I wrote about fear back in May (wow, it’s been that long?) and wrote several times since about Karens and fear, masks and fear, and fear itself again. It seems like the spring, summer, and now fall has been one long battle against fear. For some of my friends, fear is winning. They are afraid to go out as they once did because Wuhan Flu. They’re afraid we’re turning into a fascist/authoritarian/dystopian state…or Russia. They’re afraid of the changes they see around them…whether those changes may be for good or ill.
On the other hand, I am growing impatient. I am impatient with the overblown, unfounded fear. WuFlu is a bad version of the flu. If you look at actual numbers (as opposed to what CNN and MSNBC and WaPo and NYT tell you) you can see the trends. But, people don’t want to look at the numbers. They want to believe the media. Why? Well, near as I can tell, fear again. How do I figure that, you might ask? Well, for the last four years, the media has been relentless in its hatred and disgust for Trump. The media, CIA, FBI, and Clinton campaign with the knowledge of Obama himself it now appears, ginned up the Russian conspiracy, they tried to destroy Brett Kavanaugh, They’ve worked overtime to discredit everything Trump has accomplished. Pelosi said the other day that Dems in Congress are going to present a bill regarding the 25th Amendment. And Amy Coney Barrett hasn’t even been in front of the Senate yet. I expect that to bring Dems in the Senate to full, frothing madness.
This is all based in fear. Fear that they are losing their grip on power. Fear that their power and prestige will fade and they will lose their lucrative positions in Congress and in the institutions they’ve taken over. Those who are not politicians, specifically not long-term politicians like Pelosi et al, and those who do not directly benefit from the chaos that has engulfed Dem controlled cities over the spring and summer, know that something is changing…they are afraid because they have been told and believe that those changes will directly hurt them. The Dems thrive on fear, like some sort of evil supernatural power that feeds on its victims fear.
Look at the general statements coming from the media and other institutions…it’s a constant drumbeat of fear. Wear a mask if you don’t want to get COVID, vote Biden if you don’t want to fall into a totalitarian state, silence all dissenting voices if you don’t want us to silence you…that last one is the most frightening. “Do not disagree with us or we will cancel you, isolate you and turn you into an unperson.” That last one is an unvoiced threat, but it’s there. The doxing and other canceling actions have been carried out in public for all to see. Unspoken, but prevalent fear of informants is how the Stasi kept control in the former East Germany. It was so bad, the German government opted to destroy the files and not open them for fear of destroying society. The unspoken, but very real threat is the greatest fear.
How do you combat such fear? How do you prevent such fear mongers from taking over?
You stand up. You speak out. You write. You argue. You lose friends…it’s going to happen. You keep talking, posting, writing, arguing. Most of all, you refuse to bow down. Challenge them. Force them to explain themselves.
At the very least…display your middle fingers. I am and will continue to do so to the best of my ability. Because I am tired of the fear.
Do not let the fear overcome your ability to think rationally. I used the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear before. Here it is again:
I must not fear.
Litany Against Fear, Dune, Frank Herbert
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Do not fear. Stand up. We got this.
