The last few weeks ... (~700 words, 3 - 5 min. read)

Content Warning: egregious violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, language.

The last few weeks we have seen:   an unstable devotee of former POTUS45 attempt to storm a law enforcement office in anger at the now-everyday-citizen being investigated for what could be one of his many crimes;   a mediæval piece of barbarity from a military (including the associated mercenaries) that is notorious for its egregiously barbaric mediæval ways of existence (after all, they’re effectively puppets to a tsar),   and   violent suppression of democracy in nations such as Burma, Sudan, and Tunisia.

It has to stop.

Or we do.

A metaphorically cannibalistic species that predates itself is neither advanced, nor likely to advance – and that includes our failures on the climate crisis.

We are divided into groups that compete with each other - nation against nation, class or group against class or group (such as those who wish to survive vs. those who wish to maintain profits from fossil fuels), individuals against each other.

In the worst situations, just going to work can be like entering a gladiatorial arena – not just for those trying to claw their way up power structures, but those trying to survive in society’s underbelly: the poor, the precariat, and those who do not – or will not – conform to violent oppression.

A society like that is less likely to give due heed to the words of its wise ones – such as those who have been warning of the approaching climate crisis for decades, those who choose not to conform to violently oppressive lifestyles, and those who warn of the dangers of letting human rights abuses be overlooked or downplayed, such as the lead up to genocides, the widespread everyday abuses in societies, and the recent carnage.

And that’s without considering the fact that we need species-wide collaboration to deal with the climate crisis and other global problems (such as nuclear weapons, war poverty, and the massive abuses of egregiously corrupt elites [this  person is a good source of information on that]).

How do we change?

Firstly, choose not to be part of this – challenge those adults who do wrong, choose to live a simpler life, choose to call out those with power who either do wrong or fail to do right, or who think serving the community is not enough in its own right and seek flattery.

If nothing else, when you read a reliable news article which raises such issues, draw it to the attention of your MPs – that lets them know that you, a voter, are concerned.

I’ve written of those sorts of actions before.

Something else I’ve touched on is raising children.

The hardline so-called “disciplined” (abusive) approach of last century and earlier is utter rubbish, and covers up and enables even worse child abuse. The more explanatory approach to child rearing of recent decades is much better, and the awareness that those about children (peers, friends, respected figures – and even those who one has incidental contact with) have an influence is also important.

We know what went wrong with POTUS45’s upbringing: what went wrong in the lives of those now vile human beings who committed this evil?

What goes wrong in the lives of those vile monsters who commit rape, or other sexual assaults?

I grew up in a world where a lot of that was excused by BS statements along the lines of “boys will be boys” (even though women also commit such vile acts).

Well, speaking out, advocacy/activism, and challenging the messaging our young people – especially those in elite classes / groups in society – receive is starting to – slowly – change all that.

Even some of those in charge of fossil fuel companies are starting to change. We’ve also seen collaboration recently on climate change and other issues in the USA, of all places, strong coordinated actions against Russia for its invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine, and, in-between the hardline rhetoric and the cowardice/DILLIGAF-itis, some sensible comments about violent, power-mad, human rights abusing China’s sabre-rattling against Taiwan.

Are we ready to do the next bit of change?

Will we enough change for, say . . . the survival of our species against the threats of the climate crisis or nuclear annihilation to finally be put ahead of the interests of the tiny little group of humans who are in elite classes / groups?

Will we change enough for us to be able to contain the barbarities of those who have been damaged and seek ways to heal them and prevent future barbarities?

It is up to us. 

PS - the day after I wrote this, a very interesting article was published at https://johnmenadue.com/keith-mitchelson-what-is-wrong-with-western-governments/. It is well worth a read, in my opinion.