See, there are a few things to remember about the latest and greatest omnishambles-of-doom story/event/problem/crisis that barges its way to the top of the news cycle, onto the tabloid front pages and out of the mouths of bored employees around metaphorical watercoolers – a couple of weeks ago, for a handful of days, it happened to be the seizing of British state power by jester-in-chief Boris Johnson under the desperate guise of a democratic election but next week, and next month it will be something else entirely. Things happen fast these days and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the constant barrage of crises that pummel us with near-timetabled frequency.
The important things to remember about these narrative-shaping events are;
- Things can always get worse in the short term- and they probably will. No matter how tragic, terrifying or disastrous something appears to be right now, the situation can ALWAYS get worse. So it’s important to prepare ourselves mentally for a level of horror that will be greater and more intense than what we are currently experiencing – pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will and all that.
- It’s very unlikely that you will be able to affect things that are happening on a global or even national level, therefore it’s a wise idea trying not to spend too much time worrying about them. It’s overwhelmingly unlikely that you’re a minister-of-state, an international diplomat, a multinational CEO, an MI6 agent or a billionaire. Therefore the amount of agency you can have at a national or international level is approaching zero. So instead, concentrate on your local vicinity, the area in which you call home. Here you can actually have an impact with your actions.Once you put one foot in front of the other, it might surprise you how much you can achieve.
- “And so long as men die, liberty will never perish….”. This quote, part of an incredible and timeless speech by Charlie Chaplin in the film The Great Dictator, reminds us that however bad things get, change is always guaranteed. Everything is constantly changing around us every second of every day and that includes the individuals who hold the reins of power. The rogues who sit on thrones (both physical and metaphorical), who commit genocide and murder, who bully, torment, torture and hate, will one day either die or be forced from their position. You may have to wait decades for that day, it might arrive tomorrow, but always remember; that day will definitely arrive.
- The long arc of history is undoubtedly directed toward the light. People become wiser, freedom becomes more widespread, a sense of justice becomes more tactile. Dark times may arise, the light may become obscured, but there is absolutely no doubt that, in the long run, the light grows brighter.
Peace
Fractalis - An ongoing journal 