Saturday, February 5, 2022

Reflection on the latest (post WWII) march of fascism (warning: very grim; mood killer)

 

If you look back over my blog, a general theme is that life is really unfair.  Moreover, humans make it much more unfair with our behavior.  We magnify the brutalities (and blisses) in nature. 

I am sure I don’t do enough.  I try to write beautiful things.  I teach.  I philosophize about our potential to seek the Good.  But I could do more.

My problems are ‘1st world problems’.  The majority of people on this planet would love to have my problems.  And yet I complain.

At bottom, I’m a vampire, sucking down life to live, just like all us humans.  I usually hide from my part, just like everyone else. 

Our monstrous side may take us all down--if only because we don’t have the courage to face it. 

Still, I think it pretty amazing how far humanity progressed ethically.

I’m proud that I live in a country where human rights made serious inroads into prejudice--even though that prejudice is now destroying my country.

The deck has always been stacked against us fleshy animals.  Our own bodies torture us if we don’t eat.  And we have to eat constantly.  We get insecure and lonely, which means we have exploits used by demagogues to herd us in pens of ignorance.

On top of everything else, some of us, like Donald Trump, are “malignant narcissists,” which makes survival, let alone decency, that much harder.

So, it’s a big deal that we’ve come pretty far.  That we changed our collective behavior for the good--at least for a while.  In this brutal universe, sadly, that alone is an impressive accomplishment.

... I won't say "was" yet.


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My philosophy is worked out in turgid detail here:


Better Vampires, Saner Werewolves

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