Memes by Themes #17: Cats
You might be thinking, What do cats have to do with an Apocaloptimistic Substack devoted to resisting tyranny, propaganda, and psychological manipulation?
If you understand cats, you already know the answer: Cats are the living embodiment of the independent, freedom-loving, unpsyoppable, ungovernable, badass, politically disobedient do-not-comply rebels we need to be to prevent the cruelites, philanthropaths, kapos, and colluders from ravaging, rampaging, and resetting the world for their own sadistic ends.
My spirit sister Vera Sharav and I often discuss cats. During a March 6, 2025, phone call, she talked about how cats have “the best of humanity” because “they are totally independent,” “you can’t train them,” and “they won’t do what you want them to do because ‘F*ck you, I’m me!’”
During that same call, she said:
“I have a thing about cats. I really do. The Egyptians had a thing about cats.”
“They take things for granted. ‘You’re supposed to do things for us.’”
“They maintain their independence. They maintain their own sort of space, and I really admire that. I wish people would be independent.… That’s what’s wrong—people give up their [independence].”
In a call on May 13, Vera said:
“Cats won’t comply, they just won’t. That’s what I love about cats. They do not comply. You can’t get them into a circus.”
“They’re the closest in this emotional way to us.”
“You and I are not controllable.”
No one would be able to herd any of us if we all practiced catlike irreverence for authority.
After I drafted this post, Vera called on May 24, and I recorded some more relevant gems:
“We’ve gotta be the wheel that squeaks, right? Frankly, I’d rather be the one that squeaks than the one that doesn’t look sideways and winds up over the cliff.”
“No matter how much they try to make us into widgets that are identical, it won’t work. As long as people are awake to some degree, whatever degree, they can’t really do it.
“I hope people will be strong enough to say NO, and if more people say no, then others will join in. Because I do believe the majority now does not believe the whole kabuki game. And I think they [the cruelites] probably know it, so they don’t want to expose themselves.…
“They could not pull off the lockdown-COVID-kind-of-thing again. Too many people, real people, ordinary people, realize it was a crock, and they won’t go along.… We need to have that blue-collar army behind us. They’re the most important; they can see it through. And they can do it without bloodshed. They’re not about bloodshed, they’re about solidarity.”
“Upheaval has so many angles to it.… The interconnectedness is far greater than we anticipate until we are actually confronted with it.”
Famous for giving zero effs, you can count on cats to be unflinchingly honest.
But that also means when they offer you the gift of their attention, affection, and discerning love, you know it is authentic and uncompelled.
If you find yourself feeling pressured to do something you’re not comfortable doing, worrying what people are going to think, or taking life too seriously, just remember your inner cat and draw inspiration from the 162 memes and 25 accompanying hysterical and heart-melting videos (22 curated by my late beloved Michael) in this Memes by Themes.
