These headlines ruined my day today. Aren’t Southern Americans the types of people who sneer at higher education, that say you don’t need university to make it in this world, that a degree is a waste of money? What irony that they’re threatening to kill scientists who are telling them scientific facts about hurricanes. Spreading conspiracy theories about FEMA and Biden/Harris, threatening the lives of scientists, and telling people who would otherwise accept FEMA help that FEMA will somehow hurt them in this time of agony for Florida makes me furious.
If only we could convince the party of personal responsibility to take responsibility for the contents of their psyche instead of projecting wildly onto political opponents and oh I don’t know. People who worked hard for their education. I swing back and forth between pity for and rage at southern americans. It is unbelievable that you can use natural disasters to reinforce your ego identity as a political victim, and spread conspiracy theories that actually prevent people from accepting help. I like the Riso Hudson quote about fives, and I think it applies to anyone spreading conspiracy theories right now, this idea of imposing your mental models on reality around you instead of letting reality inform your mental models.
If I have to do inner work to make sure my egoic reality, and the stories I tell myself about my identity, match objective reality, then so do you, Florida.
If I can’t watch youtube tutorials about renovations and subsequently do red seal construction work, you can’t say your religion or conspiracy theory youtube channel is a decent substitute for having a university education. Do what you were educated in and be proud of whatever it is, but do not disparage people who were educated in something you weren’t.
As someone who knows what it feels like to be called out for believing things that conveniently reinforce my ego identity that aren’t true, I welcome you onto the journey toward spiritual sobriety, Florida.