The article presents a grim depiction of modern American society, highlighting the pervasive atmosphere of oppression and violence. It laments the erosion of morality and compassion amidst rampant injustice. The author reflects on the challenge of balancing despair and action, advocating for resilience in the face of adversity. Drawing inspiration from literary figures, the piece calls for embracing duality—acknowledging pain while striving for hope. There is an emphasis on community, action, and the need for individuals to channel their feelings constructively to resist the encroaching darkness.
In this authoritarian and suffocating climate where being an American feels like a curse, it is hard to move, let alone imagine what one can do to transform this horror to good.
Survival right now depends on our ability to swim in this duality. To not linger in the pain, but to allow ourselves to be moved by it.
To lift ourselves to a more existential absurdist place where the fascists cannot touch us. Not disassociation or numbness, but finding the grace, energy and humor that come when we commit ourselves more deeply to one another.
Before No Kings Day there was a part of me that frankly was tired of marching, wondering if these demonstrations really add up to anything.
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