You have hit the nail precisely on its head.

Yes, you are right, we ARE being played!! We are being played by those who maintain power over us by keeping us ignorant of what is really going on. It is done via control of our education systems and via phony ideas, most notably politics. In politics, we have dishonest men and women who promise to us good things, but instead deliver to us bad things.
The Matrix, it's not just a single thing, it is EVERYTHING that surrounds us. Our world, that we help to create, is not fully under our control. But, fear not, for there IS a way to exit it! It's built right into it, but it takes a VERY open mind to see it. That exit point from the Matrix/legal system, is the exposure of the crimes its operators commit upon us. For once someone commits a crime, they instantly lose ALL of their pretended power and authority over us, not only because no man or woman has a right to commit any kind of crime upon others, but also, no man or woman has any kind of actual obligation to be made a victim of someone's crimes! Expose the crimes (frauds), and you will win!!
Who can measure out how much crime we are allowed to commit, or how much we must endure? There is NO way to do such a thing, so we must go to the default answer of NONE!! Expose the fraud, and you will win, it really is as simple as that. If you do not fully comprehend the meaning of the word Fraud, look it up in Black's Law Dictionary and then apply it fully to your life and all that is around you. Leave no stone unturned, no dark corner of your life unexamined. The deeper you look, the more you will see.

Randy

I disagree almost totally. The gridlock is due to (2) the political culture which has evolved from the efforts of Dick Armee, Tom Delay, and Newt Gingrich, (2) Fox "News" and other right wing propaganda machines, (3) he combination of racism, being "bought" by the culture of greed, and dogmatic ideology characterizing today's Republican politicians, and (4) Trump's constant appeal to the basest of political instincts. At my age of 81, I have never before seen such divisiveness, and that diviseness is coming almost completely from the political right.

Strongly disagree! “Machine owners” are likely to be shareholders in corporations such as Walmart and Lowe’s. They are likely to be retirees or middle aged people who are saving for retirement.

So far as race-baiting, it is the leftists who are engaged in that practice, along with demonization, and they are so swept up in those endeavors that they are totally blind to what they’re doing.

How well I remember the small-town environment of my youth, and how much better it is today! With economy of scale goods and services are much more affordable and available. Besides that we can all participate and be owners just by buying stock.

If you want to go back to the old days, be prepared to pick cotton for 3 to 6 cents/lb. and pay exhorbitant prices at your local mom and pop shops for things you need.

I agree. I heard about a study the other day where it was found that violence emboldens the right. It works if it's the left against them, or them against the left. The left is apathetic. That's on top of all the studies that I already know about that reveal our tendencies towards tribalism, our tendency towards confirmation bias, etc. Sometimes I have trouble seeing much hope when our own human nature is against critical thought.

You can have small tyown living anywhere, but it comes with strings attached. You muust make the choiceon what you can live without.. For example, I highly recommend to turn off the television, identify your expectations and live accordingly. You want to change YOUR world- go do it.

Yes. Agreed.

Yup!

Divide and conquer has been the playbook of our corporate masters forever. But the globalist genie ain't going back into the bottle, and small town living is great for small towns, but that's not where most people live now. What about LA? New York?

For an interesting take on localism, check out Preston in Lancashire - a post-industrial town (think '"rust belt" ) in northern England.
[theguardian.com]

As a multi-property owner who does 90% of her own repairs, remodels, and maintenance.... I love Lowe's. Also, they give me a 10% Military discount.

If you don't like companies like WalMart and Lowe's, then start your own company and beat them at their game. The free market is open to anyone who wants to play. If Sam Walton did it.... as did Lucius Smith Lowe, Mark Zuckerberg, John Mackey, Jeff Bezos, Pierre Omidyar, Bill Gates...etc. ....then you can do it too. No one is stopping you from creating your own business and your own wealth.

Your assumption that everyone would go back to "small town living" is misguided unless you can get the total world population back down to about 1 Billion. Fingers crossed for a good plague. Even then, people still lived in cities by choice.

But, seriously, the goal is to have "forward" thinking and planning....not regressive reminiscing.

Seems the ‘machine owners’ have ‘off-shored,’ though still want our dollars.. But the bulk of your concern appears to be the Republican agenda, their divide & conquer strategy…

Custom retailers still exist, but need our support. They’re not cheap, but their goods are often the highest quality available. But, both Walmart & Lowes allow you to spend the night in their parking lot inside your vehicle/ camper or truck; mom & pop outlets never did that.

Agree

yes, however they want us as modern day slaves , Why hire a cashier at Walmart . loews and many others if you work free checking out ! Driverless cars will give way to driverless trucks .Robots already do much work .,

Yes
If they can keep us distracted hating someone else then we don't notice they are picking our pockets.