Candles in the Dark

Larken and Amanda Rose teach how to help others uncover their contradicting beliefs without your own opinions getting in the way.

(Timestamps +/- 5 seconds accurate)

Find the full seminar at the following link.

Source: https://attendcandles.com/vsl

Quotes

The Goal

All I can do is line the bone up, check the X-ray and see that "Yep, I set up the situation such that you can fix yourself." That is all we can do when we're talking to people who still believe in political authority.

– at 8m15s

The entire goal is to get them to see the contradiction in their own believe system. And that's all.

– at 13m39s

If they say "I don't know, I have to think about that" [...] you did what you were supposed to do.

– at 15m56s

Some people show their cognitive dissonance by [...] going "Aaarrghh!". That response [...] still tells you: They're not comfortable with their own believe system.

– at 18m30s

Basically the right to authority, which is the right to rule, is impossible. It cannot exist.

– at 34m6s

This method is about removing that one bad idea, which is the notion that somebody can have the right to rule other people.

– at 34m20s

Train yourself to not follow when they try to change the subject and change the subject and change the subject and change the subject.

– at 42m16s

Your whole job is to get them to see their contradiction. Making wild guesses about whether we'd be killing and eating each other without a ruling class is still letting them escape their own contradiction.

– at 43m23s

And you can just say: "Regardless of what you think will happen if we didn't have this, do you believe this is moral?"

– at 48m15s

The Wedge

Drive a wedge and act as a cheerleader and a support system for the part of them that wants to be free.

– at 9m0s

It's not your beliefs vs their beliefs - its their believes vs their believes. [...] The disagreement is entirely inside their head. That is where the fight has to take place.

– at 10m22s

The only time [...] to let your own opinions be part of the discussion is when you agree with something they said. Like: "Do you think it's okay for people to [...] rob their neighbor for whatever they want?" No of course not. "Yeah, I agree, that's not okay."

– at 10m57s

If they get defensive and nasty [...] they're frustrated and angry because of their own contradictions and it's not even you they're mad at [...] and if you did nothing but ask questions about what they believe [...] if they get defensive you know they're not mad at you.

– at 14m20s

What you think doesn't freaking matter.

– at 15m43s

It is impossible to believe in government without having a massive contradiction in your head. It is impossible to believe in authority without being literally insane. Because of that you don't ever have to introduce your own believe system.

– at 16m10s

Everything you need to demolish their authoritarianism they already have in their head. You just have to invite it out of them.

– at 16m25s

I'm gonna refer to that as interviewing-the-serial-killer mode: If you go in, you know it's utterly pointless to go in "I'm gonna tell you how bad you are for doing this." He doesn't care. His brain doesn't work that way.

– at 23m8s

The only reason it can be of any use and of any value if you go in with the intention of learning something from him. [...] You might learn something about the disorder going on inside his head.

– at 23m26s

You don't have to be judgemental of their beliefs. They will be judgemental of their own beliefs.

– at 25m35s

Always get them to make your assertions for you.

– at 26m49s

Every shred of politics is arguing about how to use the violence of the state.

– at 37m49s

Your job is to make them more uncomfortable. The more clear you can make the contradiction in their head, the less they're gonna like it.

– at 39m59s

When they're uncomfortable with their own decision, you won. You did your part. You're done. You have to let them do the rest.

– at 40m55s

"If you advocate that I be taxed to pay for kids education, exactly what do you wanna have happen to me if I didn't pay that?" Well there have to be consequences. "Okay [...] what would you want those consequences to be? [...] What do you wanna have happen to me?"

– at 45m0s

Instead of "Ah that's evil!" make them be more and more clear and precise about the evil they condone, because the whole purpose is: The clearer it gets the more of their conscious is gonna be cringing at their own words.

– at 45m23s

Let them figure out "what is wrong with me?"

– at 48m42s

The Void

"Where do you think congress got the right to tax us?" it seems like a rational reasonable question. [...] You will quickly find that most people think nothing about that. They've never thought about it.

– at 6m25s

Their political beliefs are not a foundation of principles and logic and leading up to a conclusion. It's literally a collection of random mythology that they heard and nothing else. There's nothing holding it up.

– at 6m40s

Most people think that their political views have some foundation [...], but when you break it down to very simple basic questions [...] you'll quickly learn that it's based on nothing.

– at 7m48s

"At what point did you consent to those people taking your money?" [...] The average person out there has no reason to ever look at the foundation of all the stuff they were taught.

– at 8m12s

Well I don' know how it works, but somebody does. [...] It must make sense, because we all know it. [...] It's a faith-based believe system.

– at 9m29s

The only reason you ever get to that conclusion is if you were indoctrinated into it. Whether that guy pretends he represents God or a government [...]. All authoritarian beliefs are faith-based.

– at 10m8s

Zero statists in the world know what they believe. All the way none.

– at 11m0s

Keep in mind their void when you're asking questions.

– at 14m3s

Instead of saying "Can you delegate a right you don't have?" you can word it [...] "Do we agree it's not okay for me to beat up my neighbor and take his stuff?"

– at 15m11s

"Is there any way I can make it good for somebody if I asked somebody else to beat up my neighbor and take his stuff? Is that okay?" Well no, it's not okay.

– at 15m20s

"What if three of us really want to beat up my neighbor and take his stuff? Does that make it okay?" Well no. [...] "What if the three of us like, appoint a representative to go beat him up and take his stuff?"

– at 15m42s

It's impossible for statists to not have a giant void, 'cause there is no amount of logic you can put together to come up with "therefore those people have the right to rule us and we have an obligation to obey."

– at 23m25s

They have to do it as mythology and faith, 'cause there is no way to actually form a logical foundation that ends up at that conclusion.

– at 23m30s

"Who do you think owns yourself? Who has the right to decide what is done with your body?" Well. I do.

– at 33m33s

[Amanda Rose] "I like doing what I want. Other people seem to like doing what they want. I don't like when people violate me and try to physically stop me from doing something that I want, especially when it's not hurting anyone."

– at 43m15s

[Amanda Rose] "Other people seem to act the same way when I try to stop them from doing what they want [...]. A bunch of guys in suits keep trying to stop everybody from doing what they want. [...] Not sure how they got that right. Never mind the bullocks."

– at 43m35s

The Obstacle Course

When you're asking questions about what they advocate [...] First have the question have them as the potential victim of the authoritarian aggression.

– at 2m27s

"Do you think that government has the right to force you to fund something that you think is evil?" [...] No, I don't [...] "I agree."

– at 3m50s

Next, you make yourself the potential victim: "Do you believe government should force me to fund something I'm morally opposed to? Let's say it's something you might even like and for whatever reason I might think it's destructive or bad."

– at 4m10s

When they get uncomfortable and they're not sure what they think about it, just get more specific and more literal and more precise. [...] Keep your questions personal and literal and specific.

– at 5m6s

And then move it to everybody else, like "Do you think anybody else should be forced to fund things they're morally opposed to?"

– at 9m23s

Don't judge them, don't argue with them [...]. Get more precise and specific and literal: "Well, let's say I don't pay. [...] What you wanna have happen to me, if I don't pay for that?"

– at 10m10s

It's always about principles, it's never about practicalities.

– at 18m56s

"Does the fact that you're not sure how it would happen otherwise [...] make you decide that "Yes", you do want me forced to pay for it?"

– at 20m24s

The Punch Line

The only reason anybody ever advocates government is because they want it to do things that they know would be wrong if they did it themselves.

– at 3m3s

Basically, the belief in authority is an excuse to commit evil - and nothing else. Because if you're doing something inherently righteous you don't need a badge and you don't need legislation and you don't need a uniform and you don't need law-makers and constitutions.

– at 3m38s

The choice is binary: Either there is an authority that you're required to obey - which makes you [...] an amoral machine - or you have a conscience, you have free will, you have judgement, you have a moral code, you are a human being.

– at 8m13s

"Should you disobey a law that conflicts with your own moral conscience?" [...] "Can you think of any scenario [...] where what the law says goes directly against what you think is right? [...] Should you disobey?"

– at 12m22s

"At the end of the day, who decides [...] whether you should obey a law?" [...] I guess I do. [...] "So you believe it's up to you to decide which laws you have to obey?" [...] The only sane, moral answer is "Absolutely!"

– at 18m28s

If it's bad for you to do a certain thing, is it okay for you to try to get someone else to do it for you?

– at 21m35s

When you vote for government [...] are you hoping that they are gonna do things that you know that you don't have the right to do on your own - like tax your neighbors to fund free health care or something?

– at 23m0s

Can people, by voting, give to politicians the right to do things which none of the voters have the right to do themselves?

– at 24m12s

"Do you believe [...] that right and wrong apply the same to everybody?" [...] "Okay, what if some of us vote to have somebody else and say 'We want you to do that we have no right to do!' - does right and wrong still apply?"

– at 26m4s

We sort of need them to have extra powers. [...] "Exactly how much extra rights do they have?"

– at 27m10s

"Are the bounds of morality just determined by the legislation? For example, if the legislators say 'kill all the redheads' would that be okay?" [...] No. That wouldn't be okay. [...] "So it isn't whatever the legislators say. There's something else."

– at 27m45s

At the end of the day they have to realize their own conscious is what they're still using to decide what cops should do and that puts them above authority which means it's not authority anymore.

– at 28m9s

'Cause if your conscious is above authority, by definition it's not authority anymore. It's a gang of thugs.

– at 28m15s

"Is there any way in which people can change an immoral act into a moral act, but without changing the act itself?" [...] "What if we call it something else [...] does that make it okay?"

– at 28m50s

Does that mean that by being in the country they can do anything they want to me?

– at 30m39s

If something is good today and then it gets 'outlawed' [...] is it bad to do the same thing tomorrow? [...] Is it actually immoral?

– at 31m5s

"Is it ever good to break the law?" [...] Loyalty to an imaginary authority or loyalty to their own conscience?

– at 32m55s

"Does the majority have the right to do whatever it wants to a minority as long as it uses voting in the political process?" Yes. "How about gang rape, because that's a perfect example of direct democracy in action?" That's not okay!

– at 33m30s

I agree [...] that is as not okay as anything could be. In what case does that change? How about if they just vote to [...] steal her purse instead? Is that okay?

– at 34m43s

How about if they just steal a little bit of money out of her purse? At what point is it okay for the majority to force its will on a minority?

– at 34m47s

Do you believe it's okay for government to force you to fund things that you're opposed to?

– at 37m9s

"If you're not attacking or defrauding anybody is there any situation in which you think somebody should use force against you?" No. Of course not. "I agree. [...] I want people to leave you alone to do whatever you want."

– at 43m30s