I haven’t written much on what’s been going on in the world right now, or the United States, to be more specific. I think I’m having a hard time finding the words. There is just so much. I’m not sure where to start. It’s likely the reason why I last honed in on some topics that I’ve visited before. Granted, I tried to offer a new perspective, and still, I’m willing to own that nothing I wrote was mind blowing.
I read once that people that suffer from OCD like to watch reruns on television. When they are feeling somewhat out of control in their environment, there is something comforting about knowing the ending. There is an almost instant reduction in anxiety with an understanding that there are no surprises in store.
Clearly, I understand and respect this coping strategy, because it’s effectively what I did on this blog.
As always, I want to be clear that I’m not saying that it’s not important to revisit important topics, for so many reasons. In time, we are put in new and different situations and our perspectives shift [with age and experience]. Anyway, who can’t use a good reminder when it comes to critical relationship and life lessons?
All of that said, I feel like it’s time to dip my toes into the proverbial ‘the world is upside down’ pool.
Where to begin? Environmental catastrophe? Political unrest? International strife? The fight for equality?
Yeah. I know. So. Much.
I think I’ll begin with an idea that I can’t shake out of my brain. I’ll admit that it may be a topic that makes you want to rip every hair out of your head: the Tik Tok ban.
Several individuals that I follow on social media (not TT) posted that they believe this off and then on again situation is a stunt. Or more specifically- a grift.
I don’t know if this is going to be a relief or a let down, but I’m not going to get into my actual opinion of the whole debacle. If you’ve been around here for a while, you likely know how I feel anyway, so that’s that.
I want to focus more on the notion that whether for good reason or not, a lot of decent humans are feeling harmed and scared and angry and skeptical.
Okay, fine. I’ll fold. They have a valid reason to feel that way. What happened in connection with this Tik Tok nonsense is so transparent, so obvious, that any sane person would be at a minimum, incredulous.
This post is not about condemning the state of our government (on both/all sides). Because there is plenty of blame to spread around. Rather, I want to draw attention to how I think we got here.
History will tell you that those who are most susceptible to theft, to a con, to a grift, are those individuals who are in a place of vulnerability. Outside of who you might think of, there is also the somewhat unique vulnerability that has developed in the last decade in connection with social media. I’m thinking of those who rely on social media for everything from social connectivity to news to earning a living.
If one relies on a platform or platforms for the kind of development or engagement that is critical to human growth and survival and those platforms are controlled by corporate giants and politicians and others- then doesn’t it stand to reason that their views and thoughts and feelings are ripe for manipulation by those parties?
I am not a conspiracy theorist and I am not anti social media or against technology in any way. In theory, the idea of crafting algorithms that show you more of what you’re interested in is not horrifically offensive on its face. But what happens when the algorithms are twisted into knots? What happens when content is presented with the intent to craft one specific narrative or sell a product or generate a particular feeling? What occurs when the purity of the intention (arguing that it once existed as such) is so far from its application that the result is not just unrecognizable but dangerous?
One perspective is that it’s healthy that we have people with varied and different points of view. I could also argue that when half the population is engaged in a sort of perverted hero/savior worship and the other half is lamenting a massive scam- we are in trouble.
Not irreparable, irreversible trouble. But the kind of trouble that requires identification and attention and action.
And maybe the real trouble is that we are so busy fighting with each other that we seem to be relishing the unrest and avoiding the conversation. I’m not being glib. I don’t think any of this is easy. I just think we’d all be better off if we fundamentally understood that most (not all) people in power work hardest to remain in power. Not on behalf of all humans, but on behalf of themselves.
On behalf of others who help them remain in power. Even those who aren’t evil, and there are stacks of them, will be naturally inclined to be self-serving. It’s human nature. It’s the way that it goes. Power begets power.
And still- we massacre each other. We fail to see our commonality.
You see- whatever people’s thoughts who were impacted, where ever they landed in the world of whodunit and why it was done and whether or not there was ill intent, there were recognizable threads. Disappointment, fear, frustration, and a desire to find another way.
And yet, everyone failed to see that. They were too busy screaming. And yelling. Condemning evil leaders or bowing down to a determined prophet.
Imagine what they could do if they realized that they are ultimately all on the same side when it comes to most of the stuff that matters? Imagine what would happen if they realized that the places where they differ are spaces bolstered by a lack of education and exploitation of fear?
Imagine how spectacular things could be if they worked together in the spaces where it matters the least and then, crept meaningfully towards the spaces that matter the most?
I know.
Right?
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