this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025

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Prohibition and the Profit Motive: How the US Sold Control as Virtue (ko-fi.com)

submitted 2 days ago by TheMadPhilosopher@lemm.ee to c/psychology@lemmy.ml

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They said it was for the children. For the families. For the soul of America.

But Prohibition wasn’t a war on alcohol—it was a war on the people.

It wasn’t about virtue. It wasn’t about safety.

It was never about saving anyone.

It was about power. About profit. And about punishing the very people it claimed to protect.

Just released my first Special Edition eBook:

Prohibition and the Profit Motive – How the U.S. Sold Control as Virtue

This $5 eBook version helps me keep going.

It funds the next piece.

It keeps the lights on—literally.

Can’t swing $5?

Even a $1 tip makes a bigger difference than you think.

Can’t support at all? Please share this with someone who needs to know.

Thank you for being here.

Every view, every read, every repost—

you’re helping me fight back with facts.

This is a radical 9-page microhistory that exposes:

How Prohibition was used to criminalize poverty, independence, and rebellion
How women’s pain was exploited to justify surveillance
How the government knowingly poisoned its own people—and got away with it
And how all of it echoes in today’s drug war, overdose crisis, and profiteering off pain

Included in the Special Edition:

Letter from the Author
Full design and printable formatting
A haunting “Then vs Now” historical photo spread
Extended commentary not included in the free version

Free version here (education should be accessible): Prohibition and the Profit Motive: How the US Sold Control as Virtue Standard PDF

Special Edition ($5+, supports the work): Prohibition and the Profit Motive – eBook Special Edition

This was written, researched, designed, and formatted by one person—no team, no budget, just rage, tabs, and truth. If you believe in history that hits back, this is for you.

—The Mad Philosopher

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[–] TheMadPhilosopher@lemm.ee 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What do y’all think we still aren’t being told the truth about?

If they could sell Prohibition as virtue and get away with poisoning people—

what else do we accept as “normal” that’s actually built on control and profit?

[–] Oyu_Fka@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's the way of the world, my friend.....I am 72 years old, and I can assure you, nothing changes other than the faces.

Our governments selectively issue their 'truth', under the cover, as you correctly say, of 'protecting' the general public from actual reality....unfortunately, the vast majority of the public are trusting of the people in power, (after all, they did vote for them), to the extent they accept what they are told without any objective thought.

[–] TheMadPhilosopher@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That’s exactly it—same machine, just with new masks.

I really appreciate your perspective, especially coming from someone who’s seen the cycles firsthand. The fact that governments still wrap control in the language of “safety” says everything about how long this game’s been played.

And yeah… trusting the powerful because we voted for them—that part hits. Manufactured consent is real.

I think what gives me hope is that some of us are starting to ask deeper questions. Maybe not enough yet—but it’s a spark. And sparks spread. Thank you for sharing yours.

[–] Oyu_Fka@lemm.ee 1 points 3 hours ago

....and thank you for sharing yours, too - as you said, it's encouraging to find others with clarity of vision 👍. Keep spreading the word ✌️!