World gone mad

Karl D. writes:

Child sacrifice, the beating of a mentally disabled woman, black dysfunction, Israel trades 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli captive, Iran tries to carry out an assassination and bombing on American soil and the reaction from the left is to blame America or say it is a “false flag operation.” These stories as well as other things I have read today really make me want to pull the plug on the Internet and TV, move to the middle of nowhere and just enjoy what is left of my life while the whole world burns. I am really beginning to feel as though I (as well as others) were the little Dutch boy who tried to stop the dam from breaking by putting his tiny fingers in the cracks to plug them up. A brave but useless gesture. Have you ever reached a point where you say to yourself, “Why bother anymore”? I had a dream the other night of which the only clear thing I can remember was being tied down to a bed surrounded by shadowy figures and I said, “It is not I who am mad, but the world.”

LA replies:

What is the connection between being tied down on a bed surrounded by shadowy figures, and the idea of not being mad but the world is mad?

Karl D. replies:

I don’t know Sigmund, you tell me? ; ) The only thing I can figure is that they were trying to convince me that I was mad.

- end of initial entry -

A female reader writes:

If you let people talk about their dreams on your website, pretty soon other people will be talking about extraterrestrials, and once that happens your website will shrivel up and die. [LA replies: I don’t intend to make a practice of it. But I think there are times when it’s appropriate to let commenters express themselves personally and revealingly. There was something about the way Karl put together that picture of the madness we are in and his reaction to it that was genuine and fit the moment and had a larger meaning than his personal issues and was worth posting. If I felt that the post was about Karl having personal troubles I wouldn’t have posted it. Whenever I get excessively personal comments of that nature, I don’t post them.]

What you should have asked Karl is, “Have you had any thoughts recently of hurting yourself or others?” Karl appears to be struggling with some depressive issues, some anxiety, and a lot of anger, and ditto for virtually everybody else who comments on your website. [LA replies: I don’t agree at all. I think commenters here are expressing themselves rationally and calmly in the midst of crazy and disturbing things that are happening in the world.] Seriously, I think that people are getting very tired of pretending that they think that everything will work out in the long run, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a massive wave of violence is unleashed soon. [LA replies: Aren’t you now the one who’s indulging a bit?] Anything could set it off, from another big leg down in the real estate market (apparently possible because PRIME mortgages are now turning out to be toxic) to the 2012 elections. It could come from the Right or from the Left. EVERYBODY feels cheated.

Gintas writes:

The reader writes:

Karl appears to be struggling with some depressive issues, some anxiety, and a lot of anger, and ditto for virtually everybody else who comments on your website.

You don’t say!

So we should be jolly in the face of utter collapse, have no fear about the future (especially those of us with children, who will be fed into the Liberal grinder), and be resigned or indifferent about things. It sounds like Karl is in his right mind. What would she suggest? Zoloft?

October 13

LA to Karl D. (Oct 12):

Should I not have posted your e-mail?

Karl D. replies:

No. Thats fine. I would have mentioned something if I didn’t want it posted. I must say I am surprised by the reader’s reaction to what I wrote you. I think my reaction to the things I wrote about is actually quite healthy. To be honest, I would be quite worried if someone didn’t throw their hands up in disgust every now and then. In my mind that would mean they are either completely numb (and truly depressed) or are lacking in emotion altogether. My dream was merely an illustration of what I was feeling. Something you obviously picked up on. Had I passed on a dream that portended things to come or something of that fashion I would understand why you would not post it. And to be honest I would not bother telling you about it as it has no place at VFR.

She also goes on to say:

“Karl appears to be struggling with some depressive issues, some anxiety, and a lot of anger, and ditto for virtually everybody else who comments on your website.”

I think the same thing could be said about any blog that deals with political issues. Does that mean everyone is “depressed” or might be suicidal? Of course not. While I appreciate the reader’s concern I think she read a bit too much into what I was writing. I am not trying to be glib, but is it possible there is a little projection going on here?

Rick Darby writes:

I agree with you that Karl D.’s comment is relevant to the big picture and not just his own feelings. Probably most of your readers at times have recoiled from the daily evidence of “a world gone mad.” Add some gray skies and rain to the picture and it can seem sensible to give up and tend our own garden.

Thus, what seems like only a psychological or emotional state is actually a component of the political and cultural challenges every traditional conservative faces. The temptation to concede and make a separate peace, if widespread enough, makes the situation still worse.

But what if a person’s rational mind insists, “It really doesn’t make any difference what I think or do”?

When we get into that space, we have to remind ourselves that the one constant in worldly life is change; that it’s not usually possible to know the effect of any of our acts, however small or futile they seem at the time; and that, as La Rochefoucauld said, “Nothing is as bad, or as good, as it seems.”

And while it may or may not be of any practical use, it doesn’t hurt to remember that while the world of events is real on its own level, it is only a shadow play on a higher, spiritual plane. We always have a refuge and source of strength in the light of Spirit.

Laura Wood, The Thinking Housewife, writes:

I am stunned that anyone would think VFR readers are a bunch of depressives. Why would they keep rejecting the sick, the irrational and the perverse unless they had hope? I personally think they are cock-eyed optimists who just can’t get accept that all is lost and forever doomed. Mr. Auster keeps tactfully reminding them that things are not good and yet they come back for more. No matter how hard he tries, they just won’t consider resignation. They could use prescription depressants if this keeps up.

By the way, I encourage you to get into the business of interpreting dreams. I recently had this dream. I was walking down the street and suddenly there was a huge whoosh of air, blowing everything everywhere. The wind then died just as unexpectedly. When I turned the corner, I was 20 years younger, fantastically beautiful and, judging from my outfit, very wealthy too. What do you think it means? Do you think it means I am not depressed enough?

LA replies:

It’s too soon to answer. Your problem will require at least five years of therapy.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at October 12, 2011 07:26 PM | Send