World Archives

The Four Stages of Ideological Subversion

Essays, History, Politics | 27 April 2024

In 1984, filmmaker G. Edward Griffin interviewed former Soviet journalist and KGB agent Yuri Bezmenov in a video that would be titled Soviet Subversion of the Free World Press. Bezmenov laid down the four stages of ideological subversion — how the KGB planned to gradually subvert the political system of the United States. The Cold War was still very much on, the Chernobyl disaster was still a couple of years away, and the world didn’t know yet that the Soviet Union would collapse seven years later. But even almost forty years after the interview, his message continues to intrigue everyone interested in the mechanisms of power. (more…)

Orks in Space, Chinese Folk Religion, and the Power of Belief

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Religion, Tabletop Games | 26 November 2023

Orks from Warhammer 40,000 and Chinese Folk Religion

No, seriously. Before you turn away and call me a loon or a bigot, do take note that I’m Chinese who was raised on this stuff. I grew up with this hodge-podge compendium of beliefs and superstitions that forms this syncretic religion. However, what I experienced may be a distilled version of it since we live in the Philippines. Our take on it may not be similar to that of Taiwan and mainland China, but I know enough to make connections with other things that may be like it. I also know enough about Warhammer 40,000 to write about wild green men in space. This has to be the most deranged blog post I’ll ever write in 2023, so let’s go for a ride. (more…)

4 Lessons from Sam Bankman-Fried’s Downfall

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Finance | 11 November 2023

On 2 November 2023, almost a year after the collapse of what used to be the second largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, its founder was found guilty on all seven charges against him, which include wire fraud and money laundering. I previously mentioned Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX in a blog post last March where I talked about the fall of two US banks due to losses brought on by the fall of the fraudulent cryptocurrency exchange. Most may consider the story complete, and life shall go on. This is a tale about pride, greed, lust, and the ruin those things bring. (more…)

WallStreetBets: Cult of Gambling Addicts Chasing Tendies

by: Sonny Go

Features, Finance, YouTube | 12 October 2023

Back during the GameStop short squeeze of 2021, I wrote about it as an outside observer who was incredulous at the spectacle, but didn’t truly understand what was going on. Two years later, on 9 January 2023, I formally started my journey into stock trading and investing by opening an eToro account. I sifted through every online resource I could find to learn everything I could about this seemingly esoteric thing that I would later describe as black magic and sorcery. While I’m still no expert, I at least can now understand a lot of the jargon and mechanics behind what I previously couldn’t make sense of. (more…)

The Dimensions of Political Power

by: Sonny Go

Features, Politics | 27 September 2023

While rewatching a MandaloreGaming video on Tyranny, a role-playing game on being a bad guy in a fantasy Iron Age world, he mentioned a concept in political science called the Faces of Power, also known as the Dimensions of Power. It’s an academic theory put forth by Steven Lukes, a British political and social theorist currently based in New York University, which looks into how it is to rule over other people’s lives and influence their actions — something that politicians also do in this day and age in the real world. (more…)

Kayfabe in Politics and Media Manipulation

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Life and Philosophy, Politics, Pro Wrestling | 18 July 2023

After getting word of videos about Eric Weinstein’s interpretation of kayfabe on Twitter, I found Frame Problems after a brief search and gave these three videos a watch. I found them interesting as they stretched the application of kayfabe to politics, economics, and mainstream media as far as they possibly can. I had always been interested in Eric Weinstein’s opinion of kayfabe being a crucial component of the cognitive toolbox. As a part of the pro wrestling industry, I wanted to take a closer look at this take on kayfabe and how understanding it can enhance how one interprets mainstream media and public consciousness. (more…)

Russophilia and Slavsploitation

by: Sonny Go

Essays, World | 26 June 2023

As I was writing the draft for this blog post, the Wagner Group — the Russian mercenary group led by former Putin stooge Yevgeny Prigozhin — was staging a mutiny against the Russian military and government. Events were being documented on Twitter as they happened, including this sitdown between Prigozhin and Russian defense officials. No one knew what would happen and if it would affect Putin’s reign and the war in Ukraine, but they were doing it in a city that’s over a thousand kilometers from Moscow. In any case, I’m taking this opportunity to talk about something that has always bugged me about all things Russian. (more…)

Manila Central Post Office Fire Almost Cost Me $155

by: Sonny Go

Blog, Philippines, Vlogs | 02 June 2023

Manila Central Post Office After the Fire

On the eve of Monday, 22 May 2023, smoke billowed from the basement of the Manila Central Post Office in Lawton, Manila. Shortly after, the flame that made the smoke became fire. The fire then spread and crawled its way up the building. Paper, wood, and other materials in the post office served as kindling to feed the fire, which grew it into a roaring blaze. For the next 30 hours, one of Manila’s great landmarks stayed alight, to the horror of eyewitnesses and the citizens of Manila. (more…)

Finance is the Magic of the Real World

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Finance | 22 April 2023

Bear with me while I ramble about an analogy that may take at least 2,000 words to explain. This is a world I’ve been exploring for the past three months, and I’ve been having fun learning about it thus far. Coming into the game this late, I believe I’ve been seeing it in a unique light, different from how most people see it. Money — the thing which makes our world go round — is much like the forces that govern fantasy worlds. Many seek its power, but few harness it. (more…)

Silvergate, Silicon Valley Bank, and the Threat of Contagion

by: Sonny Go

Current Events, Finance, News | 14 March 2023

It’s high time I write more about finance on this blog. Unlike the last time, when I wrote about the GameStop short squeeze of January 2021, I now have actual skin in the game. For the past three months, I’ve been getting into stock trading, and it has been both a blast due to the learning experience and a stressful experience due to the initially losing trades. I knew what I was getting into, but I didn’t know that I was going into a market that was scarred by the ravages of 2022. Let’s talk about bank runs and the ongoing nightmare of the 2023 market. (more…)

The Battle of Alesia Continues to Inspire Me

by: Sonny Go

Essays, History | 16 December 2022

I’ve written a good bit about military history on this blog, comparing generals to martial artists and professional gamers. Since I’ve been learning more about them and their battles, perhaps it’s time I specifically focus on them to expound on what made them tick and what interests me about their motivations and leadership. Each has their own motivations and styles of leadership, but there was one who was way ahead of his time and displayed a quality similar to entrepreneurs and world leaders of today. (more…)

More on Playing Lame and the Art of Defense

by: Sonny Go

Combat, Esports, Features, History | 06 December 2022

Winky Wright, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Hungrybox

This is a follow-up to one of my favorite blog posts I’ve ever written. It’s understandable why defense is seen as lame and boring, while self-sacrificial offense is seen as valiant and entertaining. We can have idiots who deliberately put themselves in harm’s way and get people cheering their lungs off while downing gallons of Bud Light, then not be given even an ounce of shit about when they can barely remember their own names years down the line. That’s especially true for combat sports, but we can also look at other fields as well and see how the fundamentally sound are also given the short end of the stick, even in hindsight. (more…)