One of the most obvious ironic truths of the United States is that we are a nation of cowards who think that we have the power to control everything around us. All we need is some guns, money, and a braggadocious attitude that defies human logic, and we can manifest whatever we want. Sure, clowns like Brene Brown can tell people to lean into their vulnerability, but that is easy to say when one is a former AT&T executive married to an anesthesiologist, i.e. no real vulnerability whatsoever. Real courage involves being without safety, and still managing to live one’s life. Authentic defiance demands functioning when one has no idea what the next step is, and still takes it without a moment’s hesitation because that is all the choice one has.
Mention anything uncomfortable within the empire, and people fold like a wet paper napkin in a monsoon, and they see nothing hypocritical about such behavior. Use the word “white” for the most abundant demographic in the nation, and only overt racists stand defiant, while most others will try to tell a story about European ancestry. Discuss the violence of imperial history, and suddenly everyone was “just a product of their time” and everything done was “for a very good reason.” So many people are conflict avoidant that even the protests were seen as a good time to make videos for social media until it all got real.
What are people in those “undeveloped,” “third-world” countries doing? Living. They live without fresh water because some corporation bought the rights, and they raise children and have jobs and manage. Birthday parties are wildly scaled down, and the concept of obsessive self celebration is frowned upon, as it should be. Governments warn people about cartel activity, and except under specific circumstances, public service workers are still at work and kids still go to school. All of the things that make a country, meaning the people, find a way to live with the fear and anxiety that shatters imperial hearts to crawl under beds and hide, or defensively deny the existence of anything that could generate fear.
Are these people superhuman? No, but they understand that life keeps happening whether one is afraid or not, and they cannot afford to wait until the danger passes. Do they have lots of money, guns, and braggadocious attitudes? Not for the most part, but they have an understanding that they control nothing and that they must face everything, because everything and anything can happen at any time, and they have to do the best they can. Is life idyllic without conflict? Absolutely not, but the obsessive craving for such a reality seems laughable to them, and they still find joy in the mundane and the extraordinary.
Maybe imperial citizens need less focus on what they have a chance to control and more clarity about the fact that we control nothing, and should be willing to exist in the face of fear. Pretending that we can overcome everything without facing anything has made everyone a slave to comfort, and generally stupid when problems arise, which is why everyone is panicking after a lack of ease. Stronger people are generally those who function when society is at its worst, and people can still find reasons to smile, help others, and see the point of getting up in the morning, especially if not only for one’s self.
Chasing A Dying Empire 