I doubt there is another era in the history of Western Civ when the forces in-motion acting on society were so mystifying to those acted upon. And isn’t it especially galling that this is so in an age after rational scientific practice had decoded so many of nature’s secrets? Did that project somehow fail in the end? Has the Enlightenment been defeated? How have we become trapped like frogs being boiled haplessly in our own pond-water?
I have reduced these forces to four obvious streams of the sheerest seemingly evil fuckery, which is to say nefariously managed events meant to harm us. They are surely all related in some way. Let’s try to de-mystify them to understand what we’re up against.
I’m back from spending four days in the woods, off the grid with my 8 year old son. It was great Father – Son time. While we only saw one deer, he still had a blast riding 4-wheelers, shooting guns, whittling sticks with his own knife (that mom disapproves of…shh), and watching old cowboy movies. It was much needed time away from what troubles me most.
I saw very little news, I tried to avoid it. I don’t pick up many channels out in the middle of nowhere anyway. But I’m back to civilization and it seems not much has changed in four days. I always kind of hope when every time I go off the grid that an EMP happens, I’ve had no such luck with that yet.
The FTX scandal has done nothing. The stolen elections are still getting a blind eye turned towards them. The stock market somehow hasn’t collapsed. China and Brazil have uprisings with very little media coverage here at home. The January 6th political prisoners are still rotting away. Every day is a loss for us. Conditions are slowly getting worse, but not enough that people will rise. I saw this meme over on WRSA this morning:
When will it be too much? When? It’s a question I have been asking for years now. I fear the world I am leaving my children. I am angry at myself because I feel helpless to do anything about it. I am alone. I don’t want to just move to the woods and try to live out the rest of my life in relative peace. I want to provide a better future for my children. But if we will not unite, going off the grid may be my only option. I look at my kids and their smiles and how they have no clue of the dark days ahead and I just want to cry.
I had a lot of time to think over the last few days. I’m still amazed that this whole thing hasn’t collapsed. As sad as it is, I pray for something drastic to happen to unite us and bring us to action, so that we can begin to clean this mess up and set things right. I’m tired of watching the darkness creep ever closer. But most of all I’m tired of seeing the coward staring back at me in the mirror.
I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. I know I sure did. But I am feeling guilty for having such a wonderful Holiday while the future of my children grows ever darker.
I’m at a loss. It’s time to do the hard things. It’s time to be Men.
