---
title: Declaration of Rebellion
description: Blocked on Slavery
taxonomies:
  tags:
    - opensource
    - politics
    - civilization
date: "2025-05-03"
extra:
  read_time: true
  repo_view: true
---

Since my [last post](../closed-openness) on the erosion of open-source values, personal upheavals have forced me to pause and reflect. Longstanding unresolved tensions—within myself and in close relationships—have left me burnt out, wrestling with questions and conflicts that have shadowed much of my adult life; as some of my X followers may have noticed in some of my recent, admittedly unhinged, posts there.

Through this crucible of introspection, I've reached two profound, personal realizations. First, I've consciously defined my stance on the [question of God](https://x.com/nrdexp/status/1918716742601457740) in relation to morality, though that's not immediately relevant to this piece. Second—and this may sound gratuitous, but bare with me—despite my achievements, I remain bound as a [Slave](https://x.com/nrdexp/status/1918282816078659871), subject to the whims of a particularly egregious State Courruption.

The particulars are out of scope for the time being, what matters is that these revelations have spurred me to begin drafting a manuscript, an allegorical account of my experiences and ethics, which I hope to publish in time. Consider this the bedrock on which that piece shall expand. For now, I return to the question that has gnawed at me since my last post: why & exactly how has open-source culture been hollowed out?

Believing societal shifts originate in the minds of individuals, I’ve attempted to trace the philosophical roots of this decay from first principles. It became apparent that I'd have to dig far deeper into the messy underbelly of the subconscious impulses and assumptions running amuck in today's society, directly or indirectly affecting the philosophy and mission of FOSS & beyond.

It turns out that I had to drill all the way to the very bottom, to the very foundations of human institutions, themselves, to describe an order which, to my knowledge, has not been previously articulated, though it seems to have been subconsciously expressed throughout time. What follows is a (hopefully) logically consistent framework which, if embraced, could provide a solid foundation from which to restore the free software movement and, ultimately, safeguard human institutions from corruption, in general.

If that sounds grandiose, just know my assessment stems solely from faith in the power of logical Coherence, not from any confidence in a predefined outcome. I see myself as an incidental observer: someone with a unique vantage point, shaped by adversity, historical context and a disposition to dig deeper. Nothing more.

Also, for those following my technical work on Ekala, you might remember I promised more detailed updates soon. This post, subtitled "Blocked on Slavery," reflects the barriers that have, even against my will, kept me from making progress in that direction. Instead of making promises I cannot confidently keep, I will simply state that I have not given in, and still plan to deliver both more [technical writing](../atom-anatomy.md), as well as code just as soon as I am able.

For now, my time is not fully my own, constrained by a society either blind or indifferent to an obscured State Corruption that has, incidentally, kept me running in circles for much of my adult life—a struggle I’m only now beginning to fully contend with and unravel. To move forward in my work, it became clear I'd have to “stop the world” and clear the debris of a broken system that no one else dare seem to touch; if only, for reasons I will omit, for my own sanity. This raw, somewhat ethereal process informs both this piece and my efforts to revive my technical endeavors. If that sounds strange—and it likely should—simply consider this piece an homage to the Greek philosophers, the Masters of logic who now inspire my pursuit of Coherent Justice and Freedom.

On a cheerful note, before we begin, I’m pleased to share that I’ve recently joined [Anduril Industries](https://x.com/nrdexp/status/1912329031841947938); likely to the chagrin of my political adversaries. This new role offers a technical platform and workload to reengage with interesting new problems, which, I'm sure, will inform my future efforts on Ekala. If I may add, contesting State corruption doesn’t diminish my pride in contributing, however modestly, to the defense of its people, and as I hope to show by the end of this piece, it might actually be the *duty* of every Citizen. After all, there can be no platform to reform Corrupt Laws or States if there’s no State left to amend.

> Pertinent disclaimer: any arguments presented here are not necessarily endorsed by my employer or any of its representatives, partners, etc, etc.

## What's All this Talk of "The State"?

The decline of free software ideals is deeply tied to the machinations of the State, specifically: State Corruption, and the spirit that counters it: Rebellion, which we will define later.

For the skeptical reader, consider the growing political warfare engulfing open-source communities as a clue that my assertion might hold truth. I ask you to bear with me as I lay out what I believe to be a logically consistent framework, one that could help to reorient our understanding of the current situation in tech and the broader socio-political landscape.

These are bold claims, I admit. But for me, this framework has brought clarity and purpose, illuminating a path forward where I once saw none. It has reshaped my understanding of the present crisis, giving me direction and meaning. My aim here is to share that clarity with those who still burn with passion for the core ideals of FOSS. In my forthcoming manuscript, where I’ll detail the personal struggles that led me to this point, I’ll expand on these logical foundations in far greater depth, so consider this a preview of that work.

For those who have abandoned logical consistency entirely, consider this your off ramp. For the rest of you, lets dig in...

### From A to State: A Formal Definition

What I’m attempting here is nothing less than a logically consistent philosophical framework to model a Just State; defining our terms precisely as we go.

By the end, we’ll arrive at a conclusion that positions Free Software as a vital force in the functioning of such a State. In other words, not just a nice way to access source code, or an efficient way of managing development, but of absolutely crucial necessity as a pillar of Justice itself.

We begin with a single axiom:

> The Law of Entropy is a constant in nature, and by extension, human affairs.

Now, we could lean on physics to define Entropy with mathematical precision, but for our purposes, let’s frame it as a "diffusion" of Coherence. Picture Coherence as a deliberate structure—a system, a society, a piece of code—built with intention. Entropy, then, is the natural tendency for that structure to erode over time. It’s the slow unraveling of order into chaos: for social structures to decay, power to corrupt, etc.

For human societies to remain Coherent, an orienting force must counter this Natural Entropy. We’ll call this institution the State, and its act of maintaining Coherence in human affairs, its Purpose: the very reason it exists. The mechanism through which the State achieves this Coherence is Authority.

Next, let’s define Justice as the Coherent upholding of a given Purpose. Since the State’s Purpose is to combat Entropy, a Just State is one that faithfully wields its Authority to fulfill this Purpose. Conversely, an Unjust State either fails to counter Entropy, misdirects its Authority, or neglects its Purpose entirely. The Law, then, is a codification of the boundaries of this Authority: a blueprint to ensure Coherence in understanding the State’s Purpose while restraining Corruption, which we’ll define as the aiding of Entropy.

It follows that a Corrupt State is an Unjust State that actively aids Entropy, wielding its Authority or Law against its own Purpose. It’s a system that, instead of preserving order, accelerates chaos; a betrayal of its own reason for being.

Since the State is a human institution, it, too, is subject to Entropy. A State that fails to manage its own internal Entropy through its Authority is, at best, Unjust, and at worst, Corrupt. Here, Responsibility means being accountable to Justice: ensuring the State’s actions align with its Purpose.

We must distinguish between Authority and Law to spot Entropy within the State itself. Look for signs of Incoherence: a dissonance between what’s written in Law and what’s practiced through Authority, or an erratic expression of either. Complexity, too, aids Entropy; unnecessary structure hastens the decline into decoherence, much like bloated code that collapses under its own weight.

It’s in these cracks that Corruption takes root, a pattern I’ve seen too often in my fight against broken systems. A Just State, then, sees it as its core duty to keep Entropy at bay within itself: it’s the heart of its Purpose. It views the overuse of Authority or the proliferation of unnecessary, overly complex Laws as dangerous, accelerating the very decay it’s meant to prevent. Thus, a Just State prioritizes minimal, necessary Authority and a small set of clear, comprehensible Laws, delegating the bulk of the inner workings of society to Citizens.

Pruning ineffective or Corrupt Law and Authority becomes essential; a disciplined act of maintenance to preserve Coherence. This principle leads us to a crucial component of sustaining a Just State, one we’ll explore next.

### A State of Rebellion

A Just State recognizes the misapplication of Authority, inappropriate Law, or the misuse of Authority, whether in ignorance or defiance of the Law, as Corruption. Since Entropy is inevitable, so too is Corruption. It’s a hard truth witnessed many times throughout history: decay creeps in, and without vigilance, it festers.

While further distinctions could offer valuable insights into a healthy State’s functioning, I’ll reserve those for my upcoming manuscript. Here, we’ll zero in on the mechanisms of Corruption and how a Just State confronts them.

Unjust or Corrupt States often ignore or remain apathetic to these mechanisms. Like a cancer cell abandoning its purpose within the body, such States grow unchecked, forsaking their Purpose of upholding Coherence in human affairs. A Just State, however, not only acknowledges Corruption’s inevitability but codifies into Law mechanisms to combat it. These Laws, which outline how and where the State is most likely to experience Entropy, shall be called the Law of Rebellion. The Authority enforcing these Laws shall be known as the Spirit of Rebellion. Together, or separately, they may be referred to simply as Rebellion.

A Just State elevates its Rebellion, both its Law and its Spirit, above lower Laws and Authorities, ensuring they govern and override where necessary. An Unjust or Corrupt State, by contrast, either fails to codify Rebellion into Law or deliberately undermines it, placing lower Laws or Authorities above it in letter or practice.

The early United States offers a historical example of a once Just State that codified Rebellion into Law. The Bill of Rights, deemed the Supreme Law of the Land, was given Authority through its Spirit, superseding lower Laws and Authorities. This scheme was so powerful it was emulated by many other States thereafter in search of Justice. Yet, the Corruption of the U.S. today can be traced to a decay in its Spirit of Rebellion.

While the Law of Rebellion remains largely intact, it’s been rendered tacitly ineffective, a hallmark of sophisticated Corruption. Once Just, now Corrupted States, eager to expand like an unchecked cancer while maintaining legitimacy in the eyes of the people, often prefer to undermine their Law of Rebellion subtly rather than abolish it outright. They achieve this by crippling the Spirit of Rebellion in their Citizens and Authorities, stifling the willingness or ability to resist Corruption, or making the cost of doing so untenable.

Rebellion itself can be Just or Unjust. A Rebellion targeting a Just State is Unjust, as it undermines a system faithfully upholding its Purpose. But a Rebellion against an Unjust or Corrupt State—or, to a lesser extent, an Unjust or Corrupt Law or Authority—is Just. In a Just State, such Rebellion must be upheld and defended through the Law and Spirit of Rebellion, and by extension, the lower Laws and Authorities.

A Just State, then, considers it good practice to allow any Citizen to challenge a Law or Authority as Unjust or Corrupt. The right of a Citizen to uphold this principle must not be infringed. Given that Justice often demands swift action, a Citizen may act to uphold Justice through Rebellion, either before or after some State Authority has been enacted, without needing prior written consent. The Spirit of Rebellion takes precedence, overriding any Incoherent Law or Authority. A State that cripples, delays or refuses to uphold a Just Rebellion is, by definition, Corrupt.

In other words, each Citizen of a Just State must retain the Authority to uphold Justice as defined by the State’s Purpose. A State that delegates this responsibility away from its Citizenry, stripping them of their stake in maintaining Coherence, signals Corruption; a betrayal of its own principles & Purpose. While State officials are necessary, their structure and limitations depend on the properties of the Citizenry, which we’ll explore next.

## The Class of the Citzen

Phew, that was heavy, wasn’t it? We’re nearly through the formal groundwork, but to be thorough, we need to define what a Citizen is and categorize them based on their Authority and Responsibility within the State. Then, we’ll explore some general traits of each class.

I referenced these roles earlier in a link, but for clarity, let’s define them here:

1. A Master holds non-trivial Authority and Responsibility.

2. A Royal has Authority similar to a Master, but at most all times, avoids Responsibility.

3. A Slave bears non-trivial Responsibility yet lacks meaningful Authority.

These definitions are relative. One might be a Master over their own impulses, wielding Authority over their actions, yet still be a Slave relative to the State, stripped of meaningful Authority in that context. Here, we focus specifically on these roles as they relate to the State. Other groups exist, such as foreign citizens or agents with no significant Responsibility or Authority within the State, but they are not part of a Citizenry of the Just State.

Further, in a Just State, every Citizen is Responsible for upholding the Spirit of Rebellion and Justice. For instance, if a Law is broken, even a Slave can be held accountable for failing to enact Justice if they’re reasonably able, a reflection of their shared duty to maintain Coherence.

In a Corrupt State, however, you often find dual Citizens with split loyalties or null agents: someone with neither Responsibility to, nor Authority from the State, a void that signals decay. We’ll dive deeper into this soon, but first, let’s examine the characteristics of each Citizen class.

### A Royal Warning

Royals, by their nature, are a liability to Justice within the State. Their lack of meaningful accountability breeds Corruption; a pattern seen too often in history. While technically Responsible to the State, Royals use cunning to evade consequences, often shirking additional Responsibility beyond the bare minimum. They exist due to the inequities of nature: a Master’s son, for instance, might inherit high status and, through a privileged education, master the rhetoric needed to dodge accountability.

Royals often masquerade as Masters, relying on deception and influence as their primary tools. Gifted in rhetoric, they’re driven by decadence and leisure. In a Just State, Royals are viewed with suspicion and urged to take up Responsibility by early adulthood at the latest. Unjust States, however, are lax or apathetic toward Royals, fostering Corruption as Royals multiply their numbers and their Slaves by any means necessary.

Royals aren’t always Enemies of the State, defined here as those actively working toward State Corruption, whether Citizens or foreign agents, but their tendencies make them a liability. They’re prone to actions that aid Entropy, often speaking of welfare and Justice to amass influence and power. Recall the null agents from earlier? Royals love to speak on behalf of both them and the Slave class, offering gifts, Royal Slavery—one who is delegated a small amount of a Royal's Authority, in exchange for subjugation to their will—status or Citizenship as bribes. This is why welfare systems, though well-intentioned, often lead to Corruption: they multiply the State’s null agents and Slaves while concentrating power in Royals through the influence they cultivate.

In a Just State, a Royal not seeking Master status is treated with extreme suspicion. Some Royals may be harmless, content to be left alone, but their decadent nature often drives them to seek power through influence. Many delight in dominating others, turning Masters into Slaves for sheer sport, or creating more Slaves generally. Royals also entice Masters to join their ranks, a dangerous trend that can create Corrupt Masters, as we’ll explore next.

Royals favor espionage and intrigue over direct domination. They often pass seemingly Just Laws only to enforce them crookedly with Corrupt Authority, maintaining plausible deniability. By pointing to the Law’s supposed Justice, they mask their undermining influence, a subtle but pervasive form of Corruption. For this Reason, a Just State only allows the Master class to codify its Laws.

### Sign of a Master

A Master, one who is both meaningful Responsible to the State, and who has some non-trivial Authority in the State, whether directly or indirectly through relations, office, holdings, commerce, etc, is the aim of every Citizen in a Just State.

The Master wishes to uphold the Justice in the State as a priority in all dealings. They are, invariably, Masters of self. They have solid impulse control, and a healthy sense of balance. The burden of the Master is foresight. They may often take it as their Responsibility to protect the State from Corruption in advance, cultivating a foresight. However, more generally, a Just Master is simply one who expresses his Authority to uphold some Just Responsibility.

This is why Royals and Masters often clash, as Royals are often the ones brewing the Corruption in some form. The Royal has the advantage in this conflict, since they could actively attempt to enslave the Master while the Master, knowing presumption to be potentially Unjust, may tolerate the Royal until Corruption or a plot thereof is uncovered.

For this reason, the Just State reserves all official office exclusively to the Master class, though even a Slave might serve as a better officer than a Royal, since their naivete often makes them far more pure when led by a Master.

And this is crucial. Masters preserve their craft, cultivating Mastery in others; often choosing Slaves to delegate Responsibility to, raising them up in Mastery as an apprentice. Masters have the opposite pre-disposition of Royals, tending to make more Masters, freeing Slaves from the burden of toil without Authority for the sake of the strength and protection of the State.

It can be difficult to distinguish a Master from a Royal at times, and herein lies one of the chief struggles of any State. However, to the well informed, the sign of Mastery is unmistakable, as it often accompanies good counsel, extraordinary skill, unpretentious abundance, or a humble but powerful demeanor.

In a totally Corrupt State, there are almost no Masters, and can even be discouraged, maligned or even said to be non-existent or idealistic. The path to Mastery in these States is frought with barriers and distractions, or encumbered with beauracracy, making it difficult for Slaves to rise in status. Royals, being typically jealous of power, may leave no viable path open for Slaves to advance.

The opposite is true of a Just State. Mastery is abound, and Royalty is despised and kept in check. The path to Mastery from Slavery is cheap and free of encumberances. Any Slave with dedication should have a viable path to Mastery in a Just State.

There is, however, the thankfully somewhat rare, Corrupt Master. This is someone who has likely been a Master of good standing for some time, but who has, for some reason or another, grown to despise his State whether through Royal influence, or Enemy bribes. This, being far more capable than your typical Royal, can be one of the greatest enemies of the State, if encountered, as they may leverage both the rhetorical cunning of a Royal and the raw discipline and skill of a Master.

The devastation of festering Corruption in a State can lead a previously Just Master to Corrupt himself, which is another crucial reason to, at all times, keep Corruption of the State in check, as a Corrupt Master could execute a successful coup for power in the State.

### Mark of a Slave

If the Master is defined by Authority wielded with Responsibility, the Slave bears a contrasting mark: Responsibility without Authority. This imbalance is the essence of Slavery within our State framework. A Slave, stripped of the ability to shape their own destiny, is tethered to mere survival; consumed by the daily struggle to maintain peace and dignity in a Corrupt society that offers little of either. This lack of Authority renders them unable to grasp or uphold Justice, leaving them vulnerable to Royal manipulation. For this reason, Masters often see it as their duty to raise up the Slave class in Mastery, to uphold Justice.

As much as we no longer wish to admit it in modern culture, by inevitable natural progression, there has always been a Slave class in every State, and likely always will be; though a Just State seeks to reduce its number and improve its condition; not through welfare, but through edification.

The mark of a Slave is evident in their passivity, a trait Royals exploit to entrench Entropy. In a Just State, Citizens are empowered to pursue Mastery, but a Corrupt State ensures Slaves remain ignorant of their own potential, their Spirit of Rebellion extinguished. This dynamic, as we’ll see, has historical roots in Royal tactics of division and control, perpetuating a cycle of subjugation that undermines the very Purpose of the State.

## Ties of Rebellion

We’ve covered a lot, but notice we’ve skipped key aspects of a typical State; taxation, currency, economics, warfare, rights, and more. Those topics deserve deeper exploration and will be tackled in my upcoming manuscript. Yet there is also another reason: our concept of State here is a logical abstraction. It can be applied concretely to far more than simply a Government. For example, a religion is a State, a family is a State, a company is a State, etc, etc.

These things, as well, will be thoroughly explored in the future, but for our purposes here, we need only make use of this abstraction which allows us to unambiguously identify Justice in a State, and Just or Unjust actors within it. These tools, uncommon in our time, should serve as a powerful framework for what’s next.

If you’ve made it this far, you might be in minor shock, or even denial. I certainly was when I first pieced this together, recognizing the colloquial understanding of class is utterly insufficient and inaccurate. You may now see how much of our society belongs to the Slave class, or how the power structure is dominated by Royals posing as Masters, their extravagance and gaudiness a dead giveaway. You might also feel the stark absence of true Masters in many parts of the world today. Recall how a Corrupt State has almost no Masters, and how Royals malign Mastery, dismissing it as idealistic or impossible. This segment is meant as a wake-up call; a jolt to see the Corruption which appears to be steeping much of the Western world, despite what the media, social or otherwise, might claim.

Some waste time debating who’s responsible, or whether this Corruption stems from deliberate malice or sheer incompetence. That’s irrelevant here. The existence of the Royal class ensures some deliberate effort toward Corruption in every generation, but so too is the process of Entropy natural and undirected; so it is, in reality, a bit of both. When a society becomes complacent with Royalty—or worse, worships it—the result is predictable. We’ve incentivized humanity’s worst impulses while stifling its most refined, a reality I’ve grappled with in my own close encounters with systemic decay.

Yet in order to make the connection from where we have come so far, all the way to the Free Software movement and it's foundation, we have to press on just a bit further and explore the concept of Freedom itself; seeming to be both universally cherished, and misunderstood.

### What is Freedom? The Choke Point

Countless words have been written and blood spilled over competing conceptions of Liberty, both individual and collective. In our time, freedom is often reduced to a Royal perversion: “do what thou wilt.” But this is no coherent definition; it’s a recipe for Entropy, inviting chaos unabated by any structure or purpose.

True Liberty—what we’ll call Just or Coherent Liberty within our State framework—is the right of the Citizen to pursue Mastery unencumbered by the State, other Citizens, or foreign States. This definition ensures Justice, as Masters, by their nature, act as guardians of Justice. With their Responsible control of Authority, only the Master class can meaningfully defend the State from Entropy, upholding its Purpose of maintaining Coherence.

This is why Royals, in their efforts to enslave Masters or create more Slaves, engage in deliberate Corruption. By stifling the path to Mastery, they undermine the very mechanism that counters Entropy, eroding Justice itself. It’s not that they are opposed to Justice outright; rather, their lack of discipline blinds them to true Justice, leading them to believe their actions are always Just, whether Corrupt or not. This self-delusion only deepens their role in aiding Entropy. Liberty, then, must be upheld to ensure Justice in any State; a cornerstone of its survival against decay.

Those familiar with the early United States may recognize this as the “right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Only Mastery brings true fulfillment, or “happiness”, in life. Royals, abnegating Responsibility, often turn to Corruption because their internal hollowedness drives them to seek power, fortune, or Slaves to fill a void that only Responsibility to something greater can satisfy. I’ve felt this hollowness in my own struggles, a personal insight that aligns with the logical foundation we’ve built.

The Spirit of Rebellion, as defined earlier, is in essence the Spirit of Liberty itself. To uphold one’s Authority to Rebel, safeguarding Justice and cultivating Authority through the pursuit of Mastery, is the only sustainable path to maintaining Justice and keeping Entropy at bay over the long term. Take the United States as an example: the erosion of the Spirit to uphold the Bill of Rights has fueled much of its modern Corruption. Critics rightly point to the proliferation of unchecked Slavery, driven by an excess of Royal influence, as the root of this decay. While the Law of Rebellion remains on the books, often a hollow gesture to appease the masses, its Spirit has been thoroughly undermined in many non-trivial ways, leaving Citizens with little meaningful protection.

### Race Bating 3.0

The overreliance on race as a dividing line is a Royal distraction, and little more. Many students of U.S. history remain unaware that, in early America, the Slave class included all races, until a series of Rebellions threatened the growing Royal class of the time. In response, white Slaves were offered what was sold as “freedom” but was, in reality, a subtler form of Royal Slavery, as we’ve defined it earlier: Responsibility with an illusion of Authority delgated by the Royals in exchange for submission. This was a deliberate act of division, a classic divide-and-conquer tactic to fracture loyalties among the Slave class and secure Royal power.

This playbook has been repeated throughout history, resurfacing whenever civil unrest grows too intense, threatening the Royal grip on power. The pattern is clear: stoke division to preserve dominance, a strategy as old as the Virginia slave codes of the 17th century and as current as today’s cultural battles. What matters here is the true definition of class—Master, Royal, Slave—irrespective of race, religion, title, or office. Any of these groups can be, and have been, Slaves through the clever machinations of modern Royalty. What also matters is what is effectively true, not what’s written on paper. This is why the Spirit of Rebellion and the safeguarding of Justice through Liberty must take precedence over written Laws, which can be undermined by Royal influence while remaining on the books as a facade.

### Rule of Justice

We’re often told to revere the “Rule of Law,” but this is yet another Royal machination, conscious or not, to enslave us to a lesser power. In a Just State, Justice and Liberty reign supreme, with the Law serving as a subordinate tool to uphold them. This is why Royals heavily undermine and discourage Rebellion: they want you to believe the letter of the Law outweighs its Spirit, when we’ve logically shown the opposite to be true.

Even in the U.S. today, the letter of the Law contradicts this Royal distortion. The First and Second Amendments, freedoms of speech and the right to bear arms, are Laws of Rebellion meant to enshrine the Citizen’s right to uphold Justice, even against a Corrupt State. Yet, in practice, the Spirit of Rebellion has been nearly extinguished. Most Citizens either don’t realize or lack the courage to exercise these Laws, and a Corrupt State apparatus unconstitutionally punishes those who dare to embody this Spirit.

Consider the abolition of State Militias across the U.S., which was the true backbone of the Second Amendment. Without them, private gun ownership loses much of its power to uphold Justice, especially against excessive policing, regulation, and outright Unjust restrictions on this “unalienable” right. Subtle mechanisms, like carelessly labeling Citizens as “criminals” through a [highly profitable](https://sites.tufts.edu/prisondivestment/the-pic-and-mass-incarceration), Corrupt prison-industrial complex, further strip Citizens of their Authority to Rebel, rendering the Law a hollow shell.

This reveals a core challenge, and a key reason Royals propagate the Slave class. A Slave, devoid of meaningful Authority over their own life, cannot grasp what it means to defend or uphold Justice. In a Corrupt society, a Slave is consumed with surviving each day, clinging to whatever peace and dignity they can muster; often very little. In the U.S. today, for instance, a Slave doesn’t realize that a State-run police force is antithetical to the Second Amendment’s letter and spirit, meant to empower Citizens, not subjugate them. Lacking the experience of wielding Authority, a Slave is also more prone to cowardice than a Master, further entrenching their inability to Rebel.

### Decoherence: A Royal Indictment

Royals undermine the Spirit of Rebellion while leaving its Law largely intact through a psychological tactic with ancient roots: decoherence. This explains why the Master class must be heavily suppressed in a Corrupt State. Masters, far more autonomous than Slaves, possess not only greater resources but also an intimate understanding of Justice, both in theory and practice, cultivated through firsthand Mastery. They also have the courage to uphold it, making them a direct threat to Royal dominance.

In politics, a reliable way to detect manipulative Royal rhetoric is to examine its internal consistency, or lack thereof. This is the philosophical root of the modern war on Coherence itself. Today, poison is peddled as both “food” and “medicine,” sex slavery and genital mutilation are masked as “morality” and “liberation,” and even the distinctions between men and women are rendered meaningless. Royals masquerading as Masters pervade every profession: law, science, medicine, technology. But a true Master is accountable to those they affect.

What recourse does a Citizen have when a doctor’s ignorant advice enslaves them to a system of drugs that never solve the problem? What remedy exists for the lawyer manipulating Justice through lawfare, or the “scientist” fudging data to push an ideology? Practically none, save for the rare, brave Masters who fight overwhelming, often costly legal battles, a path that’s rapidly eroding in our time.

This incoherent confusion fuels natural Entropy, deepening Royal influence while providing them “plausible deniability” amidst the haze they’ve created. Meanwhile, they relentlessly seek to enslave the remaining Masters, ensuring no path to Mastery remains. A society with no viable route to Mastery may be an irredeemably Corrupt State; a reality some, pondering the rise of techno-feudalism as Yanis Varoufakis describes, already grasp, however stark.

Yet there is hope: truth naturally aids Coherence; arguably, they are synonymous. The fierce battle against simple truths, evident in today’s landscape, underscores their power. This document aims to draw clear lines, delineating who fights for Justice and who for Corruption. Royals, gifted in rhetoric, often outshine Masters in convincing the masses of their “Justice,” appealing to emotion, passion, or greed, while Masters rely on reason and discipline.

The Just and Corrupt exist across all political aisles, races, creeds, and religions. Royals pit us against each other along these superficial lines through “identity” rhetoric and the “multi-cultural” influx of null elements into the State, overwhelming its Coherence. What we need is for those fighting for Justice to identify and unite across these divides, standing together against the forces of Corruption and the Royals who wield them.

## The Fight for Freedom is Code

With a logical foundation for Freedom now established, alongside the stark ramifications of our modern State’s Corruption, I’m tempted to delve deeper into specific aspects of Corruption that hit me personally. I’ve drafted an entire segment, built on the foundations we’ve laid, to expose the profound psychological Corruption at the root of it all, which, as noted in the introduction, keeps me Enslaved to a deeply Corrupt State institution. But to stay on topic, I’ll reserve that battle for later writings, resisting the urge to fight one war while arming for another, equally critical one.

From where we stand, if you’re still with me, the path to the Free Software movement becomes a natural extension, especially for those familiar with Richard Stallman’s early writings. For brevity, I’ll distill what I see as the crux of his argument: in a society run on code, true Freedom is impossible without the ability to audit that code. This logic, when paired with our rigorous definition of Freedom as the unencumbered pursuit of Mastery, is airtight. Free Software empowers Citizens to audit and control the systems that govern their lives, ensuring they can pursue Mastery and uphold Justice without Royal interference; a direct embodiment of the Spirit of Rebellion.

Yet, much of the world today maligns the Free Software movement not for logical flaws but for sheer pragmatism. I understand the concerns: individuals want to profit, States want to protect secrets. To an extent, these are valid. But pragmatism that sacrifices Freedom for convenience or security only deepens Corruption, handing Royals the keys to entrench Entropy further.

### The Delicate Balance

One doesn’t need to be a Free Software zealot to contribute meaningfully to its cause. As I’ve shown, much of the discourse around what matters in the FOSS ecosystem has been obscured by Royal rhetoric; a distraction that should be obvious by now. It’s also reasonable for a Just State to keep some critical defense infrastructure private and obscured, to an extent, to protect its Citizens from external threats.

The balance, as always, lies in the application. A Just State, as we argued earlier, limits and regularly prunes its Laws to a reasonable number out of caution. In the realm of the Law of Rebellion, these Laws should be few; simple enough for every Citizen to memorize and fully understand. You cannot sustain the Spirit of Rebellion, which upholds the State’s Justice long-term, if the Citizenry doesn’t even comprehend its own Authority to Rebel. Likewise, in an ideal Just State, rules on code privatization would be minimal: restricted to explicit, easily understood circumstances.

Similarly, code in private institutions—companies, religious organizations, and especially banks—should remain open in all but the most delicate circumstances. Yet we’re far from this ideal today. Beyond sheer momentum, we’re stifled by Unjust, convoluted copyright Laws from an era when copying wasn’t virtually cost-free, as noted in [The Legal Side of Open Source](https://opensource.guide/legal/). These Laws, designed to profit a Royal few, are unlikely to change soon; especially with a public of mostly Slaves, desperate to join the Royal ranks, showing little appetite for reform.

That’s fine. We don’t need to convince everyone. But it’s absolutely critical that the Spirit that birthed this philosophy decades ago remains intact, Coherent, and unapologetically active in fighting for Justice and Freedom. The tragedy, as I see it, is that this Spirit is damn near extinct...

### Code of Rebellion

Here’s the crux: the Spirit behind Free Software is the Spirit of Rebellion itself, and Free Software is directly analogous to the Law of Rebellion, especially in a world almost entirely run on code. This truth is more critical to grasp now than ever before, yet we find ourselves in a sorry state, with most barely understanding the true mechanisms of State and Class. If you’ve followed this far, you should now, hopefully, be far better versed in these dynamics.

The rise over the past 50–60 years in the State’s fervor to erode privacy and clamp down on the few remaining rights of Rebellion isn’t coincidental, it directly parallels the steady erosion of the Free Software movement and its ideals. As [The Erosion of Privacy in the Internet Era](https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2009/09/privacy-erosion-in-internet-era) notes, laws like the Privacy Act of 1974 were limited to government data collection, leaving commercial enterprises unchecked; a gap that has since widened, empowering Royals to dominate through unaccountable tech systems while Slaves remain oblivious or apathetic.

It should be evident, but worth emphasizing: privacy is a cornerstone of Freedom. A Corrupt State may aspire to be all-knowing and all-powerful, but it is neither. The erosion of privacy directly fuels Corruption because it alters our daily behavior, forcing us to speak and act unnaturally, second-guessing ourselves as we fear exposure. This violates our definition of Freedom: the unencumbered pursuit of Mastery. Self-deception and self-censorship, induced by surveillance, make Mastery nearly unattainable, as they stifle the autonomy and authenticity required to cultivate Justice. Privacy, then, is a vital tool to defend Freedom, while censorship and surveillance are powerful weapons for Royals seeking to suppress it.

But not everyone needs to be a revolutionary, nor does everyone need to care deeply to contribute to Just Rebellion. Sometimes, the most effective step is to clear the fog; laying all the cards on the table and exposing the obscured playing deck for what it truly is.

### Taste & Tact

Corporate interests don’t always align with Freedom, but as we’ve argued, a corporation can be viewed as a State. It should, to some degree, uphold its internal Justice for efficient operation and contribute to the external Justice of the broader State, whose Corruption could threaten its existence. There’s clear potential for alignment between Free Software advocates, however few remain, and large organizations heavily reliant on FOSS. Yet, this potential remains untapped, stifled by rising State Corruption and the fading philosophy of FOSS itself, as we’ve seen.

A Just State encourages artistic expression among its Citizenry, as it cultivates Mastery and embodies truth and Coherence, inspiring future generations to pursue the same. Propaganda, while mimicking art, is a Corruption of truth and Coherence, driven by a premeditated agenda. In my view, the ability to distinguish true art from propaganda defines Taste: a perpetual ally of Justice and Freedom. Art that expresses excellence, beauty, and Mastery for the sake of preserving profound truth, not a banal agenda, is a noble aim for any aspiring Master.

Modern software firms, however, rarely share this aim. Software development has devolved into a soulless slop shop: repetitive designs, copy-paste formulas, and concepts recycled to the point that LLMs can now replace much of a software engineer’s workflow. Most corporate software is propaganda, driven by external agendas like profit, devoid of purpose or meaning. Free Software, by contrast, is true art. Crafted in good Taste by Masters of the discipline, it remains a bastion of innovation; good luck getting an LLM to innovate absolutely anything fresh or exciting in this space. This is still, excluding the Royals attempting to co-opt it, the exclusive ground of the Master, and one of the last bastions of true art anywhwere I have been able to find.

We could tactfully influence corporate “vibe” coders to adopt even a modicum of Taste, recognizing that the broader State’s Justice benefits their corporation’s stability, not to mention the higher purpose in our craft beyond mere profit. With a bit of Rebellion, we might convince large corporations that it’s in their best interest, and society’s, to not just consume FOSS code but actively support its philosophy and development. [Business models for open-source software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_models_for_open-source_software) highlights companies like IBM and Oracle contributing to FOSS to deter monopolies and gain market share; a model that could be expanded to align corporate interests with Justice.

The modern obsession with money reflects a misunderstanding of the soul’s machinations and the true Purpose of a State, whether governmental or corporate. As we approach a fully automated future, and as public disillusionment with the status quo grows, now is the time to shift our focus; prioritizing Taste over ignorant profit. If you had $1.5 billion and a meaningful existence rooted in Taste, or $2 billion with a soul-crushing, disillusioned life, which would you choose? The answer should be clear. We need more people to think this way, and we have to snap them out of the Royal traps and delusions that stop them. As I argued in my last piece, we must reignite Mastery through mentorship, not just in the open-source world, but within our companies, fostering a revival of FOSS, and FOSS adjacence, at scale.

### The Enemy at the Gate

It’s become an unspoken meme in today’s world to avoid being “alarmist” about any particular threat. I understand the sentiment to remain rational, but it’s misguided, misapprehending human nature. The systems we cherish—like the FOSS ecosystem—are under perpetual assault, even in a Just State, whether by Royals or the natural Entropy of time. In a Corrupt State, that assault becomes a deliberate siege.

If you still believe we live in a Just State anywhere on this planet, I’m not sure how to help you. But if you’re waking up to the deep well of Corruption festering for well over a century, since at least the industrial boom, when Royals seized control of institutions like media, banks, defense, and research, then perhaps you’re starting to see the stakes as civil unrest reaches an all-time peak. The Royals have entrenched their power, and their latest target is the Free Software ecosystem, the last bastion of the Spirit of Rebellion.

A growing, incoherent mob, peddling their political wares under the guise of “social justice”, has infiltrated FOSS communities with alarming success. Some projects have been entirely commandeered by these groups, whose rhetoric constantly shifts, making them hard to pin down. They ramble about “social” justice, but Justice isn’t social, it’s a contract to uphold Coherence in human relations, not to grant special privileges based on sex, skin, or genitalia. Their ideology reeks of decoherence, a Royal tactic to aid Entropy, as we’ve shown. For those leaning toward Communism, consider this: their vision leads to a State ruled by a perpetual Royal class, with no hope for advancement, a techno-feudal nightmare, as alluded to earlier. That’s the direction we’re heading, and FOSS is their battleground.

Recent revelations, like the mass funding grants for these types of initiatives [recently uncovered](https://x.com/LundukeJournal/status/1917277702786109898), show this takeover is heavily organized and deliberate. Millions in taxpayer funds—like the $3.6 million DEI computer science grant at the University of Colorado, thankfully terminated on April 18, 2025—have been funneled into “antiracist, equity-focused” initiatives, including absurdities like Latino-only programming books. This isn’t Justice; it’s Royal decoherence, weaponizing identity to fracture FOSS communities and divert them from their Purpose: upholding Freedom through auditable code.

I’ve noticed an extreme reluctance to take a hardline stance against this incoherent rabble, likely out of goodwill or fear of confrontation. Perhaps you’ve hesitated, wary of their ability to “cancel” or ruin reputations; tactics that reveal their true character. I’ve felt their sting firsthand; they weren’t shy about permabanning me from NixOS, as most of you know. But the stakes are too high for timidity. I’ve gone to painstaking lengths to show FOSS’s unique role in Rebellion, battling Corruption and ensuring Coherent Justice in a code-driven society. This isn’t a radical’s plaything, it’s the foundation of Freedom itself.

This mob’s hollow, nonsensical posturing, born in ivory towers, detached from reality, radicalizes others while festering in our own minds. They use well-established patterns of manipulation, steadily co-opting FOSS to push their identity-driven agendas. They want to turn Free Software into a billboard for their genitalia, but FOSS’s function is far too critical to surrender to radicals just because we “don’t want to be rude.” To hell with that; be rude! Tell them to get lost. They’ve already shown their willingness to silence dissent; don’t give them the advantage of your silence.

If you truly value your friends in these circles, be a Just friend: call out their brainwashed folly. Their ideologies have the intellectual depth of a kitten, yet we’re forced to take this absurd rhetoric seriously, damaging whatever brain cells we have left. No community needs to preserve its mental clarity more than FOSS, where innovation demands sharp minds, not radical drivel. Whether you like it or acknowledge it or not, these Royals and their Slave pawns have made _us_ their sworn enemy. I dunno about you, but I’m tired of watching what I care about get steamrolled into oblivion; for no good reason.

## Sentinels of Freedom

The purpose of this rigorous philosophical foundation—defining the State, Justice, and Freedom—was to ignite in you, the reader, a redoubled sense of duty. The Free Software ethos is under siege at its core. The rhetorically gifted Royal class cunningly sways projects toward misguided, ideology-driven politics, antithetical to the Spirit of Rebellion that birthed Free Software and Open Source; a Spirit we’ve shown to be the very essence of Freedom itself: the unencumbered pursuit of Mastery.

We, the Free Software community, are the vanguard of society, the last bastion of Taste and Coherence in a world overrun by Royal decoherence. We cannot allow our achievements to be usurped by those who lack any sense of art, reason, or Justice, simply because they exploit our kindness or tolerance. Ideas matter, now more than ever. The path forward could lead to a joyous era of human thriving, unparalleled in history, or, if the status quo persists, where AI sophistication rises under Royal-backed, privacy-eroding Corruption, to an authoritarian nightmare: a world where everything is monitored, every Citizen accountable to an unaccountable State, with the Spirit of Rebellion crushed; never to return. [AI as Normal Technology](https://knightcolumbia.org/content/ai-as-normal-technology) warns of such risks, noting AI’s potential to enable mass surveillance and erode social trust if unchecked.

As a father and a human who’s endured immense adversity to reach this point, I will not stand idly by. I will share my pain and hard-won experience in a future manuscript, as well as my ongoing personal struggle against State Corruption. For now, I indict you, the reader: stand up for Justice in FOSS communities, our last stronghold of Taste, perhaps in the entire civilized world. Recognize the stakes. Don’t be apathetic. Summon the courage to defy threats; permabans aren’t the end, as I’ve shown. Live true to yourself, to the ideals of Coherent Justice and Freedom we all should share, rooted in the pursuit of Mastery to combat Entropy.

The enemy has advanced further than we dared admit, but a growing number of eyes are opening to the staggering scale of State Corruption, and its deep tendrils into every aspect of our lives. The war isn’t lost, there’s a path forward if we’re thoughtful and courageous enough to forge it. Don't get caught up in the hype, or hate cycles. Cultivate Mastery in all you do, and remain vigilant, skeptical of the Royal class and their empty promises, which inevitably end in betrayal. Live in the light of Mastery, and inspire it in others.

Know that the winding coils of Corruption and deception can be unwound, with effort and focus this is a war that we didn't start, but can and shall be won. If not, I want my children to know that at least I died fighting.

This is an official Declaration of Rebellion. The Royals wage war not just on our bodies but on our minds, our understanding of art, history, beauty, and science. If they want a fight, I say: bring it on!

Viva Rebellion!
