Truth, Tyranny, and the Fight for Cognitive Freedom: Jan Jekielek on Media, Morality, and the Battle for the Human Mind with Joe Polish
Joe Polish sits down with Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek for a wide-ranging conversation on information warfare, cognitive liberty, and why inner freedom threatens authoritarian control. They also discuss allegations surrounding forced organ harvesting, propaganda mechanics, and practical resilience practices—from meditation to “touch grass”—for Entrepreneurs living in an increasingly AI-shaped world.
Here’s a glance at what you’ll discover in this episode:
- How a small team of Chinese-American journalists founded The Epoch Times to expose the lie behind the “China will liberalize” narrative, and why Jan says their mission matters more today than ever.
- Inside Project 981, the Chinese Communist Party’s secret plan for elite “longevity science,” and the chilling hot-mic moment between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin that said the quiet part out loud.
- Jan recounts documented reports on China’s forced organ harvesting allegations, including one surgeon’s story of discovering the practice after a patient received a new heart in just two weeks.
- How, according to Jan, Western partnerships in organ transplantation raise serious ethical questions and why he believes cutting ties is a moral imperative.
- Why Jan warns that today’s global battlefield is informational where AI, TikTok, and curated algorithms can be used to shape public perception at scale.
- Why tyrannical systems fear meditation and faith more than weapons, and how inner stillness becomes an act of rebellion against totalitarian control.
- How spiritual practice and connection to something higher protect individuals from propaganda, despair, and psychological warfare.
- The dangerous rise of pathocratic systems where psychopaths rise to power through distorted incentives, and how to stay human in an inhuman age.
- The line between good and evil that runs through every human heart, and why moral clarity starts with what you choose to fill yourself with each day.
- From regenerative farming to “touching grass,” Jan’s surprising solution for reclaiming humanity in a digital world addicted to artificial connection.
- Why The Epoch Times refuses to be a “bleeds-it-leads” outlet, and how honest journalism can still leave readers more hopeful, not more afraid.
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Show Notes
Who Jan Jekielek Is + What Epoch Times Was Built To Do
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Jan shares Epoch Times was founded (circa 2000) by Chinese Americans to challenge the belief that Communist China would “liberalize” through Western investment
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Core claim: the regime’s persecution of belief groups contradicted the “engagement will make them democratic” narrative
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Joe highlights Epoch’s role as an alternative media source willing to cover stories mainstream outlets avoid
The “Hot Mic Moment” In Tiananmen Square (As Recounted On Stage)
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Jan describes a widely discussed “hot mic” clip involving Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un walking in Tiananmen Square
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He recounts a strange exchange about aging, “continual organ transplantation,” “immortality,” and a “target” of 150 years
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Jan says “150 years” functions as a code phrase tied to “Project 981,” which he describes as extending longevity for Chinese elites (as he understands it)
What The Alleged Organ Harvesting System Requires
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Jan explains why ultra-fast transplant availability (days or weeks) implies “pre-identified” matches rather than standard donor waitlists
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He claims incarcerated populations can be tested (blood type/tissue type) and placed into a database for “on-demand” matching
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Joe underscores the moral trap: once a system exists, people can rationalize participating—especially under fear, propaganda, or desperation
How The CCP Creates “Enemies” + Why Falun Gong Became A Target (Jan’s Framework)
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Jan argues totalitarian systems require an external enemy (he says the CCP points to America) and a rotating internal enemy
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He cites 1989 (Tiananmen Square) as a prior internal “enemy” example, then says in 1999 Falun Gong became the new target
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Jan describes Falun Gong as grassroots, health-oriented, and non-hierarchical—traits he says threaten a regime built on centralized control
Growth Claims: Transplants, Money, And “Kill To Order”
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Jan references research estimates (he cites figures like ~60k–90k transplants/year; mentions hearing a higher figure attributed to U.S. intel via Rep. Neal Dunn, which he says he still needs to verify)
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He describes the alleged industry as enormous financially (he cites a multi-billion-dollar estimate) and structurally enabled by state power
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He introduces his book-in-progress, Kill To Order, framing the system as “matching first, then killing” to fulfill orders
“Hard To Believe”: Why This Story Is So Difficult For People To Hold
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Jan notes the natural human revulsion: most people don’t want to imagine crimes at that scale
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Joe adds that denial makes it easier for atrocities to continue, because awareness is a prerequisite for action
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Jan says public readiness to accept these claims has changed over the last few years, though he doesn’t pin it to one cause
U.S./Western Complicity + What Jan Argues Should Change
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Jan claims Western systems can become indirectly involved through: training transplant surgeons, exporting transplant-related equipment, and “transplant tourism”
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He argues relationships tied to transplantation should be cut or restricted if forced harvesting cannot be ruled out
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Joe emphasizes the principle: knowingly profiting from a crime makes you complicit—even if you hide behind distance or bureaucracy
Legislation + Accountability (Mentioned On Stage)
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Jan cites proposed/advancing U.S. legislation, including the Falun Gong Protection Act, described as adding sanctions and consequences
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He suggests these measures may not end the practice, but could deter individuals who rely on international access
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He compares the CCP’s incentive structure to a mafia-like system where punishment and reward drive compliance
Information Warfare: The Primary Battlefield
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Jan’s central warning: modern conflict is increasingly fought through information—attention capture, narrative control, psychological shaping
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He points to social platforms as engineered influence systems (especially for youth)
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He frames AI as either a force multiplier for freedom—or a path toward “Orwellian” control through curated truth
TikTok, Data, And Psychological Manipulation
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Jan argues TikTok (under CCP influence, as he sees it) is a powerful tool due to mass data collection and algorithmic shaping
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He calls it potentially more potent than traditional weapons because it targets minds at scale
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Joe connects this to broader “power and control” incentives among elites and institutions
Energy, AI, And The Sudden Narrative Shift
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Joe and Jan discuss how AI data centers demand enormous energy—and how that may be reshaping public messaging around energy policy
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Jan notes the renewed interest in nuclear energy and calls it a major “renaissance” moment
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They frame this as another example of how narratives can pivot rapidly when incentives change
Political Ponerology + “Pathocracy”: Why Psychopaths Rise In Certain Systems
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Jan references Political Ponerology and the idea that certain regimes reward traits aligned with domination and moral numbness
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He describes a pattern: a small vocal group resists, a large group stays quiet to survive, and a smaller group becomes enthusiastic collaborators
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Joe and Jan connect this to how fear, coercion, and incentives can turn ordinary people into agents of harm
Spirituality As Anti-Tyranny: Why Inner Freedom Threatens Control
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Jan argues strong faith/spiritual practice provides allegiance to something higher than the state—making control harder
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He shares how community and faith networks helped people endure harsh lockdown environments
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Joe reinforces the idea that inner stability is a strategic advantage in chaotic times
Practices For Resilience (Meditation, “Touch Grass,” And Guarding Your Inputs)
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Jan shares his own consistent meditation routine (daily practice; he describes it as foundational)
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He endorses “Touch Grass”: intentionally re-enter nature to counter an increasingly virtual life
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He emphasizes “mental nutrition”: choose books, music, art, and ideas that strengthen your mind/heart—not just your productivity
Cognitive Liberty: The Big Fight Ahead
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Jan frames the coming battle as protecting free thought—against external authoritarian pressure and internal temptations to outsource judgment
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He warns about the cultural drift toward “AI as authority” and the loss of individuality
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Joe closes with a call to Entrepreneurs: build lives and companies that strengthen freedom, truth, and human dignity