You know, this morning, my usual walk in the neighborhood turned into something much more. It became this incredibly profound time for me to just think, really think, about where we are as a society and how we’re all trying to navigate this wild ride called life. At 72, I’ve certainly seen a lot, and lately, I’ve been grappling with what feels like a truly corrupt and authoritarian system. But even amidst all that, I was trying to figure out how to keep my own sense of self, my sanity, and my purpose. And honestly, it felt good to just talk it out, even if it was just to myself for a bit.
What I’m Seeing in Our Nation – And It’s Troubling
Lately, what’s really been weighing on my heart are the things happening in our country. I’m just heartbroken by these new laws that are stripping millions, especially kids, of their basic healthcare and food benefits. To me, it feels like this unprecedented hatred for any kind of social safety net, even for the immigrants who are working so hard and contributing so much. And you know, I can’t help but see these chilling parallels to how the Nazis scapegoated groups during World War II. It’s a scary thought, but it feels like we’re headed down a similar path.
And don’t even get me started on our judicial system. It feels so broken, with Supreme Court justices seemingly just taking lavish gifts and getting away with conflicts of interest. It really makes me think that capitalism has just morphed into this oligarchic system. It’s like our politicians, no matter what side they’re on, are just puppets for these super-rich “oligarchs” who pull the strings. They’re writing the rules to benefit themselves, crushing competition, keeping wages down, and just raking in the profits. That’s why we see this insane wealth gap, where the top 1% owns pretty much everything, while most of us are just struggling with skyrocketing costs for everything from food to housing, and our healthcare is a joke. Honestly, I don’t feel like I’m part of some “blessed people” living here anymore. And what truly baffles me, what really gets under my skin, is watching so many folks who are struggling actually support these very oligarchs who lie to them, promising them the world, only to strip away the few benefits they have once they’re in office.
The Two Kinds of Humans I’ve Encountered
As I walked, my mind drifted to something more fundamental: human nature itself. History, it seems, constantly reminds us that some folks will always try to gain an advantage, often without a shred of compassion or empathy. They’ll manipulate, even enslave, others if it serves their purpose. It’s like there are two distinct types of people in the world. You’ve got those who genuinely care, who’d give you the shirt off their back, and then you have others who seem to lack any sense of conscience, feeling absolutely no shame for the harm they cause. I know it’s a huge generalization, but the difference in how these two groups approach life is just so striking.
How I’m Trying to Cope: Navigating the Storm
Given how grim all of this feels, I found myself wrestling with a big question: How do we keep our sanity and reduce our fears when it feels like human life just isn’t valued the way it should be? This pervasive oppression, orchestrated by what I call “end-stage capitalists,” feels like it’s quietly killing us from the boardrooms, with economic schemes and no accountability.
I’ve pretty much come to terms with the fact that we can’t just directly fight this powerful system head-on with traditional methods. They’ve got all the power, and they’ve even twisted the laws to suit themselves. So, I’m thinking we need a different approach, a more subtle, perhaps subversive, one:
- Seeing Things Clearly: First, we have to truly see and acknowledge the pain that’s being intentionally and systematically inflicted to keep us under control. If we don’t see it for what it is, we might accidentally end up supporting the very people causing the harm.
- Living Smart and Pushing the Edges: Open rebellion feels too dangerous right now. Instead, I think we need to be smart, live a bit “under the radar,” and subtly push the boundaries of what’s allowed. We need to work the “edges of protest” without putting ourselves or our loved ones in grave danger.
- Finding My Inner Strength and Meaning: You know, I remind myself that what we’re going through, as painful as it is, isn’t new. Empires built on cruelty have existed throughout history. So, the real challenge for us is finding strength, joy, and meaning right now, amidst all this injustice. For me, that means:
- Mindfulness and Nature’s Embrace: When I’m out walking, I consciously try to shift my thoughts away from all the painful stuff and focus on the sheer beauty of nature – the trees, the sky, the birds. It’s incredibly healing for my soul.
- Connecting with the Good Souls: I make an effort to find meaning in the people I meet who are truly loving, kind, and compassionate. Building those friendships and cutting out the toxicity wherever I can feels essential.
- Building My Inner Resources: I tell myself that a lot of this societal mess comes down to a lack of emotional and spiritual development. The way I see it, we can’t fight corruption with more corruption. We fight it by refusing to participate and by being the change we want to see. There’s so much wisdom in that, isn’t there? Maybe sometimes, we just have to be the world we want to see, even if it only changes us.
Unanswered Questions, But Firm Principles
I’ll be honest with you, I don’t have all the grand answers for how to fix all this evil. And I definitely don’t buy into that idea of “spiritual bypassing”—just focusing on your own spiritual growth and ignoring all the suffering around you. That feels like a way to shut down dissent. Instead, I firmly believe in just being a good neighbor, fostering community, and working together. Because if we don’t stick together, well, we’re all going to hang separately, as they say. When real poverty hits, we’ll need each other more than ever.
It just burns me up when they talk about “toxic empathy,” trying to tell us that being compassionate is somehow bad. That’s just twisted, and it goes against the timeless wisdom of the Golden Rule. Even though it feels like no one’s “coming to save us,” I find solace in just bearing witness, speaking my truth courageously, and trying to live fairly and kindly, even when the world pushes back. I truly believe that evil is evil, no matter what some twisted law or religious text tries to say. And even if people get away with doing wrong in this life, I don’t think anyone truly gets away with anything in the grand scheme of things.
My walk ended with a small but powerful sense of clarity. Even if I can’t change the whole system, I know I can maintain my humanity, live by strong principles, and refuse to let despair overwhelm me. I won’t let anyone rob me of my joy. And as I came home, I reminded myself of my beautiful wife, my wonderful children and grandchildren, and my good neighbors. In those quiet moments of peace, I can find a deep inner strength. And through all the pain and lessons, I want to learn to see all things through the eyes of love. That’s who I want to be, no matter what’s happening around me.
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