Thursday, July 31, 2014

A few words on fear

It is a natural and healthy emotion, like when we are confronted with a tiger in the jungle. It gives us the impetus to fight or flee, both necessary for our survival. So survival drives are not in themselves negative but serve vital functions. The problem is manipulating them by creating enemies when it is not based in fact to enrich oneself at the expense of everyone else.

A case in point is the 1%, who create all sorts of false fear to get people to vote against their own and the public interest. The legitimate fear is of these greedy narcissists who are destroying the economy for most of us, for our very survival is at stake. So we need to fight in this case instead of flee. The 1% know full well that their activities create legitimate fear so they have to redirect it with lies within their seemingly good-sounding story about the free market and individual merit. They denigrate the poor and middle class worker as somehow responsible for the mess they created, thereby getting us to turn on each other instead of directing our fear and anger at its legitimate target.


It's a good thing though that the likes of Senators Sanders and Warren are on to this scheme and redirecting our legitimate fear back to the real source. And motivating us to fight back instead of flee. Meanwhile the reality check of public opinion polls supports the truth of the real threat to our survival and well being, since the public supports the issues these progressives promote. I just heard Sanders today say on Hartmann's radio show that many of the working class Tea Party supporters also agree with this progressive agenda, but have been manipulated by the 1%ers like the Kochs to fear the wrong target. Our job is to educate them and frame the debate in a way that we can win them over and direct their legitimate fear against the ones manipulating them, like the Kochs.

We should feel afraid and angry, for there is good reason for it. We just need to direct these emotions at the real causes and do something about it.

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