By Philip Drucker
I've been thinking about existentialism again. You know, three people in Hell? A door opens and nobody walks out? Proving perhaps that people prefer the Hell they know rather than risk not finding the heaven they seek? Could be true. I really don't know. I do know I would not have a problem running up that hill and out that door. It would simply be beyond me not to take the opportunity to say "What the Hell?" while waving bye-bye at the losers still stuck in, well, Hell. I'd think it was funny. Can't pass up a chance at a laugh of cosmic proportions, now could I(nor should I)?
If by chance there were a dinosaur on the other side waiting for a spot of lunch I'd think that strangely amusing too. If you can't laugh at yourself being eaten by a T-Rex as you escape from eternal damnation, you are taking yourself a tad bit too seriously. My advice? Existential is as existential does. Forget about life and death as separate. Be like Steve McQueen. Whatever you do, just make sure you look damn good while doing it.
Which leads me to my next philosophical challenge as a form of fashion faux-pas. The recent wrong-headed at best conflagration of religion, politics, and "freedom" from "tyranny" madness associated with the Covid-19 Virus pandemic. I call it separation of stupid and state. Coming soon to an available beachfront bargain priced to move lot near you.
I read the news today, whoa boy. Armed brigades drinking the anti-government lemonade and associating the right to "bear arms" as a patriotic green light to threaten innocent unarmed duly elected by the people legislators as part and parcel of a "well-regulated militia." How did we get to the point of associating Second Amendment Rights and surviving a deadly pandemic for what seems to be a mythical re-opening of our economy when it is not in any realistic sense of the word, closed?
Perhaps even more alarming is the mix and match one size fits all hissey fit of the "right" for their "right", no matter the very real potential for further spread of infec
tion and death from a virus for which there is no cure, to attend in person a Sunday sermon, now apparently by means of armed and deadly force if necessary. Is this the American definitions of "free" and "brave"? I think not (therefore I am not?) Why? Because the Founding Fathers, if nothing else, wanted you to think. For yourself surely, but while being mindful of your fellow Americans.
As products of the Age of Enlightenment, the Founders believed that given the opportunity to think for oneself, each and every one of us had the ability to make the right choice for ourselves. They also believed that the right choice for oneself was often to be framed in terms of helping to create or protect the greater good.
If anything, America stands for the proposition that individuals who given the opportunity to do good will do good even if it means running toward danger if our fellow citizens require our assistance. This is why at times of great trouble, catastrophe or calamity, Americans come to the rescue of their brothers and sisters. Until now. And this is why it matters.
Trump is a fascist. The last thing any fascist wants is for you to think for yourself. Fascism requires the complete and utter submission of individuality in favor of the State. The State as represented by the singular will of one individual. Thinking for yourself is the worst thing you can do. Ask not what your country can do for you. There is no you.
What is good for “you” is whatever is good for the country or perhaps race, or perhaps those who are saved, or the pious, filial and yes, chosen few who will rise as the rest of humanity falls. Keep in mind that whatever is “good” for the country, is whatever the Dictator says it is.
That’s why, if there is a problem, only he can fix it. Problem is there is no problem and a made up problem requires a made up solution. The only person who provide such an imaginary fix is the “creative” person who “created” the “dilemma” in the first place. What does it take to save someone from nothing? If you, in fact, are nothing as well?
If Covid-19 testing will hurt the re-election chances of our glorious leader, then no testing it is. Reopen the beaches? Why not? It’s not like any of those people were going to vote for the emperor anyway. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean the beach going lemmings don’t love their Big Brother, I just mean Big Brother Trump doesn’t intend for you to vote at all. One way or the other.
To make matters worse, as with all golden calf idolatry loving false prophet pretenders to the throne of thorns he has his disciples. Pence is a religious fanatic. He’s decided the quickest way to get to heaven is through Trump (whatever that means). Separation of Church and State much? Giving your life for the continuation of the state, particularly if it also happens to represent the will of the divine, is in many ways the very least you can do. Governor Abbot of Texas is a disciple of the Temple of what’s in his best political interest is in my political interest.
Something along the lines of “If the good people of Texas ever wise up to exactly what horse manure we’re feeding them here, I really am going to be crucified.” So, he plays along. Jesus wept. Would Trump? Pence? Abbott? Governor DeSantis in Florida? That lunatic Kemp in Georgia? The list goes on and on.
But wait, I saved the best for last. We are drowning in a toxic martini swamp the recipe of which is one part political madness, one part religious fanaticism, one part death cult and one part prone to shooting at anything that doesn’t look like itself. (Bleach and/or Lysol optional) An elixir so potent and inescapable as to fell a GOP elephant by its vapors only, before it was eaten by the mutant piranhas hiding beneath the maraschino cherry and umbrella on top.
What we end up with is a group of individuals using their Second Amendment Rights willing to kill you to defend the First Amendment Free Exercise Rights of others to practice the religion of their choice including the “right” to spread a deadly infection for which there is no cure and, well, kill themselves in the process. All of this in the name of “freedumb” and “democracy” in a last-ditch effort to install a vile, racist, sexist, corrupt, stupid, fat, toxic narcissist in the White House thereby frustrating the will of the people who are by the way, are at last look (rigging the census comes to mind?) mostly not rich, no white and not terribly religious.
Is this the 'Murica of which they dream? No wonder I’ve been thinking about existentialism. When I put it this way, even I’m scared for my life.
Want to have that drink now? It must be stupid O'clock somewhere.
Namaste. Be the spark of divinity within yourself that you have always wanted to be.*
*And which BTW you already are.
Twitter: @DruckerPhilip
Instagram: Philip_Drucker
Columnist for Los Angeles Free Press: losangelesfreepress.com
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