Monica, Thank you for sharing your insight and experience.
Such a hot topic for me as Minneapolis is really my "hometown". My mom, brothers, 35-40 year best friends live there. We are sick about it. When I am in this angry place...I want to say this: Okay...it's not great that these people have to be so fearful, but if they are , they just need to keep it to themselves. For fearful, intimidated, insecure people, they sure are making a f....g mess of America.
You want provincial? I grew up on a farm in Iowa without a toilet. We had an outhouse. My parents were completely provincial. They only left the country to go to Canada to fish. But they read. They were curious. They followed the news when there was such a thing. They did a bit of travel in the US because my dad was in the service during the Korean War, but stayed in the states.
What is my point? I was like you, often scared. But staying stuck and limited scared me a hell of a lot more than trying new things.
They can have all the fear they want. But stop dumping your shit all over the rest of us. How we choose to live, helping neighbors who don't look like us....getting a college degree...being interested in other cultures and ways of living...if they don't want that life, no problem. But it is NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS if some of us want a life different from theirs! I am happy to leave them to their lives. If they aren't happy, then change. If they are happy, leave the rest of us alone.
Thank you for this. I'm grateful for your story and I fear your fury, both of which feel entirely justified.
I want to clarify one thing: I wasn't scared in those places exactly. Having been "othered" by the host culture myself, I was more curious than fearful, always on the lookout for fellow Othereds, the ones who didn't quite fit the mold either.
What you describe, your parents' curiosity despite their provincial circumstances, their reading and attentiveness to the world, that's the key difference, isn't it? It's not about where you're from or how you grew up, but whether you remain curious or close yourself off.
And you're right about the mess being made, though I do think people living under the dome of fear aren't fully in conscious control of their actions, and they often lack the ability to see the ripple outcomes of what they're doing. That doesn't excuse the damage, but it does help explain why reasoning with them feels so impossible.
The real issue is that some people insist on the dominance of their contaminating fear, forcing it onto a society via legislation, social pressure and more. We're not asking for everyone to live however they want without consequence. We are all responsible for recognizing and supporting our communities. But there's a crucial difference between honoring those commitments and weaponizing fear to control how others live, learn, and love.
I won't be weaponized. It becomes a race to an ugly, ugly bottom.
It is such an ugly bottom. You are so right. Funny, I am reading a Jungian's take on Divina Commedia and wow...the bottom is dark. But it seems that is what makes the goodness to bright.
People fear people, perhaps different, darker, gays, transgender....but they don't fear the monsters. I've been reading some of the Epstein's files, powerful people, horrible pedophiles. a threaten to democracy and world order. But they fear the poor and different. Ignorance? Probably.
You'd think they'd be just as afraid of the lawless mega-rich. (But megrich is funnier.) Thing is, those faces are so well known to us that people feel like they know them - thanks media channels.
Fear, at the end of the day, is so often irrational and emotionally based. I like emotions just fine, but not when they take us down a self-harming/world-damaging rabbit hole.
Snarky, right? I’m a little sensitive with the occupation of Minneapolis by ICE. Hopefully, this , too, shall pass. The whole mess. I admire your compassion.
Monica, Thank you for sharing your insight and experience.
Such a hot topic for me as Minneapolis is really my "hometown". My mom, brothers, 35-40 year best friends live there. We are sick about it. When I am in this angry place...I want to say this: Okay...it's not great that these people have to be so fearful, but if they are , they just need to keep it to themselves. For fearful, intimidated, insecure people, they sure are making a f....g mess of America.
You want provincial? I grew up on a farm in Iowa without a toilet. We had an outhouse. My parents were completely provincial. They only left the country to go to Canada to fish. But they read. They were curious. They followed the news when there was such a thing. They did a bit of travel in the US because my dad was in the service during the Korean War, but stayed in the states.
What is my point? I was like you, often scared. But staying stuck and limited scared me a hell of a lot more than trying new things.
They can have all the fear they want. But stop dumping your shit all over the rest of us. How we choose to live, helping neighbors who don't look like us....getting a college degree...being interested in other cultures and ways of living...if they don't want that life, no problem. But it is NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS if some of us want a life different from theirs! I am happy to leave them to their lives. If they aren't happy, then change. If they are happy, leave the rest of us alone.
Thank you for this. I'm grateful for your story and I fear your fury, both of which feel entirely justified.
I want to clarify one thing: I wasn't scared in those places exactly. Having been "othered" by the host culture myself, I was more curious than fearful, always on the lookout for fellow Othereds, the ones who didn't quite fit the mold either.
What you describe, your parents' curiosity despite their provincial circumstances, their reading and attentiveness to the world, that's the key difference, isn't it? It's not about where you're from or how you grew up, but whether you remain curious or close yourself off.
And you're right about the mess being made, though I do think people living under the dome of fear aren't fully in conscious control of their actions, and they often lack the ability to see the ripple outcomes of what they're doing. That doesn't excuse the damage, but it does help explain why reasoning with them feels so impossible.
The real issue is that some people insist on the dominance of their contaminating fear, forcing it onto a society via legislation, social pressure and more. We're not asking for everyone to live however they want without consequence. We are all responsible for recognizing and supporting our communities. But there's a crucial difference between honoring those commitments and weaponizing fear to control how others live, learn, and love.
I won't be weaponized. It becomes a race to an ugly, ugly bottom.
It is such an ugly bottom. You are so right. Funny, I am reading a Jungian's take on Divina Commedia and wow...the bottom is dark. But it seems that is what makes the goodness to bright.
People fear people, perhaps different, darker, gays, transgender....but they don't fear the monsters. I've been reading some of the Epstein's files, powerful people, horrible pedophiles. a threaten to democracy and world order. But they fear the poor and different. Ignorance? Probably.
You'd think they'd be just as afraid of the lawless mega-rich. (But megrich is funnier.) Thing is, those faces are so well known to us that people feel like they know them - thanks media channels.
Fear, at the end of the day, is so often irrational and emotionally based. I like emotions just fine, but not when they take us down a self-harming/world-damaging rabbit hole.
Snarky, right? I’m a little sensitive with the occupation of Minneapolis by ICE. Hopefully, this , too, shall pass. The whole mess. I admire your compassion.
Thanks, NF.
So, what is the proper antidote to fear? Faith, hope and love, I think. Something strong to break the fear feedback loop.