Breaking Free From The Matrix: Taking Your Power Back from the Extractive & Oppressive Systems Designed to Drain You
- Erin
- Sep 30, 2025
- 7 min read
"Capitalism will make some of the most brilliant, creative, insightful people question their worth because they don't fit within the confines of what feeds the machine."
Michell C Clark
The society we live in is not energetically healthy or balanced—because it was never designed to be.
Capitalism and colonialism are not merely economic or political systems. They are systems of Energy Extraction that operate as a carefully orchestrated machine that siphons our mental, emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual energy, funneling it upward into the hands of the few while the rest of us struggle to survive.
In this post, we’ll examine the oppressive systems that keep us depleted—and explore how to begin reclaiming your energy, agency, and sovereignty.
Capitalism is essentially organized crime. You are stuck in a system where dishonesty and distraction are the norm. It pushes you to consume while simultaneosly consuming you. Materialism, wellness, entertainment, sports - they're always generating a new need and then selling you something to fix it.
The Great Energy Heist (and the Great Awakening)
The Great Energy Heist refers to the deliberate extraction of human energy—emotional, physical, mental, financial, and spiritual—by oppressive capitalist and colonial systems designed to concentrate power at the top.
These systems thrive on imbalance. They manufacture:
exhaustion
scarcity
distraction
fear
Because when people are depleted, they are easier to control.When people are stuck in survival mode, they cannot resist—let alone imagine something better.
What follows the Energy Heist is a growing awareness—a collective reckoning.
The end of:
worshipping celebrities
blind loyalty to politicians
guru culture and hollow advice
chasing metrics and validation
outsourcing authority
People are waking up to the cost of these illusions.
A Pattern Repeating Itself
Historically, predatory economic systems tend to function for 150–250 years before collapsing or transforming under the weight of their own inequality.
The Roman Empire relied on wealth extraction and slavery until internal decay led to collapse.
Mercantilist capitalism (16th–18th centuries) thrived on colonial exploitation until revolutions dismantled it.
The Gilded Age concentrated extreme wealth, triggering financial crises and reform.
Today, late-stage capitalism shows similar cracks—rising inequality, climate collapse, labor unrest, and widespread burnout.
This is not new.We are simply living through the end of another cycle.
"They are not unstoppable. And you are not powerless."
Pete Buttigieg
The Systems of Control
To reclaim energy, we must first name what drains it: Patriarchy.
Understanding these dynamics can help in addressing the broader implications of patriarchy on individual behaviors and societal norms.
Power Dynamics: Patriarchy often emphasizes traditional gender roles where men are positioned as dominant figures. This can foster an environment where self-centeredness and entitlement are rewarded, leading to narcissistic traits.
Socialization: In patriarchal societies, boys are often socialized to be assertive, competitive, and emotionally stoic, which can contribute to the development of narcissistic behaviors. They may learn to prioritize their own needs and desires over others.
Validation and Recognition: Patriarchal structures often provide greater validation and recognition to those in power, typically men. This can create a feedback loop where individuals seek more attention and validation, reinforcing narcissistic tendencies.
Fear of Vulnerability: In a patriarchal context, showing vulnerability can be seen as a weakness. As a result, individuals may adopt narcissistic traits as a defense mechanism to avoid appearing weak or dependent.
Cultural Narratives of Success Media and cultural narratives in patriarchal societies often glorify success, dominance, and individualism, which can further encourage narcissistic behavior as people strive to meet these ideals.
Four things your oppressor will demand from you but that won't actually relieve your oppression: Politeness, Respect, Gratitude, Compliance.
The Seven Mountains of Influence framework originated in U.S. evangelical Christian circles in the 1970s, most often attributed to Bill Bright and Loren Cunningham. It was later popularized in the 1990s–2000s, particularly within the New Apostolic Reformation.
The model identifies seven cultural spheres and argues that societal change happens by shaping values within these areas.
Family – parenting, marriage, household structures, and values
Religion / Spirituality – faith, belief systems, moral frameworks
Education – schools, universities, training, and knowledge formation
Media – news, entertainment, social platforms, storytelling
Arts & Entertainment – music, film, literature, fashion, creative expression
Business / Economy – commerce, entrepreneurship, labor, wealth creation
Government / Law – politics, policy, justice systems, civic leadership
When taken literally, as many groups have, it becomes dangerous: concentrating power, promoting elitism, and justifying control in the name of “values.” At its extreme, it feeds dominionist and authoritarian thinking, turning influence into manipulation and reducing complex social systems into ideological battlegrounds.
And how do these areas of influence manifest in our society?
1. Financial Drain & Economic Suppression
Wage stagnation alongside rising living costs
Student loan debt as generational control
Predatory credit and lending systems
Tax loopholes and corporate welfare protecting the wealthy
2. Emotional & Psychological Control
Fear-based media keeping people reactive
Manufactured outrage dividing communities
Social media algorithms exploiting attention and anxiety
3. Physical Exploitation
Hustle culture glorifying exhaustion
Multiple jobs required for basic survival
Processed food, toxins, and profit-driven healthcare keeping bodies unwell
4. Spiritual & Cultural Manipulation
Religion used to instill obedience and shame
Historical erasure disconnecting people from identity
Celebrity and influencer culture replacing meaning with spectacle
5. Legal & Political Suppression
Lobbying and corporate capture of government
Voter suppression and gerrymandering
Surveillance, militarized policing, and punishment over prevention
As an 'anti-capitalist' I believe everyone should have housing, food, medical care, education, and the basics to live a happy, healthy life. Publicly funded, preventative wellness assistance would ultimately be cheaper and more effective than all of the reactionary half-measures we're used to.
Internalized Capitalism
Internalized capitalism is what happens when an economic system enters the nervous system.
It’s not just what you believe—it’s what you feel.
Internalized capitalism is reinforced everywhere:
workplaces
social media
productivity culture
hustle narratives disguised as “self-improvement”
Even resistance can become performative (“doing rest correctly”).
That’s why unlearning it is not simply a mindset shift—it’s a somatic and relational pro
What it looks like:
Self-worth tied to productivity
Guilt during rest or pleasure
Moralizing money and success
Treating rest as a reward, not a right
Chasing a version of success that doesn’t fit
What is sounds like:
If I’m not producing, I don’t deserve safety or care.
There is never enough time—and I’m already late.
People get what they deserve.
Rest is indulgent, not essential.
There is one correct path—and I’m not a good person if I deviate from it.
“I should be further along by now.”
“I can’t afford to slow down.”
“Once I get X, then I can relax.”
“Other people handle this better than I do.”
“If I stop, everything will fall apart.”
What it feels like:
Chronic urgency
Chronic anxiety
Chronic fatigue
Chronic shame
Chronic guilt
This is social conditioning, not personal failure or weakness.
Signs of Freedom
You question productivity as a measure of worth
You notice how your body reacts to pressure
You feel grief or anger about how much energy has been extracted from you
You crave slowness, depth, or meaning over scale
That awareness is deconditioning.
Reclaiming Your Energy
Your energy is your most valuable resource—and reclaiming it is a revolutionary act.
Reclaiming your energy means detaching from oppressive systems in every aspect of life: relationships, food, money, media, and work. It means strengthening community, creating new structures, and choosing to live on your own terms
Reclaiming energy doesn’t require perfection. It starts with choice, and each one weakens the system’s grip. Try these small acts of resistance.
Mental & Emotional Power
Step away from fear-based media
Consume media inefficiently
Regulate your nervous system through rest and breath
Practice discernment and critical thinking
Create an anti–to-do list
Redefine what a “wasted day” means
Physical Power
Prioritize rest without guilt
Nourish your body intentionally
Reject hustle as virtue
Financial Power
Reduce dependence on exploitative systems
Support local and ethical economies
Learn financial literacy without shame
Political & Social Power
Build community resilience
Engage in strategic—not performative—activism
Advocate for systems that support life, not profit
Social Power
Create no-pressure gatherings or hustle-free hangouts
Ask “How is your heart?” instead of “What do you do?”
Fully receive compliments
Spiritual Power
Reclaim intuition and inner authority
Release dogma and shame-based belief systems
Transmute anger into creation
"Your response is your power."
Tanesia Harris
Anti-Capitalist Affirmations
The way forward: focusing on challenging systems of economic inequality, consumerism, and exploitation, while promoting values like community, equity, sustainability, and collective well-being. These affirmations encourage a mindset that questions materialism and prioritizes social justice and shared prosperity.
- I reject systems that prioritize profit over people and planet.
- True wealth is found in community, compassion, and cooperation.
- I honor the value of every person beyond their economic status.
- My worth is not defined by what I own or consume.
- I support equitable sharing of resources and opportunities for all.
- I choose sustainability and care for the Earth over endless growth.
- Collective well-being is more important than individual accumulation.
- I stand against exploitation and oppression in all economic systems.
- I embrace simplicity, creativity, and meaningful connection over consumerism.
- Together, we can build systems rooted in justice, dignity, and respect.
- I am part of a movement that values people and the planet above profit.
- I release attachment to material possessions and embrace abundance in generosity.
- Economic systems should serve humanity, not control it.
- I cultivate awareness of how my choices impact others and the world.
- I believe in a future where cooperation replaces competition.
How to regulate your nervous system in a capitalist hellscape: Try naming 5 things you can scream, 4 things you can smash, 3 things you can hex, 2 things you can toss over a cliff, 1 thing you can set on fire.
A Closing Truth
We were never meant to simply eat, sleep, work, and die.
We were meant to:
create
heal
love
belong
thrive
Your energy is sacred. Guard it fiercely. Use it intentionally.
Deconditioning isn’t about dropping out of society or rejecting it altogether—it’s about remembering who you are within it. And choosing, again and again, to live on your own terms.
Holy Mother, Ancient Mother, Mother of us all.
In these volatile times may we find our way back to each other.
May we remember that we are all your children aching to belong.
May hearts bound in fear, hate and separation, soften and become tender.
May the seed of love that exists within all souls be awoken forevermore.
May inextinguishable love be louder and stronger than the fear and separation dividing land and people.
May we realise that the grief and rage we feel is evidence of how much we love.
May we wake up before it’s too late.
May we turn towards each other.
May we realise that just as in nature, it’s through embracing our differences that we will thrive.
May our children and our children’s children know Peace.
Rebecca Campbell
Erin is a certified feng shui consultant, energy healer, wellness coach and holistic growth strategist.
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