As a retired person, I fear for Medicare and Social Security if Trump wins. Republicans call those "entitlement programs" even though we pay into them all of our working lives. Yes, we ARE entitled to those benefits! We've earned them. I also fear the further loss of women's rights. And health care. Can you imagine that worm-eaten bizarro RFK Jr being put in charge of health policy??? I fear for our country being run by a bunch of evil clowns.
What gives me great hope today is hearing that women over 65 are overwhelmingly voting blue. Granny Power!
Hi Alex. My husband and I don't have kids, so if we stand up and speak for the oppressed and persecuted in a Trump world, we could be shot, and we wouldn't be a big loss. With your children, I cannot imagine the stress and fear for their futures and to give them a happy and strong day-to-day. The example of China, and a culture constantly under autocratic rule gives me strange hope, because people continue in those conditions to raise children, strive for artistic expression, struggle against oppression, and be whole humans. That said, I hope people will go to the polls and vote against Trump at the very least, and vote against stupid autocratic and democracy killing bills and candidates locally at the best.
The only thing I'm sure of is actions of love, and going from day-to-day doing right things saves our selfness and cheers and emboldens others in their desires to help the world.
We cannot let hype and media steal all the light within us. We cannot fall for manipulation and misinformation. Search out and share facts and truth.
your fear is valid & i feel it too (in a different way, as someone whose family has been in nc for generations). as scared as i am, i am also hopeful that our communities are much stronger than we realize. and we are SMART! and we are vigilant. and i think asheville has shown us that in a big way. i signed up for swap your vote last night, and two new york voters cast protest votes this morning knowing that i voted for harris in nc. the fact that someone came up with that idea gives me hope. i think this young, dumb, weird country we live in still needs to figure out how to function and the only way that can happen is if its people- us- remain hopeful and involved. i'm scared, but i am forcing myself to believe in our future.
another note: i know you haven't been in nc for terribly long, but rest assured there are so many good, hard working, motivated people in this state who are fighting the good fight - i love living here and i love knowing that my voice can make a huge difference here. the history of this state is storied and complex and i think that puts us in an awesome position to change things for the better.
I've spent the last two weeks trying to disengage from the anxiety on social media because I can't deal with being this anxious... but deep down I am scared. So scared.
And astounded. Because I see so many of my diaspora voting for a team who, very clearly, HATES us. Who have called us GARBAGE. I can try to intellectualize why, but I can't fully understand it. They think they will distinguish the "good" from the "bad". They fail to see that, in their eyes, we are all "bad".
I took your dad's advice. And am spending the rest of the day breathing deeply. And crossing my fingers. And watching old episodes of Love Island UK.
I fear the seething backlash most of all. Maybe even more than a T Presidency although they're 1 and 1a. But I read this today from fellow Substacker and artist Mari Andrew [my commentary is in brackets]: "Throughout millennia, people have argued and disagreed [and killed over] politics, but humans have always fed each other, and had each other’s backs. I love us. I believe in us." We triumphed in WWII because people decided humans are so very worthy of saving. That speaks volumes. I think it still holds strong. Tell your dad he's right.
I do like your writing and, may I suggest Australia? It's further than Canada, I know, but I've seen enough Handmaid's Tale to know how easily things spread.
Re Canadian exceptional artist programs: The Canada Council For The Arts supervises programs like that, but you would need to become a citizen first to apply.
(1) Do you know Robert Frank (see: The Americans, 1958)? He has a posthumous show at MoMA in New York right now. One of his pieces exhorts: Fear No Fear. If you don’t know Robert Frank, check it out.
(2) Is the Aleph in honor of Borges’ great short story wherein the Aleph is a point in space that contains all other points? Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping, or confusion. It’s kind of a ‘both are true’ idea.
Yes. Everyone I know voted blue, but still our sense of collective anxiety feels overwhelming. I think that every person is terrified, like staring down the infinite abyss of despair that’s lurking behind the veneer of white picket fences. As someone who is not in the straight white guy club, I’m fearful I’ll be 1st in line on the train to the prison camps (not hyperbole here; tbh I am terrified.) These conservatives are the new Nazis, wolves in red hats and clown wigs. like your good dad said, this country, the whole world, it needs every person to step up, put aside any superficial differences or grievances, and vote blue for the safety and longevity of our future life on earth. I don’t think it’s too sensitive to entertain the possibility of fleeing the country; today my parents told me they’re thinking of running too. I’m sorry your folks went through the violence and fear of being persecuted in Soviet Eastern Europe. I like reading Shalom Auslander, because his sense of dark humor helps me with trying to survive in these impossible times. Similarly I enjoy reading your tragicomic stories on BAT. By sharing your earnest stories, you help to make the world a better, safer, less scary, and funnier place. That’s not a small thing. Changing lives for the better is a saving grace amid the inane, violent madness of this world. Thank you for sharing this open, insightful, and honest story.
#4. “All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.”
I Especially struggle with the implication of being separated from them- by death.
(And here I refer to my children first
& then everyone else I love & {irrationally} want never to lose. Including those I already have.)
I fear man’s cruelty to man; what kind of world my great-grandchildren (if I’m lucky enough to have them) will inherit.
I fear losing my mind; getting Alzheimer’s like my Mama & her Mama before her.
I fear little things like mice & heights & rollercoasters with big belly drops.🙃
I Try So Hard to ask myself: “Love or Fear? How am I being? Am I in the energy of Love or Fear?”
I try to use somatic practices for my Nervous System & cognitive techniques to let go of thoughts that are not serving me. I try to practice Surrendering.
Human that I am, I fail at this every day;
but I aspire. And I seek out sources of inspiration, education, creativity, humor & safe community to help me.
And to that end-Thank you for your words, invitation, & community here.
Hi Alex. We're scared up here in Canada, too. I know as soon as David gets home from work he's going to start following election news, and I'll probably have to go hide in the bedroom till the results are in. You're most welcome in Canada---not that we don't have right-wing nut-jobs up here, too. It's just slightly less volatile, and there are far fewer guns. Plus no Piggly Wiggly. Come on up XO
I'm scared that, in the words of Winston Churchill: "this isn't the beginning of the end, it's the end of the beginning"
We are watching in terror from Australia.
My son and our Chinese-American wife (and her family) live in the US.
We can do absolutely nothing to influence the election.
We can't vote.
Australian media is predominantly owned by Murdick so we're getting shit, biased coverage.
We can't even get live MSNBC or other more reliable "mainstream" streaming as those services are not available outside the US and its territories.
Most of our friends think we are political junkies and don't understand that this election WILL AFFECT THE REST OF THE WORLD. Australia andNew Zealand might be a long way from anyone else but we will be impacted by anything that happens today in the USA. If the USA sneezes the rest of the world catches double pneumonia.
My hands are tied and I am helpless.
If you're reading this and if you haven't voted, you are part of the problem. If the polls are still open, get out there and vote. Please.
Things really are fucking weird. I really love you and your writing.
For the past week or so I keep thinking of the Charles Mingus composition, “Don’t Be Afraid, The Clown’s Afraid Too.” I think it’s apt.
As a retired person, I fear for Medicare and Social Security if Trump wins. Republicans call those "entitlement programs" even though we pay into them all of our working lives. Yes, we ARE entitled to those benefits! We've earned them. I also fear the further loss of women's rights. And health care. Can you imagine that worm-eaten bizarro RFK Jr being put in charge of health policy??? I fear for our country being run by a bunch of evil clowns.
What gives me great hope today is hearing that women over 65 are overwhelmingly voting blue. Granny Power!
Hi Alex. My husband and I don't have kids, so if we stand up and speak for the oppressed and persecuted in a Trump world, we could be shot, and we wouldn't be a big loss. With your children, I cannot imagine the stress and fear for their futures and to give them a happy and strong day-to-day. The example of China, and a culture constantly under autocratic rule gives me strange hope, because people continue in those conditions to raise children, strive for artistic expression, struggle against oppression, and be whole humans. That said, I hope people will go to the polls and vote against Trump at the very least, and vote against stupid autocratic and democracy killing bills and candidates locally at the best.
The only thing I'm sure of is actions of love, and going from day-to-day doing right things saves our selfness and cheers and emboldens others in their desires to help the world.
We cannot let hype and media steal all the light within us. We cannot fall for manipulation and misinformation. Search out and share facts and truth.
your fear is valid & i feel it too (in a different way, as someone whose family has been in nc for generations). as scared as i am, i am also hopeful that our communities are much stronger than we realize. and we are SMART! and we are vigilant. and i think asheville has shown us that in a big way. i signed up for swap your vote last night, and two new york voters cast protest votes this morning knowing that i voted for harris in nc. the fact that someone came up with that idea gives me hope. i think this young, dumb, weird country we live in still needs to figure out how to function and the only way that can happen is if its people- us- remain hopeful and involved. i'm scared, but i am forcing myself to believe in our future.
another note: i know you haven't been in nc for terribly long, but rest assured there are so many good, hard working, motivated people in this state who are fighting the good fight - i love living here and i love knowing that my voice can make a huge difference here. the history of this state is storied and complex and i think that puts us in an awesome position to change things for the better.
I've spent the last two weeks trying to disengage from the anxiety on social media because I can't deal with being this anxious... but deep down I am scared. So scared.
And astounded. Because I see so many of my diaspora voting for a team who, very clearly, HATES us. Who have called us GARBAGE. I can try to intellectualize why, but I can't fully understand it. They think they will distinguish the "good" from the "bad". They fail to see that, in their eyes, we are all "bad".
I took your dad's advice. And am spending the rest of the day breathing deeply. And crossing my fingers. And watching old episodes of Love Island UK.
I fear the seething backlash most of all. Maybe even more than a T Presidency although they're 1 and 1a. But I read this today from fellow Substacker and artist Mari Andrew [my commentary is in brackets]: "Throughout millennia, people have argued and disagreed [and killed over] politics, but humans have always fed each other, and had each other’s backs. I love us. I believe in us." We triumphed in WWII because people decided humans are so very worthy of saving. That speaks volumes. I think it still holds strong. Tell your dad he's right.
I do like your writing and, may I suggest Australia? It's further than Canada, I know, but I've seen enough Handmaid's Tale to know how easily things spread.
We'd be very happy to have him, his dad and his kids over here!
No amount of hating him makes her qualified…
dear alex,
thank you for this question: "What fears make your brain run from itself?"
historically, i would say that the concepts of death and infinity have been my answer to that question.
i deal much better with life and finity, but i'm working on the others.
thanks for asking!
love
myq
Re Canadian exceptional artist programs: The Canada Council For The Arts supervises programs like that, but you would need to become a citizen first to apply.
(1) Do you know Robert Frank (see: The Americans, 1958)? He has a posthumous show at MoMA in New York right now. One of his pieces exhorts: Fear No Fear. If you don’t know Robert Frank, check it out.
(2) Is the Aleph in honor of Borges’ great short story wherein the Aleph is a point in space that contains all other points? Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping, or confusion. It’s kind of a ‘both are true’ idea.
Yes. Everyone I know voted blue, but still our sense of collective anxiety feels overwhelming. I think that every person is terrified, like staring down the infinite abyss of despair that’s lurking behind the veneer of white picket fences. As someone who is not in the straight white guy club, I’m fearful I’ll be 1st in line on the train to the prison camps (not hyperbole here; tbh I am terrified.) These conservatives are the new Nazis, wolves in red hats and clown wigs. like your good dad said, this country, the whole world, it needs every person to step up, put aside any superficial differences or grievances, and vote blue for the safety and longevity of our future life on earth. I don’t think it’s too sensitive to entertain the possibility of fleeing the country; today my parents told me they’re thinking of running too. I’m sorry your folks went through the violence and fear of being persecuted in Soviet Eastern Europe. I like reading Shalom Auslander, because his sense of dark humor helps me with trying to survive in these impossible times. Similarly I enjoy reading your tragicomic stories on BAT. By sharing your earnest stories, you help to make the world a better, safer, less scary, and funnier place. That’s not a small thing. Changing lives for the better is a saving grace amid the inane, violent madness of this world. Thank you for sharing this open, insightful, and honest story.
Hi!
I’ve just stumbled on to your writing & so appreciate the intelligent, thoughtful & humorous dialogue;
the invitation to engage from a level that acknowledges our most visceral common ground- Fear.
You’ve inspired comments that feel So deeply human & truthful.
Reading, I feel enlightened & hopeful.
While not a Buddhist,
My Fears have always tended toward the
“5 Remembrances” which roughly cover: sickness, separation & death;
& remind us-how we live will be our life; ‘
the ground we stand on.’
Full link:https://www.lionsroar.com/buddhisms-five-remembrances-are-wake-up-calls-for-us-all/
I struggle Most Especially with-
#4. “All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.”
I Especially struggle with the implication of being separated from them- by death.
(And here I refer to my children first
& then everyone else I love & {irrationally} want never to lose. Including those I already have.)
I fear man’s cruelty to man; what kind of world my great-grandchildren (if I’m lucky enough to have them) will inherit.
I fear losing my mind; getting Alzheimer’s like my Mama & her Mama before her.
I fear little things like mice & heights & rollercoasters with big belly drops.🙃
I Try So Hard to ask myself: “Love or Fear? How am I being? Am I in the energy of Love or Fear?”
I try to use somatic practices for my Nervous System & cognitive techniques to let go of thoughts that are not serving me. I try to practice Surrendering.
Human that I am, I fail at this every day;
but I aspire. And I seek out sources of inspiration, education, creativity, humor & safe community to help me.
And to that end-Thank you for your words, invitation, & community here.
Hi Alex. We're scared up here in Canada, too. I know as soon as David gets home from work he's going to start following election news, and I'll probably have to go hide in the bedroom till the results are in. You're most welcome in Canada---not that we don't have right-wing nut-jobs up here, too. It's just slightly less volatile, and there are far fewer guns. Plus no Piggly Wiggly. Come on up XO
I'm scared that, in the words of Winston Churchill: "this isn't the beginning of the end, it's the end of the beginning"
We are watching in terror from Australia.
My son and our Chinese-American wife (and her family) live in the US.
We can do absolutely nothing to influence the election.
We can't vote.
Australian media is predominantly owned by Murdick so we're getting shit, biased coverage.
We can't even get live MSNBC or other more reliable "mainstream" streaming as those services are not available outside the US and its territories.
Most of our friends think we are political junkies and don't understand that this election WILL AFFECT THE REST OF THE WORLD. Australia andNew Zealand might be a long way from anyone else but we will be impacted by anything that happens today in the USA. If the USA sneezes the rest of the world catches double pneumonia.
My hands are tied and I am helpless.
If you're reading this and if you haven't voted, you are part of the problem. If the polls are still open, get out there and vote. Please.
Sending love from Australia❤️🇦🇺