JD Vance Causes a Firestorm

The Mindset of a Peasant,

A firestorm has recently erupted because JD Vance while on a Fox News Interview made a comment calling Chinese citizens ‘peasants’ and therefore he received a sharp rebuke. In my opinion the reason for this hyperbole, Trump’s tariff blusters and inconsistencies as a result has JD jockeying for population sentiment which is turning into a colossal failure of disreputable consequence.

Now, let’s further explore the word peasant because it’s a word that is very prevalent in America as it relates to the minority population. Trump and his administration to this day are constantly on the rampage, legally devaluing the contributions of minorities as it relates to the greatness and richness of America, while hiding the reality those contributions have mainly on a grand scale only benefit whites which further contributes to the mythical propaganda of superiority, while selling the false dream of equality and fairness. 

Have you ever wondered why some of us think small even when dreaming big? Let me tell you something—there’s a prison that exists not behind bars, but between our ears. I call it the “Prison of the Mind,” and it’s where the peasant mentality takes root.

What Creates the Peasant Mindset?

Think about it. When was the last time you limited yourself before even trying? When did you last convince yourself that certain opportunities “weren’t for people like you”? That’s the peasant mindset working—a mental framework that keeps us small, dependent, and believing we don’t deserve more.

This mindset didn’t appear from nowhere. It was cultivated over generations, reinforced by systems designed to maintain a certain order. Remember the Willie Lynch methods—techniques allegedly used to control enslaved people by creating division and dependency? While historians debate the authenticity of that specific letter, the psychological tactics it describes have been employed throughout history to maintain power hierarchies.

The Modern Peasant Trap

Today, the peasant mindset shows up in how we view wealth, opportunity, and even our self-worth. I see it when:

• We penny-pinch with our own community but freely spend with others
• We define ourselves by material possessions rather than character
• We believe the narrative that some people deserve struggle while others deserve luxury
• We accept that working 80-100 hours a week with nothing to show for it is “just how life is”

Let me share a personal story. Back in high school, I saved every penny for months to buy a leather jacket. In my mind, this jacket was going to transform me from nobody to somebody. First day wearing it? Stolen from my locker. I was devastated.

But here’s what I learned: I had given a material object the power to define me. I thought that jacket would make people—especially girls—like me more. Years later, I ran into a popular girl from school who told me people actually avoided me because I was “too much of a joker” and they feared being teased. My problem wasn’t what I wore—it was how I saw myself and related to others.

Breaking Free: From Peasant to Royalty

The mindset shift from peasant to royalty isn’t about accumulating wealth. It’s about recognizing your inherent worth regardless of external validation. It’s understanding that:

1. True wealth begins in spirit and mind. When you’re rich in spirit, it illuminates how you see yourself and how others see you.
2. No one can define your value except you. Not billionaires, not politicians, not social media—just you.
3. Balance isn’t a “red flag” as some would have you believe. The narrative that you must sacrifice everything for work is designed to create modern serfdom—keeping you dependent and grateful for scraps.

The Political Theater and the Peasant Gallery

When figures like Trump and Musk speak about “hardship” for Americans who “take advantage of government programs,” we should ask: who truly benefits most from government assistance?

Look closely at the tax incentives, subsidies, PPP loans, and real estate tax breaks that flow freely to the wealthy while social safety nets for everyday people are labeled as “creating dependency.” The system isn’t broken—it’s functioning exactly as designed.

Both major political parties have played their role in this theater. People of color especially should hold no blind loyalty to either party. The script may change slightly, but the play remains the same.

From Peasant to Minister of Balance

I’m not perfect. I’m constantly learning, constantly evolving. But I’ve learned that to break free from the peasant mindset requires balance—balance between work and rest, between giving and receiving, between fighting injustice and finding peace within.

The richness in your spirit is what makes you truly wealthy. When we define ourselves by what’s in our hearts and minds rather than by material possessions or the validation of others, we begin to see ourselves differently. And when we see ourselves differently, the world responds differently.

So I ask you: Are you still living from the peasant mindset? Are you letting others define your worth? Are you believing that your struggles are simply your lot in life while others deserve prosperity?

If so, it’s time to break free from that prison of the mind. Time to recognize that you are royalty disguised as a peasant. And once you truly believe that—once you embrace that truth deep in your spirit—no one can ever make you feel small again.

Balance, wisdom, and self-worth—these are the keys that unlock the prison door. Use them.

~Balance Due