“The regional governors now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.” – Star Wars™
It’s hard not to stop and stair when you’re on an escalator.
On most Fridays, I try to get away from the heavy topics – the ‘Rona and Afghanistan will be there next week. And, probably the week after. And the week after. I believe we are in now week 70 of “two weeks to stop the spread.”
There is probably more similarity to both of these failures than most might imagine, but that’s probably fodder for another post. That would make a good topic for a Monday. We’ll save the coming economic collapse for Wednesday. By Friday, though, I’m getting ready for the weekend and figuring out ways to best spend time with family.
I do have an issue, though:
One particular problem I have is, well, I think. Give me a potshard and I’ll try to reconstruct the political and economic history of the Mayan civilization that created it. When I find out it was from a $1.99 plate from Wal-Mart that broke when Pugsley was experimenting with motor oil, aluminum foil, and topsoil in the microwave, I can just start on a new theory.
“I wonder how the Mayans got aluminum foil?”
Back in 2012 people were making Mayan jokes like it was the end of the world.
Part of thinking is that I often think about things that can go wrong. I have accurately predicted four of the last two recessions. I know where my house sits relative to former ash deposition related to the past eruptions of the Yellowstone supervolcano. I have a (fairly) accurate caloric inventory of the food I have stored “just in case.”
Thinking is not quite a superpower, but it’s close.
One of my friends says he has the superpower to talk to dead people. It would be amazing, but they can’t talk back.
But it doesn’t help me sleep at night. It’s like looking up the disease that you might have on the Internet when you have three symptoms. “Hmm, it could be the common cold, or it could be a rare form of Dengue fever that would cause my bones to rubberize and my intestines to liquify. Heck, then I’d be spineless and gutless, just like Joe Biden.” Then I’d worry.
So, I don’t look up symptoms anymore.
The ability to predict bad things is important. It is something that’s so hardwired into all living things that even the lowly slime mold reacts to predictably changing conditions by anticipating them. If only Joe Biden could do that!
Lately, though, I’ve been a bit concerned when I make my rounds on the ‘net that there seems to be a consensus that something is now really, really wrong. Again, I generally predict that things will be much worse than they end up being, and therefore I am happily surprised when things turn out much better than I expected.
This is normally the case. My bones have yet to turn into a gelatinous mess.
Looking on just the bad things that can happen is limiting. It’s no way to live a life. It’s a weakness.
If you lose a Dalmatian puppy, don’t worry. They’ll always be spotted.
My solution?
I’ve learned how to turn it off. To just stop worrying about everything. Sure, I can see horrible things that might happen. In reality, seeing more of the downside than of the upside has probably cost me an opportunity or two.
That’s okay. I’ve avoided enough bad things that I think they balance out, at least so far.
One of the things I noticed from Pa Wilder as he got older was that he got more afraid as he aged. He had seen more of the world. He had seen things that could go wrong. Often, years will do that to you. Even though I’d never seen him wanting, he could see many different ways things could get tough.
I’m not sure that it impacted the quality of his life, but I decided that I’d take a different route. I could live with a lot of things, but I decided that fear wouldn’t be one of them.
So, what did I do?
I decided that, whenever possible, I would face my fear, head on. Okay, that’s easier said than done if I have a fear of walking into traffic. But when I developed a fear, I decided to not let it sit (G. Gordon Liddy Post).
Fear debilitates. It creates a barrier to rational action. Fear is one of the ultimate enemies because it leads to despair. When we look at the biggest tool used to turn good men bad, it’s generally this one:
Fear.
And if a giant trips on a volcano, does he Krakatoa?
If we look at the way fear of the ‘Rona has been used in the last year, it has been masterful. Create pictures of people dropping dead on the street in China. Use fear to create a fear of gatherings, to create a fear of the most basic of human interactions.
As a society it’s almost like we’ve become addicted to that fear. We have the choice to not let it win.
We head together into an uncertain future. Many of the news stories that I read don’t give me hope that much of what we have become used to will long hold together.
That’s okay. In some cases that will be good. In others, well, not so good.
Much of the future is beyond our ability to project. As Pa Wilder would have said, “Don’t pay interest on money you haven’t borrowed.” Our future is not set, so spending our lives worrying about it gives us nothing.
What is the proper way to recognize someone who stopped bleeding? “Coagulations!”
Certainly, we should think. Absolutely we should prepare. But do it without fear. When you’re afraid, face that fear.
It’s a lot more fun that way.
And, it’s Friday. Have a good time this weekend.
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10/10. As always, the Duke was there before us.
Sorry, John – – Not trying to dominate the food fight…
But I just found this poignant “ballad for us in these times” and felt its message would resonate with your readership.
5 1/4 min video of the ballad with lyrics on the screen:
https://ncrenegade.com/silent-war/
Nice song. I’ll see it and raise Heather Alexander’s “March of Cambreadth”.
One of my favorites.
-rightwingterrorist
Great song for the times we are in
Always appreciated!!!
“I must not fear. 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.” – F. Herbert, Dune
The true warrior does not fear death, for he knows that to cherish life above duty and honor is the most certain path to death and dishonor.
I imemorized the Dune quote when I was 14 . . . got the book on a trip to Capital City with Pa. Good quote.
From Western Journal yesterday
“Last November, Fauci was miffed that experts telling the American people revolving versions of what to do were seen as “authoritarian,” according to CNBC.
“I was talking with my U.K. colleagues who are saying the U.K. is similar to where we are now, because each of our countries have that independent spirit,” he said.
“I can understand that, but now is the time to do what you’re told.””
— end quote
Fauci is a puppet for the control freaks.
From same article:
“Rep. Jordan (R-OH) demands Dr. Fauci give him a date for the end of COVID mitigation measures:
“15 days to slow the spread turned into 1 year of lost liberty.””
Of course it has now become 1.5 years with the restrictions being extended and expanded.
Forgot the link:
https://www.westernjournal.com/fauci-urges-americans-put-aside-concerns-personal-liberty-freedom/
My failure to “do what you’re told” sent me to the principal’s office lots of times. I’m good with that.
The Herbert quote from Dune is appropriate. We all fear. The only question is what we do with that fear. Internet blowhards talking tough are probably more scared than any of us. I have a wife and kids, I fear for their future but I try to use that fear to drive me to do what can be done now so I am ready to do what must be done later.
Well said, Art. And the two quotes dropped by McChuck are kickass as well. Good and necessary message, John.
Thanks!!!!
@Arthur Sido…..I am on your page, because fear can drive action. It can also drive anger. We want action to
propel us to research and make the best choices for our circumstances. The anger is an unhealthy pastime,
and I am tired of people classing 1/2 the population as stupid, mindless, etc. We are past trying to convince
others to prepare and so forth. Let’s enjoy our lives, get rid of anxiety, and get on with the important things.
Understood. At some point (and I’m getting close) my kids own their lives.
They (happily for me) seem to have taken to it very well.
Afraid? Nah. Pissed? You betcha. Been pissed, actually.
Yup, if you’re paying attention, you’re pissed.
Great punmanship, John, as usual. One suggestion: you could’ve saved me some head-scratching if you’d suggested that the fear of giants might be “feefiephobia.” You see, the way you spelled it (fefiphobia), the E and the first I would be short in pronunciation. “Feh-fih-phobia.”
When you have as little hair as I have, you can’t afford a whole lot of head-scratching!
Hehehe!
But wasn’t it that much better when you got it?
Lost all of that in the ICU tour during the be still and know.
Don’t ever get a catheter and breathing tube if you can avoid it because it hurts like a mutha when they pull it out.
Fear is for the weak who can’t fathom the thought of missing out on the next buffet blitzkrieg or enemedia think for you download session.
Those lost civilizations left no record because they couldn’t leave the luggage behind.
The big shindig in the Graveyard Of Empires?
Just a reset or shift to the East now that the former USA is picked clean and Russia will stage manage the Taliban dank memes with China just for the lulz.
These things happen when you live in a clown empire.
In the world of no honk, the one honked man is king.
John, I think I am beyond fear of these things at this point. Certainly of The Plague, and of what is it to come. Perhaps the only fear I have at this point is what will happen if we continue on the path we seem to be on.
And that’s what we all keep fighting against.
“I believe we are in now week 70 of “two weeks to stop the spread.””
That’s only because REAL mask mandates have never been tried!
Escalators:
Ha! Mitch was very funny.
Now it has gotten to be just insulting. The French went in with 600 police and paratroopers and rescued the French nationals and Afghan support staff and families.
The US has 6000 men (10x for leftwing mathematically challenged) and screwup Biden is too risk averse to do the same.
https://www.westernjournal.com/frances-dignified-evacuation-kabul-makes-bidens-actions-look-even-disgraceful/
Someone else had previously said don’t underestimate the French special forces. I have a new respect for them.
So now Biden’s new goal in life is to make Jimmy Carter look good. Jimmy’s Iran hostage crisis is looking like a tea party.
BTW: the Brits did similarly.
Our leadership is worse than the French. (sigh)
*** delete blah blahblah ***
(Wilder edit – as always, thank you, Marge!)
Republicans are such morons.
Is that your “coming out of the closet” statement?