Fear, a gift? Think about it. If we listen to our fear, it can keep us from doing some incredibly stupid things.
In 1997, Gavin de Becker wrote a self-help book called "The Gift of Fear." In it he discusses fear and it's role in keeping us safe in the face of violence in a number of circumstances, dating, the workplace, home...
He doesn't mention politics or voting, but I can see the application. Think of it in terms of fight or flight.
Are we going run away and hide from the big scary republicans? Or are we going use our fear of what they are trying to do to this country and fight?
We've heard a lot lately about the enthusiasm gap, and how people are so disappointed in Obama that they are just shutting down, and are prepared to stay home. The republicans are using their fear of the big scary black man who is a socialist, facist, marxist, nazi, Kenyan anti-Christ to motivate people to get to the polls and vote for ignorant, loud-mouthed bigots. Meanwhile many, including a large chuck of the left and indies, sound like they are willing to stick their tails between their legs and either stay home or worse yet actually vote for these cretins.
If you just can't think of one other reason to get off your butt and vote for a dem, any dem, (and I REALLY hope you can, because there are many) do it out of fear.
If they have been able to screw over us so completely as the minority party, just think of what they can do if they (aided and abetted by a handful of gutless wonders with Ds after their names) are the majority party.
It ain't pretty, and it ain't right, but we have 2 choices (as I used to say to my kids when I presented them with 2 options, neither of which they liked.) We can stay home/vote repub/vote 3rd party (all of which equal voting repub) KNOWING that bad things will happen. OR, we can fight, force ourselves to get enthusiastic and vote for the dems no matter what, and have SOME hope that the bad things won't happen...
I know it is a little dramatic, but work with me on this analogy...
It's like when a bad man tries to drag you into his van...you are better off fighting like hell and taking the chance you might be harmed in the process, but have the chance of escaping, rather than going with him quietly KNOWING bad things, up to and including dying, will happen.
Is letting the repubs back in control akin to a life and death situation? You know what? For some of us, that answer truly is, YES.
12 comments:
We must speak up and we must link the arsehats who control talk radio to the repubs whenever and wherever we can.
O and STilli, I am happy to see you here!!
The greatest gift of fear is the gift of learning not to be afraid. I have an immense respect for the Brits--one of the chief reasons is how they didn't let the Blitz (or later, the troubles, or later, their own attacks after 9/11 stop them from living their lives as close to "as usual" as they could. I've been on Russell Square many times (as I remember it, that's where the bus bombs happened--I may have the square wrong) and I seem to remember that I was more upset from 3,000+ miles away than the Londoners themselves seemed to be.
Arthur, thank you...these days I feel like I'm everywhere!
Mikey, it may be just a matter of semantics, but there is a difference between not being afraid, and refusing to let yourself cower in the face of fear.
I'm not sure you can force yourself to not be afraid, but you can force yourself to let the fear work for you rather than against you.
I hope that makes sense...I know what I'm trying to say...just not sure I said it!? Ha!
Stilli, I like your distinction there! I think it's a question of accepting our feelings when we have them, so, yes, we know we're afraid. And then, beyond that, figuring out if we should act on our fear (immanent danger, for example) or if it's an imaginary fear or if we've let the fear rule us in ways that limit our lives (or the lives of others). For example, all the fears others evoked after 9/11, they sure limited my life! They spent trillions of tax dollars, for example. They wasted the lives of soldiers - not just the ones that died but even worse in some ways, the ones now living a lifetime of trauma or disability.
Re you being "everywhere" stilli, I personally am going to stick to these two small sites - Mike's and "once upon a TPM". I actually enjoy the more intimate settings. It feels freeing in some ways. (Well, these and my own little blogs... which seem to have multiplied...)
Incidentally, one thing I notice as a difference on blogger versus WordPress is that the latter allows for threaded conversations. Otherwise... pretty similar, I think.
Yes.
And our side ceding the field this cycle is even a worse idea for one very important reason: These elections determine the makeup of the state legislatures that will do redistricting.
Who among us really likes the idea of more Tom DeLay-styled gerrymandering hijinks? Want to be redistricted out of more seats in the House next cycle?
Time for the crybaby Dems to grow up and hit the streets, knock on doors, and VOTE in November. Vote as though the future of your country depends on it. Because, in fact, it does.
Thera...yeah the format here is a little odd in that you can't reply to comments right under the comment. Makes conversation a bit trickier. Maybe since there are so many fewer people it won't be too unmanageable. I am liking dagblog. It is interesting to be able to track reads...but, I'm still holding onto hope that TPM will be back. It's almost too nice here! Heeheehee!
Gawd, Alan, I hadn't even thought of that! Yikers!
@Alan: Here in little Rhody our first day of reckoning is tomorrow. I'm guessing a turnout of under 30%, even though the first congressional district seat is open. We'll see how wrong I am, if any.
Actually, Stilli, unthreaded comments was the norm at TPM when it first allowed commenting. I've been there since Josh was in DC with nothing but a blog and email. And following that the Muck began and all those threads, some of which got very long, were like this. So it just makes it more fun - and in one way a lack of threaded conversations means that everyone pays attention to all the comments.
I suspect they will re-open Reader Blogs... that is if they actually close them down... otherwise it will just be a place where fewer blogs get fewer comments till it all eventually ramps up again. That's my bet! That you will get your Cafe back. Much easier all the way around... And Josh will ultimately see the wisdom in that. (if he does see The Wisdom!)
Thera, it's sorta weird they're still going, over at TPM, huh? I thought for sure some time today...
Yup! How true it is! Going strong - even easier maybe to sign in than before.... But hardly anybody is home!
I left a scavenger hunt blog there...
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