In the genteel South it is understood that politics are front porch superfluities, which are left on the porch, not to be brought in to the supper table. I’ve been privileged to visit nearly every State and much of the world. Everywhere is the South where there is a front porch (or stoop). Everyone is genteel where there is a supper table (even a vinyl one with folding legs).
Subduing our passions is a major tenet that is impressed on all who join our gentle craft. And it is the most difficult to control. No matter how much one focuses on civility and humility there will always be “times that try men’s souls.” Today’s culture shock is a highly toxic one. As you have pointed out, there are many with undisciplined passions. You see it in everyday life and our responses are mostly in-kind. The guy that cuts you off making a left turn from the right turn lane. The scammers and politicians who keep texting you demanding money. We can blame a lot of this on the introduction of social media into out culture, amplifying the roller derby antics of the uninitiated. There’s a lot of research to support this observation. So much so, that many have taken up Masonry’s civility project to save our crumbling dystopian culture. Those of us who are Boomers grew up in a different age. We don’t boast everyday about everything in our lives. We respect and demand privacy. For the most part, we were taught to have manners and respect for people. This is no longer. The Volume of Sacred Law teaches us “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 NIV) The meaning of this verse is that those who are prideful and try to exalt themselves will ultimately be humbled, while those who are humble and do not seek status and recognition will be exalted or lifted. The parable teaches that true greatness comes through humility and serving others, not through self-promotion and seeking one's own glory. The verse encourages a posture of humility and self-awareness rather than arrogance and self-importance. And as far as derangement is concerned, get in line behind me.
Indeed, I think that for most of us, subduing our passions is the pursuit of a lifetime. We aren't any of us, saints, but we can, and we should, endeavor to improve ourselves each day. In that way we become a benefit to everyone around us, rather than a detriment.
I doubt he cut his dad out of his life because of politics.
I suspect the politics only highlighted the embedded dysfunction and abuse that had always been in that relationship and he finally outgrew his need for that toxicity.
Believe me - NOBODY orphans themselves lightly and he won't regret it - he'll wonder on his death bed why he didn't do it sooner. That relationship was already toxic.
Nobody is obliged to stay in contact with blood-kin who failed to fix their own psychological snakes/dysfunctions and break toxic family patterns, before they had kids and who FAILED to love their children properly, thus dumping all that mess on their kids to have to fix. It's morally wrong. No child is obligated to stay connected to such dysfunctional and negligent people.
That father is protecting his own children and breaking the patterns that hurt him. Good on him and more power to him.
I checked his profile when I realized what he was posting here this morning. It seems he thrives on profanity laced personal attacks across a large number of publications here.
This morning at the breakfast I mentioned in a previous post two of the non-Masons began an argument with a PM that was obviously political... I looked up your "Derangement" post and asked for a "truce" while I read it out... at the end I asked the two non-Masons "What are the writer's political leanings?"... they immediately stopped. What an excellent piece!
Arguing over politics can be personal now more than ever as even basic morals have been politicized. There are people convinced that half the country is racist and the other half are groomers for pedophilia. One talking head -- someone with an audience of millions -- even said you need to be afraid of and keep your children away from neighbors who are going to vote for a certain person. It's extremist media and personalities pushing extremism.
Not being mad at people for their stances on certain issues can be hard, but we're in a new era now. Many families have alwys had that one relative who is a conspiracy nut and super vocal about it. Now millions have become this, plus extra doses of anger and fear. Do we cut them off from our lives? Sometimes WE HAVE TO. It depends how radicalized they are.
But these people need our compassion more than ridicule, as easy as it is to do the latter and hard to do the former. It's like when a familiy member (or sometimes most of a whole family) joins a cult. Maybe you need some distance, depending how bad they are at not being able to be civil or rational or tolerant or can't let it go in conversations.
Now to be clear, it's the extremism, not the general beliefs or values we're talking about. And it's not partisan in the usual sense right now. There have always been general disagreements -- and there should be. And there have always been some people who can't accept common ground or let themselves see another point of view. But right now, there is a large contingent of people so extreme that even the people of the same general opinions (and same party affiliation) are eager to distance themselves. And some of these extremists have enough power to threaten the whole system, in part by convincing us everything else is a threat only they can save us from. (This is all too familiar to historians, but that's another discussion.)
This truly isn't Democrat versus Republican anymore, as much as we want to paint all of each with the same brush. It's people who are hair-triggered, angry, fearful, and doubling down on alternative facts and conspiracies that have the most trouble at the dinner table -- or rather those who have to be around them. It's heartbreaking when it's loved ones or friends. Not everyone can work through that, or wait it out. Or maybe it's just a visible outlet for a person who was always selfish or abusive.
My point is that this isn't simple. There are many possibly dynamics in play and every situation is different. And if people are extreme enough, it may be necessary and not at all ignorant or intolerant to distance yourself.
Right off the bat that is recognizable as paranoid. The whole "what if" thing is disturbing to those of us who can tell the difference betrween "plausible if you dwell on it long enough to get emotionall;y invested in a belief" and "no reasonable person would believe it without substantial evidence".
I've been studying and writing about cult phenomenon and the psychology extremism half my life, and have pushed for critical thinking as the tool for discernment with an effort akin to Sisiphus. If this would be taught, only the tiny percentage of legitimate "conspiracies" would be taken seriously and then addressed with justified effort. Instead, public sentiment is being dragged by the political equivalent of one Flat Earth or another.
The real conspiracy is usually about those who benefit from the rest of us chasing shadows. LOOK AT WHO IS MAKING YOU FEAR AND HATE.
I hate to tell you this, but you are quickly becoming a case study for my point. Sadly, there is little anyone can do to fix that because the sort of thinking you are already using to insulate yourself from the possibility you are wrong. You have to fix it yourself. I wish you well.
As you mention, many families have a 'nut.' Including my own. (Luckily related to me by marriage, not blood, so I can blame the wife 😉)
He believes things that would make any normal person's hair crawl. Including that I, as a Freemason am not only in service to evil, but that I celebrate being in service to evil.
But, I don't think that requires cutting him out of our lives. And in fact, we manage to get along just fine. The family spent quite a good day together at his place last month, and he will certainly be here for the holidays.
In my view, it all comes down to handling it.
He has his insane belief structures. The family has responded to that, for years and years, with a consistent message whenever he tries to push his theory du jour:
'Sit down. Shut up. No one wants to hear that nonsense. Have some more turkey.'
Of course the message is delivered much nicer than that, but it is clear. You can believe whatever craziness you want to believe, but no one else in the family wants to hear that the world is flat, so let's talk about pleasant things we all enjoy instead.
That keeps the peace, and it has kept the peace for decades. I think he is borderline insane, he thinks I am actively engaged in an evil plot. That doesn't mean we can't get along, and we do get along, quite well.
By simply recognizing the good qualities that we can admire within each other.
It’s difficult to get the truth out when a lot of the electorate listen to and believe everything the MSM puts out.. Then whenever one tries they’re demonetized by the portals and attacked by the mindless bots that create the illusion they’re all right and peer pressures are created by the social media. Best to just understand no one said its easy to hold to one’s Constitutional Freedoms https://open.substack.com/pub/doctorbuzzard/p/reasons-for-low-to-no-information?r=21v0ff&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
When I was a kid, and our Governor would hold a press conference, his Conference Room would be stacked with reporters. 30 or 40 of them crammed in there.
Today, our Governor’s press conferences are held in the same room. At best there are 3 or 4 reporters in attendance.
Our State Capitol backs up to an old historic neighborhood. The press for a very long time, collectively utilized two large old houses that its reporters used for offices while they covered our Legislature. A few years ago, there were only a couple of reporters stationed in those houses. Now they have been torn down and no reporter has an office at the Capitol from which to report on the Legislature.
I guess what I’m trying to say, in recounting this story, is that we don’t actually have a proper working press in this country anymore. With very few notable exceptions, all we get are regurgitated talking points, because there are very very few people in a position to do actual reporting now. There’s no one to do the work, so we get talking points and clickbait.
One of this State's large newspapers just had yet another massive round of layoffs. Who does the reporting, when there are no reporters? So, press releases get rewritten and it is passed off as reporting.
But, I do think that this will change and improve. Independent media will continue to grow and thrive, and that will once again put eyes on the powers that be.
You'll note that I removed a number of comments from this post today. All from the same person. My apologies to Kathleen & Ken for the personal attacks the commenter made upon them.
'Content, including visual content, that is posted in order to increase division, conflict, and anger within our society is not in keeping with Masonic values. As was written long ago: “Freemasonry is the great peace society of the world.”'
In the genteel South it is understood that politics are front porch superfluities, which are left on the porch, not to be brought in to the supper table. I’ve been privileged to visit nearly every State and much of the world. Everywhere is the South where there is a front porch (or stoop). Everyone is genteel where there is a supper table (even a vinyl one with folding legs).
I could go for that idea! And the house we moved into a few years back has a really cool front porch! 😁
Point within the circle.
Yes indeed.
Thank you for that.
It will be shared......
Thank you for sharing it, VW. I really appreciate that, and I'm glad you found value in the post!
Subduing our passions is a major tenet that is impressed on all who join our gentle craft. And it is the most difficult to control. No matter how much one focuses on civility and humility there will always be “times that try men’s souls.” Today’s culture shock is a highly toxic one. As you have pointed out, there are many with undisciplined passions. You see it in everyday life and our responses are mostly in-kind. The guy that cuts you off making a left turn from the right turn lane. The scammers and politicians who keep texting you demanding money. We can blame a lot of this on the introduction of social media into out culture, amplifying the roller derby antics of the uninitiated. There’s a lot of research to support this observation. So much so, that many have taken up Masonry’s civility project to save our crumbling dystopian culture. Those of us who are Boomers grew up in a different age. We don’t boast everyday about everything in our lives. We respect and demand privacy. For the most part, we were taught to have manners and respect for people. This is no longer. The Volume of Sacred Law teaches us “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 NIV) The meaning of this verse is that those who are prideful and try to exalt themselves will ultimately be humbled, while those who are humble and do not seek status and recognition will be exalted or lifted. The parable teaches that true greatness comes through humility and serving others, not through self-promotion and seeking one's own glory. The verse encourages a posture of humility and self-awareness rather than arrogance and self-importance. And as far as derangement is concerned, get in line behind me.
Indeed, I think that for most of us, subduing our passions is the pursuit of a lifetime. We aren't any of us, saints, but we can, and we should, endeavor to improve ourselves each day. In that way we become a benefit to everyone around us, rather than a detriment.
I doubt he cut his dad out of his life because of politics.
I suspect the politics only highlighted the embedded dysfunction and abuse that had always been in that relationship and he finally outgrew his need for that toxicity.
Believe me - NOBODY orphans themselves lightly and he won't regret it - he'll wonder on his death bed why he didn't do it sooner. That relationship was already toxic.
Nobody is obliged to stay in contact with blood-kin who failed to fix their own psychological snakes/dysfunctions and break toxic family patterns, before they had kids and who FAILED to love their children properly, thus dumping all that mess on their kids to have to fix. It's morally wrong. No child is obligated to stay connected to such dysfunctional and negligent people.
That father is protecting his own children and breaking the patterns that hurt him. Good on him and more power to him.
Are you okay?
I'm sorry that you were attacked by a commenter here today.
Oh, I didn't feel attacked - I just thought maybe there was something else bothering him. He didn't seem okay.
Thanks for sticking up for me.
I checked his profile when I realized what he was posting here this morning. It seems he thrives on profanity laced personal attacks across a large number of publications here.
Wow. Somebody needs a better hobby.
You could well be right, it could have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
But, I can only accept what the man wrote about his own motivations as true, as his words are the only thing I have.
Perfectly stated good Sir… I have lost lifelong friends to this purge! Thank you for stating this so clearly.
Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed the post. Hopefully we can lend our voices to calm our discourse.
This morning at the breakfast I mentioned in a previous post two of the non-Masons began an argument with a PM that was obviously political... I looked up your "Derangement" post and asked for a "truce" while I read it out... at the end I asked the two non-Masons "What are the writer's political leanings?"... they immediately stopped. What an excellent piece!
Thank you very much! I'm thrilled to know that it can have an impact!
Arguing over politics can be personal now more than ever as even basic morals have been politicized. There are people convinced that half the country is racist and the other half are groomers for pedophilia. One talking head -- someone with an audience of millions -- even said you need to be afraid of and keep your children away from neighbors who are going to vote for a certain person. It's extremist media and personalities pushing extremism.
Not being mad at people for their stances on certain issues can be hard, but we're in a new era now. Many families have alwys had that one relative who is a conspiracy nut and super vocal about it. Now millions have become this, plus extra doses of anger and fear. Do we cut them off from our lives? Sometimes WE HAVE TO. It depends how radicalized they are.
But these people need our compassion more than ridicule, as easy as it is to do the latter and hard to do the former. It's like when a familiy member (or sometimes most of a whole family) joins a cult. Maybe you need some distance, depending how bad they are at not being able to be civil or rational or tolerant or can't let it go in conversations.
Now to be clear, it's the extremism, not the general beliefs or values we're talking about. And it's not partisan in the usual sense right now. There have always been general disagreements -- and there should be. And there have always been some people who can't accept common ground or let themselves see another point of view. But right now, there is a large contingent of people so extreme that even the people of the same general opinions (and same party affiliation) are eager to distance themselves. And some of these extremists have enough power to threaten the whole system, in part by convincing us everything else is a threat only they can save us from. (This is all too familiar to historians, but that's another discussion.)
This truly isn't Democrat versus Republican anymore, as much as we want to paint all of each with the same brush. It's people who are hair-triggered, angry, fearful, and doubling down on alternative facts and conspiracies that have the most trouble at the dinner table -- or rather those who have to be around them. It's heartbreaking when it's loved ones or friends. Not everyone can work through that, or wait it out. Or maybe it's just a visible outlet for a person who was always selfish or abusive.
My point is that this isn't simple. There are many possibly dynamics in play and every situation is different. And if people are extreme enough, it may be necessary and not at all ignorant or intolerant to distance yourself.
Right off the bat that is recognizable as paranoid. The whole "what if" thing is disturbing to those of us who can tell the difference betrween "plausible if you dwell on it long enough to get emotionall;y invested in a belief" and "no reasonable person would believe it without substantial evidence".
I've been studying and writing about cult phenomenon and the psychology extremism half my life, and have pushed for critical thinking as the tool for discernment with an effort akin to Sisiphus. If this would be taught, only the tiny percentage of legitimate "conspiracies" would be taken seriously and then addressed with justified effort. Instead, public sentiment is being dragged by the political equivalent of one Flat Earth or another.
The real conspiracy is usually about those who benefit from the rest of us chasing shadows. LOOK AT WHO IS MAKING YOU FEAR AND HATE.
I hate to tell you this, but you are quickly becoming a case study for my point. Sadly, there is little anyone can do to fix that because the sort of thinking you are already using to insulate yourself from the possibility you are wrong. You have to fix it yourself. I wish you well.
I'm sorry that your post was the subject of an attack here this morning.
I'm fine. Thought he might delete it to protect himself from me re[porting him to the illuminati. I would have kept the comments just as a testimony.
As you mention, many families have a 'nut.' Including my own. (Luckily related to me by marriage, not blood, so I can blame the wife 😉)
He believes things that would make any normal person's hair crawl. Including that I, as a Freemason am not only in service to evil, but that I celebrate being in service to evil.
But, I don't think that requires cutting him out of our lives. And in fact, we manage to get along just fine. The family spent quite a good day together at his place last month, and he will certainly be here for the holidays.
In my view, it all comes down to handling it.
He has his insane belief structures. The family has responded to that, for years and years, with a consistent message whenever he tries to push his theory du jour:
'Sit down. Shut up. No one wants to hear that nonsense. Have some more turkey.'
Of course the message is delivered much nicer than that, but it is clear. You can believe whatever craziness you want to believe, but no one else in the family wants to hear that the world is flat, so let's talk about pleasant things we all enjoy instead.
That keeps the peace, and it has kept the peace for decades. I think he is borderline insane, he thinks I am actively engaged in an evil plot. That doesn't mean we can't get along, and we do get along, quite well.
By simply recognizing the good qualities that we can admire within each other.
I always thought we were “United” Americans? Boy I learned that’s not always true. 😬
Thank you Cameron!
It does seem that we grow more and more divided every day. I just hope that we can get a handle on it, and ourselves, before everything collapses.
It’s difficult to get the truth out when a lot of the electorate listen to and believe everything the MSM puts out.. Then whenever one tries they’re demonetized by the portals and attacked by the mindless bots that create the illusion they’re all right and peer pressures are created by the social media. Best to just understand no one said its easy to hold to one’s Constitutional Freedoms https://open.substack.com/pub/doctorbuzzard/p/reasons-for-low-to-no-information?r=21v0ff&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
When I was a kid, and our Governor would hold a press conference, his Conference Room would be stacked with reporters. 30 or 40 of them crammed in there.
Today, our Governor’s press conferences are held in the same room. At best there are 3 or 4 reporters in attendance.
Our State Capitol backs up to an old historic neighborhood. The press for a very long time, collectively utilized two large old houses that its reporters used for offices while they covered our Legislature. A few years ago, there were only a couple of reporters stationed in those houses. Now they have been torn down and no reporter has an office at the Capitol from which to report on the Legislature.
I guess what I’m trying to say, in recounting this story, is that we don’t actually have a proper working press in this country anymore. With very few notable exceptions, all we get are regurgitated talking points, because there are very very few people in a position to do actual reporting now. There’s no one to do the work, so we get talking points and clickbait.
One of this State's large newspapers just had yet another massive round of layoffs. Who does the reporting, when there are no reporters? So, press releases get rewritten and it is passed off as reporting.
But, I do think that this will change and improve. Independent media will continue to grow and thrive, and that will once again put eyes on the powers that be.
You'll note that I removed a number of comments from this post today. All from the same person. My apologies to Kathleen & Ken for the personal attacks the commenter made upon them.
In any event, Emeth's moderation policy is at:
https://emeth.substack.com/p/emeth-content-moderation-policy
Clearly the commenter violated:
'Content, including visual content, that is posted in order to increase division, conflict, and anger within our society is not in keeping with Masonic values. As was written long ago: “Freemasonry is the great peace society of the world.”'
Hence his comments were ripe for removal.