It's not a gift. It's not something I understood or was even comfortable with. It's just the way it is. It's who I am. Batman gets it.
The one thing that's been consistent all along is my total contempt for fascists and fascism. It doesn't matter where, when or who.
Authoritarianism is the enemy. Authoritarianism is often rooted in dogmatic/organized religion, membership organizations and identity groups.
The first signs of a Natural Born Resistor, NBR, are often evidenced in reactions to an abusive parent, a punitive teacher, bullies, etc. Those reactions are not usually met with peaceful, loving responses.
The reactions of a true NBR are not anti-social or rebellious. To the contrary, more often than not, the NBR is just questioning and/or pointing out hypocrisy.
One last point before moving onto what is happening in the United States today. The NBR is usually a puzzlement to his/her peers.
Puzzlement be the same as fool. Like, "Fool, why don't you keep your mouth shut? Don't you know what's gonna' happen? How many times you gotta' learn this?"
So here I am, minding my own business in the midst of a fascist takeover. What's an NBR to do? Trust me, a true NBR doesn't exactly want to ride out into battle.
A true NBR knows those ain't windmills out there. Those be NBKs. Yeah, fascists surround themselves with Natural Born Killers.
Our government is in shambles. Our citizens are dying from plague. Our economy is collapsing. Our lawmakers are criminals. Children are being kept in cages. Our allies no longer trust us.
Resistance is not simply a matter of voting, although voting is the only sane action for us in November. It's a matter of life and death.
What about the polarization of our people?
What happens after November 3rd? Do you think this is simply a matter of political ideology?
As any NBR knows, the true problem is our own ignorance and fear.
Our ignorance and fear leaves us vulnerable to exploitation. We are easy prey and there are lots of predators actively hunting us out there. Some have been hunting us for decades.
On a personal level, we prey upon ourselves. The most basic level takes place within the family. From there it extends to the community, and finally into the workplace.
All predators share a common desire for power. Unless they're just crazed predators - like a rabid animal.
There are those among us who have created elaborate systems in which to trap us. They are ruthless.
Plutocrats know how to bend us to their wills and use us as tools. They create hierarchies and control people on every level within those hierarchies.
Our republic is a hierarchy. The easiest way for oligarchs to control us is to simply buy, blackmail, coopt or coerce those in positions of power.
Our government was designed by men who understood power. They wanted to make sure no individual would be able to seize control - no autocracy. They created a democratic republic.
Yep, they didn't trust each other, so citizens got to vote - not all citizens. Not all people were even considered people.
So oligarchs control the people in power and we get to vote. What a mess.
A NBR is: skeptical of all politicians; seeks to live without debt and be in control of her/his economy; realizes he/she must work with others for the common good; and values the truth. NBR's see themselves as part of a much large system and do all they can to protect that system.
Holy Moly!
Great post.
ReplyDeleteNBR is a good name for it.
Well thought out essay and post. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRight on! I particularly liked Bruegel’s Dulle Griet, by the way. Now the question is - what do we do? The answers lie in education, removing gerrymandering and institutionalizing voting reform for the long term. What about the short term?
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it. Well done!
ReplyDelete