Absurd Theater
And Shakespeare says OMG OMG!
Signal Chain: Basically everything except the kitchen sink.
Despite the heaviness of the thought process that went into this piece, for my own sanity I leveraged elements of humor throughout.
I also quote Shakespeare.
This piece is a reflection of the absurd circumstances in which billions of reasonable law abiding kind people across the planet now find themselves. It is created from the perspective of us pawns who have limited individual influence or power; who have spent a lifetime dutifully following the rules and laws best we could; paid our taxes; worked seemingly endless shitty hours; struggling through various forms of personal poverty and challenges; only to find that a select few overly greedy fools have taken the keys to our car and now chase and damage and abuse the rest of us with it.
It reflects the awareness that we currently live in a world in which a mere handful of extraordinarily powerful narcissistic sociopaths have placed all earthlings into escalating forms of peril as they behave unlawfully, seemingly without restraint, leaving those of us who dutifully and faithfully supported our institutions to watch in dismay as we struggle to insist this complete nonsense stop and we restore reason over emotion.
My experiences (life, education, work, citizenry, etc) are such that I find, and continue to believe, that the vast overwhelming majority of humanity is generally good. Though we may not always get along, and we all make our share of dumb mistakes, sometimes repeatedly, we nonetheless tend to carve out enough space that we peacefully coexist each and every day. We don’t intend to inflict upon one another any meaningful harm, we don't permit fear to over ride our ability to reason and when push comes to shove we will do the right thing even if it pisses us off or endangers us to do so.
Most of us have clear limits and boundaries regarding what we consider appropriate behavior. We don’t see ourselves as better than others, and while we would likely agree some of us behave better than others, we don’t hold the belief that those individuals should relegate the rest of us to a voiceless dust bin. We learned we can coexist. We believe in basic common good sense, we believe no one is so exceptional that they are above the law and that we are all generally equal to one another and implicitly require one another as we are not a solitary species capable of serving without the help of others. As such we do our level headed best balance the irrefutable presence of our individuality with the irrefutable necessity that we require collective cooperation to permit our biological survival.
We also believe the institutions and structures found in the modern world that were created to prevent singular individuals from placing all of us under the magnifying glass as the sun pours through it and are entirely flabbergasted that these are not invoked.
Yet here we are, facing forever escalating moments in which a particularly select few primitive minded individuals that should never have been afforded the opportunity to be in such a position, now wield, apparently, unchecked power to wantonly break laws to destroy us all as they and they alone insist they will make all decisions for all of humanity regardless of the damage, destruction and death they choose to inflict. Meanwhile the cowards we elected to insure our voices are represented do very little and certainly are not doing everything they can. Some of them are even clearly aiding and abetting.
These institutions are the vanguard of what keeps our society civil and peaceful. Without them we have no social contract. Everything falls apart without that contract. Be wary of anyone declaring with any certainty where we are headed. When political leaders attempt to abandon the ship and leave others at sea anything can happen and it is rarely positive.
Here I am, a pawn with limited means other than my voice and my beliefs. I don’t meaningfully harm others. Im an avowed pacifist, but am not a cowardly one. I try my best to be a productive helper. What the hell does a pawn do? We march around collectively making sure people know we exist and will not be silenced or coerced. We don’t obey blind orders to inflict ill upon others. We stop doing things that facilitate the power structures that support these individuals and we do so increasingly at our inconvenience. We stop enabling and permitting the deviant and their acolytes from running amok by blindly spectating as though we have no choices available to us. We learn do without when necessary.
Refuse to be cattle and sheep.
It’s the right thing to do, but fuck, the results in doing such are so damn slow at times of crisis because people often are made to feel that their voice never mattered. And genuinely good people are reluctant to participate because they are not rash, don't wish to be judged ill, and are often trying to simply survive through personal struggles.
I certainly don't pretend to have clear answers. I'm floundering as much as anyone. I don't want to make things worse when my intention is only to make things better.
Most of us feel this way. But sometimes you have to put on your big boy or girl pants and grow the fuck up and be more actively engaged. You went to school. You allegedly passed history courses and civics courses that actually undescored that you are an active participant whether you wish to be or not. Whether one likes it or not, we will be judged by what we did or did not do. Did quietly demure? Did you stay silent? Did you not do one damn thing to change your own behavior so as to limit to power the select few others have over you?
Life isn't fair. You may not want to hear this, but if you do absolutely nothing, you are complicit. You at least need to speak up.
And if you are ok with our current trajectory? By all means attempt to get onto what is going to be a really small row boat that attempts to flee a sinking ship. If you are wondering if you are going to make it onto that row boat, you unknowingly have already answered your own question. You're nothing more than a cat that will go down with the rest of us mice on the ship. Personally, I think that row boat sinks and the demise of the ship overstated as we are not simple mice, but men and women of reason who will persist if we can just keep our wits and act accordingly.
But don't think we won't forget your choice.
The data suggests that the overwhelming majority of people are not ok with our current trajectory. Your voice singularly may not matter, but collectively speaking your voice is absolutely necessary. Th voice of average law abiding people should matter more than those engaged in reckless greed and corruption and criminality. Be sentient. You don't have to be a hero, you just have to show up in your own way and align your behavior best you can with what you state you believe. And know that others just like you are out there doing so as well. You are not alone.
History shows us time and again that these events, while unique in their particular stench, are not unique in that they most always end badly for most everyone involved. Apathy won’t save you. We are all caught into this riptide and we have to behave accordingly to survive it. Apathy is surrendering to the tide. Barring a miracle you will drown.
Remember, these things end particularly badly when all is said and done for those who are viewed complicit.
My general advice: Don’t be complicit. Don't be apathetic.
Do your part, even if it that part is really really small. We are all equal, but not everyone can be expected to provide equally. Do what you can. We will hear and see and remember.
The irony that there are humans currently in space highlighting the extreme rarity of our planetary atmosphere and biological life is not missed by this artist.
