“Nothing can temper the spirit of a warrior as much as the challenge of dealing with impossible people in positions of power. Only under those conditions can warriors acquire the sobriety and serenity to withstand the pressure of the unknowable.”

~ Carlos Castaneda, Fire from Within

Even though I think Carlos' stories of Don Juan and such are contrived, there are pearls of DEEP wisdom within those old books. Of which I have many.

The ideas/knowings such as quoted in the OP, discredit much of the forum world corner of alt media, as in we all get together in some great Jubilee, the coming of mass arrests, ascension, the aliens come to save us, etc.

No, the simple fact is that the world is exactly the way it's supposed to be, always has been always will be, and is accordingly as a side note a useful tool for the few who come to recognize it as an opportunity to sharpen themselves.

Pressure creates diamonds.