Originally, this was a much more political post… one of the many stalled drafts waiting for some inspiration. I wanted to talk about how the degradation of trust in institutions, systems, and democracy itself was an impetus to move forward and blah blah blah. The problem, of course, was the politics.
See, for a period of my early adulthood, I actually thought that politics was a real thing that existed in the real world that I should really care about. Then I took the position that, for us plebes, politics was fantasy football: a sometimes amusing diversion that has only a tenuous relationship to actual football. Sure you can argue about it and bet on it, but your fantasy team doesn’t have much of anything to do with any actual… anything.
Lately though I’ve come to realize that politics as currently presented and practiced is actual self-harm. And political news and sites are like pro-ana or pro-cutting communities. Actively encouraging their members to harm themselves. The current insanity is a perfect example… Things have been kind of a bummer lately: pandemic fear, economic devastation, supply chain issues, oppression and authoritarianism around the world. Know what will help? A WAR, YEAH!
And in a turn of events that shows that whoever’s watching over me has a brutal sense of humor, I’m in the midst of military country right now. Yes, I’m visiting my parents in New Mexico again, where the politics isn’t so much red, but Army Green and Air Force Blue.
There’s just a point where you have to shut it off and shut it out.
NOT because you don’t care. NOT because you are some foolish Pollyanna with your head in the sand, but because you care about yourself and your own mental health too. If you require video evidence to know that people are being hurt, well then you lack imagination as well as common sense… because the videos aren’t necessarily more true than any other messaging right now. Wartime propaganda is a thing and in our current environment, even media doesn’t know what media is true. You’re probably going to be better informed by being less informed.
It’s like thoughts and prayers. If you say “thoughts and prayers” every time something bad happens, well you suck. But if you actually intend and pray for peace, for people to be safe, and for people calling for war and violence — on any side for any purpose — to see the error of their ways. Well, that’s the work of the angels.
If you find yourself angry and thinking that so-and-so should bomb such-and-such or those people deserve this bad thing — well know that’s probably the media narrative and war propaganda rather than logic and heart speaking. Because logic and heart tell us that war and violence and starvation* are always wrong, no matter who does it and no matter who starts it or why. If the best option we can come up with to respond to violence is… more violence? Well, we’re fucked. And yes, our politicians and government and capitalist system are actually pretty fucked… but I’m not letting them mind fuck me as well.
If you do magic you should know better. Baseline.
* Economic sanctions is a fancy term for starving regular people. Never forget that.
I’m personally dealing with death right now and it’s about all I can handle. The best advice I can give you is the same advice I keep giving myself: go heart first, be where you are, pray peace.
