Random Ramblings

Uncivilization

Ah, I missed the previous day's prompt but I had most of this written so why not incorporate it into today's challenge? In terms of vague subjects, let's say that this one is... Power.

Namely disingenuous societal power and the problems which arise from it.

A few days ago, I saw a movie.

It was an old one, filmed in the mid eighties and directed by a member of Monty Python. Brazil - an darkly humorous satire with a heavy dose of surrealism. While I was captivated by it, I confess it was an extremely painful viewing since the themes and biting commentary hit far too close to home. When it was over, I was left in shambles.

He got so much right about the future. The twisted morality, the Orwellian surveillance, the police brutality, obsession with superficial appearances, the indifference to carnage and suffering, and so so much more. My head was spinning. I was trying so hard to keep up with the symbolism, the changing plots, the sheer genius of it all.

The ending was the final gut punch. No spoilers here but I think that it was a haunting reflection of our times.

This pandemic has really shone a spotlight on some of the worst human flaws. It's eye-opening to see the willfully ignorant, the egotistic mentalities, the stubbornness to admit the smallest of wrongs. While it is awful how people refuse to think of others, I can't say I'm surprised. This is a culture of outrage, anger over insignificant things, revealing a widespread contagion which rivals deadly viruses: insecurity.

Are we really so soft and spoiled as a nation? Why can't we cover our faces with a piece of fabric? Do you think that you'll lose a chance meeting with your soulmate? Are you that self-absorbed that you can't shield your smoldering looks for a few minutes to get groceries? Ah, we get the complaints about BREATHING from people who smoke or vape, people who will gladly cough in the face of others, but aren't fearful of being put on a ventilator like so many others struggling for oxygen.

What is a small inconvenience for the benefit of society? Yet they seriously compare face masks to corporal punishment, often bringing ridiculous similarities to a certain regime that sparked the second world war. Hyperbole is all that's used in rhetoric these days.

In fact, I think that public discourse has coarsened and escalated to the degree where there is no middle ground, no mindful compromises. Everything is about extremes. The needle swings back and forth but never rests comfortably in the middle.

The issue of someone refusing to comply with wearing a mask is unsurprising if considered from a psychological stand point. It is in our nature to rebel. We will poke, prod, explore and test the limits of the smallest rules we know. Why should it be any different for this one? But if we continue to be crabs in a bucket and prevent others from escaping this proverbial prison, the consequences for that short term satisfaction will be horrifying.

I think that poor education, materialistic culture, and mental apathy have culminated in a toxic society of selfishness. We live in a capitalist era of maximizing profits over basic human needs, worshiping the almighty dollar and perpetuating the erosion of morals through corruption and wasteful consumption. It is a dreadful machine. Mammoth in size and beastly in nature.

With a focus on greed and envy, is it any wonder that we have a narcissistic renaissance on our hands? What could have caused this? Surely not the celebrity worship, the inequality among classes, the insidious advertising, pushing carnal propaganda and concepts of attaining empty dreams?

Why have we become simultaneously apathetic and outraged? It's exhausting. Please, I'd like one day without having to suffer the onslaught of human pettiness.

So we numb ourselves to it. We hide away in our safe spaces, peaceful bubbles where we refuse to acknowledge the existential dread, the uncomfortable unspoken truths. Is it any wonder that drug use is at all time highs? That includes alcohol abuse, which is rampant.

So what can we do with all this hopelessness? What optimism can we have in the face of insurmountable odds? To quote a certain character in Brazil: "We're all in this together."

Whenever you can, do an act of random kindness. It costs you nothing but a little of your time and energy, but to make someone smile is priceless. Hold the door for someone who can't. Make someone's day with a few glowing words. Spread joy and warmth through spontaneity and sincerity. And not just because this is Christmas, do it all year round. We don't stop caring about our neighbors just because the TV stops telling us to.

Let's come together and start healing as a people, instead of tearing each other down over and over ad nauseum. Can we at least try? Please, I'm begging you...