The World Economic Forum’s "you’ll own nothing and be happy" line sent chills down the spines of freedom-loving Americans a few years back.
But that was just the warm-up act.
And a conservative expert just blew the lid off one hidden threat that could control every American without them even knowing it’s happening.
The New Face of Authoritarianism Doesn’t Wear Jackboots
Donald Kendal from The Heartland Institute just dropped a bombshell analysis that should have every patriot paying attention.
The old days of stormtroopers kicking down doors and secret police dragging dissidents away in the middle of the night are becoming obsolete.
Today’s authoritarians have discovered something far more sinister – and effective.
"Today, totalitarianism is taking a new tack," Kendal warned. "Emerging technologies now allow governments, corporations, and unelected ‘planners’ to enforce their will quietly, efficiently, and nearly invisibly."
Instead of jackboots in the streets, the new control system uses "nudges," "sustainability initiatives," and "unbiased" algorithmic decision-making.
The genius of this approach? Most people won’t even realize they’re being controlled.
The Infrastructure for Total Control Is Already in Place
This isn’t some dystopian fantasy – it’s happening right now across America.
Utility companies across America are installing so-called "smart" meters in millions of homes – devices that give them complete control over your electricity consumption.
Sure, it’s "voluntary" for now, but the infrastructure for mandatory energy rationing is already installed in millions of homes.
Patricia Poppe, CEO of California utility PG&E, actually bragged at a World Economic Forum conference about how new technology would let them "manage demand" of residents without their permission.
"That demand management with modern technology can be automated," Poppe declared. "We shouldn’t have to send a text message."
Think about that for a second – a utility CEO openly boasting about controlling your electricity usage without even bothering to ask.
Meanwhile, big tech companies have mastered invisible censorship through AI algorithms that decide what information you’re allowed to see.
Your social media posts don’t get banned outright – they just vanish from view, strangled by algorithms that decide what information you’re allowed to see.
Your Money, Your Movement, Your Choices – All Under Their Control
The control grid extends far beyond just your electricity and internet access.
Cities like London and New York already use cameras and sensors to track where you drive, hitting you with fines if you cross into forbidden zones.
Employers and insurance companies are pushing fitness trackers that monitor your daily activities – walk enough steps and get a discount, skip your morning exercise and pay more.
During COVID, some countries experimented with digital vaccine passports that determined where you could work, eat, or travel.
But here’s where it gets really scary – central bank-backed digital currencies are coming.
Unlike cash, these digital dollars can be programmed to restrict what you’re allowed to buy.
Politicians already want you to consume less meat, use less gasoline, and buy fewer firearms.
Now imagine living in a world where your debit card simply refuses to process purchases that bureaucrats disapprove of.
China Shows Us the Endgame
Want to see where this is all heading? Look at China’s social credit score system.
Beijing’s social credit system punishes citizens with low scores by blocking access to transportation, loans, and even preventing their children from attending quality schools.
Here in America, we haven’t formalized it at the individual level yet, but ESG scores for businesses work the same way – companies get "nudged" toward approved behavior or face financial punishment.
And it’s about to get worse.
Academic researchers at Western Michigan University actually floated the idea of engineering a disease that would make people allergic to red meat – supposedly to reduce meat consumption for "environmental" reasons.
They claim it’s just a "thought experiment," but the fact that serious academics are even discussing biological manipulation to control human behavior should terrify every American.
The AI Trap is Closing Fast
As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everything from your car to your thermostat, the potential for centralized control grows exponentially.
What happens when your AI assistant refuses to provide certain information because it’s deemed "harmful?"
What if your self-driving car won’t take you to a political rally because the algorithm disapproves of your destination?
If everyday life runs through AI systems, then everyday life can be controlled by whoever programs those systems.
This is the genius of soft authoritarianism – it feels normal, even convenient, right up until you realize your freedom has been quietly stripped away.
The Choice We Face Right Now
Here’s what Kendal got exactly right – this future isn’t inevitable, but it’s coming fast.
"The danger isn’t waking up in a police state," he warned. "It’s never waking up at all, as freedom erodes quietly without notice."
These technologies could empower individuals and improve our lives, but only if we maintain control over them instead of letting unelected planners use them to control us.
The old authoritarians needed soldiers in the streets to crack skulls when people got out of line.
The new ones don’t need stormtroopers when your thermostat, bank account, car, and social media feed can quietly enforce compliance for them.
We’re at a crossroads right now where we can still demand accountability and impose limits on this technological control grid.
But that window won’t stay open forever.
Once algorithms finish the work that jackboots used to do, it’ll be too late to resist – because most people won’t even realize they need to.
The choice is simple: wake up now and fight back, or sleepwalk into a world where your every move is monitored, managed, and controlled by people who think they know what’s best for you.
¹ Donald Kendal, "In the Future, You Could Be Controlled and Not Even Know It," RedState, August 26, 2025.
