Listen to a reading of this article: I often hear talk of how depressing it is to learn the truth about what's really going on in our society and in our world, including in the comments sections of the places my own writings appear. I'm always being asked for advice on how to keep going on when everything seems so dismal.
Thanks for another wonderful piece of writing Caitlin! It was exactly what I needed to read in this wonderful moment! Your gifts are very much appreciated on this particular little node of the internet. Best wishes to you and your husband.
I have been anti-war alt party activist my entire adult life -- since Nam. I live in total isolation, I have lost all my family and friends to death. I published an activist book, was arrested over a dozen times, participated in many events/causes/initiatives, published a rag. My last 2 friends nearby I lost to RussiaGate and my condemnation of Ukraine proxy war. I am 72 and disabled, live alone, in isolation. I am glad you are so lucky that you never have to feel despair or depression. Thanks for the condemnation, it really helps. I do have one small glimpse of hope in BRICS, but seems nothing much I can do about my town collapsing under the weight of inflation and sanctions. Hedges wrote an interesting personal piece called : "The Plague of Social Isolation" -- though a different environment from my lifestyle, he still pinned it.
On a technical level, I like to remember that even within the world of psyops, as Tavistockian and British psyops pioneer Brigadier John Rawlings Rees put it, “winning wars is not about killing, it’s about destroying the enemy’s morale while maintaining one’s own.” The wizards of psychological warfare and illusions know that if people believe there’s a chance they can win, that the war can be won, they’ll keep fighting and won’t give up. A lot goes into convincing people there’s nothing they can do, or putting out false choices—“illusions of choice”—to throw people off from the real thing.
Anyone with a “black-pilled” mentality subscribes to a worldview that guarantees they’ll never make a creative leap, or imagine how others could either. It destroys creativity and the ability to see that sacred spark in others, even in those many cases where it seems that the other person themselves isn’t aware that there’s something deeper within them.
On a higher spiritual level, removing illusions is really a powerful idea. In the words of philosopher and theologian Nicholas of Cusa, God is the absolute absence of all contradictions. Each time we remove an illusion, we move closer to God, the real thing, and our own deeper self.
My paradigm of life is that my purpose is the continual expansion of awareness. There are countless dimensions to that. One recurring thread is that a major component of expanded awareness is the ability to hold the coexistence of opposites. The more I can hold opposites at the same time and the larger of those opposites that I can hold, the more comprehensive my understanding is. With that, right and wrong, good and evil are one part of the whole. The deeper I can hold each; the deeper my understanding is. Reducing life to one or the other is a fundamental mistake and shortcoming in understanding truth.
Thank you Caitlin for that piece and reminding me that there is always hope as we make our way through life, that is what keeps me going and that moment of wonder that comes upon us unexpectedly as we see beauty in a flower , the sky or the pattering of raindrops.
A friend of mine left me with a beautiful comment about my writing asking I really appreciate what you are calling out I appreciate hearing wat you are calling up just as much
Hope, awe and curiosity are three powerful mindsets we can all carry in to the sea of these uncertain times
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil, but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good, that it may prevail.”
When people (including me, often at 3am) feel hopeless, I go to my Grandmother, Veronica, and her story of Warsaw in 1945, the Nazis had just left, and now the Russians came. I recall how she carried on, had two children, kept on carrying on. And although we laid Gran to final rest in 2003, her sad, colourful and sometimes hilarious stories from those dark dark days lived with her, and all of us, many decades later. Her husband taken from her bed in the early hours by men with guns (something of a secret police blessing, he was a randy womaniser!) and the constant threat of arrest or disappearance if you spoke out. As I reflect now on her packed out Funeral in 2003, the lighter and the love; my feeling is that there is only really hope at the darkest of pre dawn times, as now, with evil men working their money and pride out with the lives of billions in the balance, hope and a sense of humour. Thank you for the precious work you have committed, Caitlin ❤️
Right: life is worth fighting for, only because it is worth fighting for: it is a miracle beyond our comprehension, something to be relished every possible moment, and thankful for, and aware of. Our wish should be that everyone be allowed to enjoy it, for as long as possible. The universe has so arranged it, on the most beautiful of all conceivable places. Unfortunately, some twisted minds see it otherwise. But the enjoyment of life as much as possible, every waking moment, is not a guilty pleasure : it is a birthright.
Like you, Caitlin, I prefer to take the attitude that the world won't end in disaster. If it does, there isn't much we can do to stop it, so why worry. Just be aware of the world around us.
I so fully agree with everything you've said here. So easy to miss in the dystopia, the enormous opportunity and gifts also embedded. I'm very optimistic for humanity, despite all the hard aches and challenges. Thank you.
I have felt the crushing despair and hopelessness Caitlin is speaking of myself. It is like you are being suffocated. But if you can turn within and pray for grace and mercy, I promise you it will not last. We feel that so we can turn within and learn to get meaning, validation, and peaceful joyful wellbeing from ourselves. I truly wish for everyone to feel joyful just because they can and are worthy of it. I truly wish for everyone to experience the beauty and wonder that is present within us and all around us.
We are really a lot dumber than we think we are. Wouldn't it be cool if... followed by a scream and intense pain.
Another one I love is The government should...followed by 5 billion injections and 21 million deaths. Also experiencing untold economic and environmental damage. Is there 10 sq meters on the planet where there isn't a forever mask?
Proving once again we are pretty much the dumbest creatures on the planet.
We elect dilettantes, crooks, liars, scumbags, senile old darts, blowhards and evil monsters.
There Is Always Hope, And There Is Always Wonder
Thanks for another wonderful piece of writing Caitlin! It was exactly what I needed to read in this wonderful moment! Your gifts are very much appreciated on this particular little node of the internet. Best wishes to you and your husband.
I have been anti-war alt party activist my entire adult life -- since Nam. I live in total isolation, I have lost all my family and friends to death. I published an activist book, was arrested over a dozen times, participated in many events/causes/initiatives, published a rag. My last 2 friends nearby I lost to RussiaGate and my condemnation of Ukraine proxy war. I am 72 and disabled, live alone, in isolation. I am glad you are so lucky that you never have to feel despair or depression. Thanks for the condemnation, it really helps. I do have one small glimpse of hope in BRICS, but seems nothing much I can do about my town collapsing under the weight of inflation and sanctions. Hedges wrote an interesting personal piece called : "The Plague of Social Isolation" -- though a different environment from my lifestyle, he still pinned it.
Right on Caitlin.
On a technical level, I like to remember that even within the world of psyops, as Tavistockian and British psyops pioneer Brigadier John Rawlings Rees put it, “winning wars is not about killing, it’s about destroying the enemy’s morale while maintaining one’s own.” The wizards of psychological warfare and illusions know that if people believe there’s a chance they can win, that the war can be won, they’ll keep fighting and won’t give up. A lot goes into convincing people there’s nothing they can do, or putting out false choices—“illusions of choice”—to throw people off from the real thing.
Anyone with a “black-pilled” mentality subscribes to a worldview that guarantees they’ll never make a creative leap, or imagine how others could either. It destroys creativity and the ability to see that sacred spark in others, even in those many cases where it seems that the other person themselves isn’t aware that there’s something deeper within them.
On a higher spiritual level, removing illusions is really a powerful idea. In the words of philosopher and theologian Nicholas of Cusa, God is the absolute absence of all contradictions. Each time we remove an illusion, we move closer to God, the real thing, and our own deeper self.
My paradigm of life is that my purpose is the continual expansion of awareness. There are countless dimensions to that. One recurring thread is that a major component of expanded awareness is the ability to hold the coexistence of opposites. The more I can hold opposites at the same time and the larger of those opposites that I can hold, the more comprehensive my understanding is. With that, right and wrong, good and evil are one part of the whole. The deeper I can hold each; the deeper my understanding is. Reducing life to one or the other is a fundamental mistake and shortcoming in understanding truth.
Thank you Caitlin for that piece and reminding me that there is always hope as we make our way through life, that is what keeps me going and that moment of wonder that comes upon us unexpectedly as we see beauty in a flower , the sky or the pattering of raindrops.
Brilliant read! Bravo 👏
A friend of mine left me with a beautiful comment about my writing asking I really appreciate what you are calling out I appreciate hearing wat you are calling up just as much
Hope, awe and curiosity are three powerful mindsets we can all carry in to the sea of these uncertain times
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil, but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good, that it may prevail.”
~Helen Keller
When people (including me, often at 3am) feel hopeless, I go to my Grandmother, Veronica, and her story of Warsaw in 1945, the Nazis had just left, and now the Russians came. I recall how she carried on, had two children, kept on carrying on. And although we laid Gran to final rest in 2003, her sad, colourful and sometimes hilarious stories from those dark dark days lived with her, and all of us, many decades later. Her husband taken from her bed in the early hours by men with guns (something of a secret police blessing, he was a randy womaniser!) and the constant threat of arrest or disappearance if you spoke out. As I reflect now on her packed out Funeral in 2003, the lighter and the love; my feeling is that there is only really hope at the darkest of pre dawn times, as now, with evil men working their money and pride out with the lives of billions in the balance, hope and a sense of humour. Thank you for the precious work you have committed, Caitlin ❤️
Right: life is worth fighting for, only because it is worth fighting for: it is a miracle beyond our comprehension, something to be relished every possible moment, and thankful for, and aware of. Our wish should be that everyone be allowed to enjoy it, for as long as possible. The universe has so arranged it, on the most beautiful of all conceivable places. Unfortunately, some twisted minds see it otherwise. But the enjoyment of life as much as possible, every waking moment, is not a guilty pleasure : it is a birthright.
I think that’s right. It is always darkest before the dawn 😊
Like you, Caitlin, I prefer to take the attitude that the world won't end in disaster. If it does, there isn't much we can do to stop it, so why worry. Just be aware of the world around us.
I so fully agree with everything you've said here. So easy to miss in the dystopia, the enormous opportunity and gifts also embedded. I'm very optimistic for humanity, despite all the hard aches and challenges. Thank you.
"So from my point of view hopelessness is an illogical position"
And from mine, "hope" is the illogical position.
Now what? Seems like a yin/yang thing.
So nice
to Be
here.
I have felt the crushing despair and hopelessness Caitlin is speaking of myself. It is like you are being suffocated. But if you can turn within and pray for grace and mercy, I promise you it will not last. We feel that so we can turn within and learn to get meaning, validation, and peaceful joyful wellbeing from ourselves. I truly wish for everyone to feel joyful just because they can and are worthy of it. I truly wish for everyone to experience the beauty and wonder that is present within us and all around us.
We are really a lot dumber than we think we are. Wouldn't it be cool if... followed by a scream and intense pain.
Another one I love is The government should...followed by 5 billion injections and 21 million deaths. Also experiencing untold economic and environmental damage. Is there 10 sq meters on the planet where there isn't a forever mask?
Proving once again we are pretty much the dumbest creatures on the planet.
We elect dilettantes, crooks, liars, scumbags, senile old darts, blowhards and evil monsters.