previous generations.
Wealth creation is often misunderstood: successful business people generate wealth and jobs, and excessive taxation can cause them to leave the country (e.g., millionaires leaving the UK) or stop creating jobs, rather than making them poor.
Much of what is done in society now (e.g., well-meaning programs like grants based on race) "sounds good" but doesn't actually work or help anyone, especially because they reinforce a victim narrative.

The Privilege of the West and the Value of Freedom

People who grew up in the West often take freedom and opportunity for granted; they should discuss "Western privilege" from a position of gratitude.
The West offers the freedom to make of your life what you will, the freedom to speak your mind, and the freedom to pursue things.
Capitalism, built on the bedrock of private property, allows individuals to own and protect their assets, which is a luxury not afforded in many other parts of the world (e.g., Russia, China, where assets can be seized arbitrarily).
Western values, including the rule of law and the idea that all people have dignity (largely derived from Christianity), are the foundations of the West's tremendous success.

The Crisis of Masculinity and Sex Differences

Masculinity is facing a crisis: men are often demonized and told they are privileged, despite doing worse in education and other areas than previous generations.
Traditional masculine qualities (strength, confidence, dominance, aggression, status-seeking) are often looked down upon in modern Western society.
The backlash includes the rise of hyper-masculine influences (e.g., Andrew Tate), an increased focus on fitness/being "buff" (one of the few acceptable ways for men to be men), and growing interest in combat sports (UFC).
The solution for men is always the same: to be better, work harder, learn skills, grow, and develop; no one is coming to save them.
Men and women are naturally inclined towards different things and possess different skill sets, and the goal should be to find ways for them to be healthy together and work together, filling in each other's gaps.
The mistake of the Me Too movement was calling out all men instead of targeting toxic men, leading to generalizations that apply toxic traits to the entire sex.

Free Speech, Political Correctness, and the Internet

Political correctness was invented in the Soviet Union to shut down critics by claiming their factually correct statements were "Politically Incorrect". This is how it is used today: to prevent the expression of dissenting opinions.
Free speech must be protected so people can criticise those in power, regardless of whether they are on the left or the right.
The censorship seen during the pandemic (e.g., suppressing the lab leak theory) was dangerous, as it prevented necessary public discussion of critical issues.
Elon Musk buying Twitter and ending total censorship has created a valuable dynamic: the moment one major media platform is not controlled by censors, censorship becomes pointless because people can go elsewhere for information.
A potential solution to the toxicity on social media is "freedom of speech but not freedom of reach": allowing people to say hateful things but not actively promoting them to the broadest possible audience.
The trade-off of a free society is that some people will say things you dislike, and the emphasis should be on freedom, rather than criminalizing offensive behaviour (e.g., using racial slurs).

Immigration, Borders, and Pragmatism

Immigration policies should be contextual, recognizing that there are times when more or less immigration is needed.
Illegal immigration is unacceptable because it breaks the law, undermines the system for those who follow the rules, and allows nefarious actors (criminals, terrorists) to enter the country unchecked.
A practical solution to managing refugee crises and illegal immigration is setting up Refugee Processing Centers in local conflict areas, allowing people to apply for asylum in an orderly, selective manner.
Legal immigration can be beneficial when the number of people is controllable and they are culturally a good fit, driven, and talented, allowing them to integrate effectively.

Path to Saving the West and Personal Growth

Individuals can help save the West by:
- Teaching children how lucky they are to live in the West, showing them poorer parts of the world, and instilling gratitude.
- Inoculating children against woke ideology by teaching them that what they hear at school may not be true and encouraging critical thought and dialogue at home.
- Focusing on pragmatism instead of ideology to solve problems (e.g., using financial incentives to halve abortion rates instead of banning abortion).
The existence of programs designed to help people based on their race, while well-meaning, can reinforce the notion that those groups are disadvantaged, leading to less hope and self-reliance.
Individuals should be taught that if they are talented, driven, and willing to work on themselves, the world is their oyster regardless of their background.
The only person who will change your life is you; no one is coming to save you, and the only choice is to play the hand of cards life has dealt you to the best of your ability.

Spiritual and Existential Concerns

The decline of religion has resulted in people lacking meaning, purpose, guidance, and discipline.
The author views himself as agnostic but acknowledges that humans connect in ways that are spiritual in nature, beyond what can be seen or heard.
The rise of Islam among young Western men is seen as a natural response to the vacuum, as it offers the discipline, structure, reward, and community—as well as the allowance for men to be strong and confident—that modern Western society often denies them.
The future will involve new technological breakthroughs (e.g., AI) that will challenge our sense of purpose and meaning, potentially leading to new forms of spiritual or religious instinct.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro
00:02:11 Who Is Konstantin Kisin?
00:05:49 The Threat Coming To The Western World
00:07:33 Are You Politically Affiliated To The Left Or Right?
00:10:07 People Use Politics Labelling As A Weapon
00:12:16 What Is Wokeism?
00:16:48 How Victimhood Has Become Self-Harm
00:20:44 Stereotype Threat
00:28:49 The Need for Role Models
00:30:05 The Impact Of Your Name On A Job Application
00:33:34 Gen Z vs Millennials
00:34:29 Are You Hopeful For Gen Zs?
00:36:31 The World Is Heading In The Wrong Direction
00:37:07 Countries' Debt And Who Will Impact The Next Generation
00:39:44 Who's Brainwashing Us?
00:41:59 What Is Marxism & Does It Work At A Society Level?
00:47:22 The Division In The West
00:53:25 How Do We Stop This Division?
00:55:51 What's The Impact Of An Agnostic Society?
01:59:44 Andrew Tate Is The Symptom Of Our Society Problems
01:01:36 Why Men Love Combat Sports
01:03:52 The Solution For Men's Issues
01:05:13 Is The Woke Culture Putting Men In This Situation?
01:09:32 We Need To Call Men Back In
01:11:02 The Free Speech Movement
01:17:57 Freedom Of Speech But Not Of Reach, Is It The Best Solution?
01:19:08 Will The West Be Dominant In The Next 10 Years?
01:20:11 What If China Or Russia Become The World Power?
01:23:33 Getting Arrested For Stuff Posted On Social Media
01:26:43 Does The US Election Matter?
01:27:10 The US Candidates And The Woke Culture
01:31:11 Taxing Rich People More
01:35:20 The Immigration Situation In The US
01:37:41 What's The Harm Of Immigration?
01:40:34 Are People Crossing The Borders Statistically Causing More Crime?
01:49:50 Trade-Off Denialism
01:51:53 The Solution For Climate Change