Living in the Divided States of America

It’s now unmistakable. We’re living in two separate countries.

There’s an uneasy feeling across the land. For some time, we’ve sensed that we’re already in a Civil War, and it began years ago.

It’s now unmistakable. We’re living in two separate countries.

We’re in a time when agreement on most levels with certain people just isn’t going to happen.

A vocal minority wants an autocratic system (some of them desire a theocratic system) of governance where the dictator-in-charge will ban free thought and diversity, being able to believe what you want to believe, and live life with as much freedom as you can.

On the subject of authoritarians and would-be dictators, some people are mesmerized by these grifters and con men and could bathe in their lies forevermore. But, those who saw through the barrage of lies from the start just want to turn off the faucet of flimsy deceits forever.

We watched the exact same person and the despicable actions he performed, the exact same violent events that happened live on TV, and the exact same detailed broadcast of factual information about those events talked about daily for months. These historic events were seen through personal, societal, and cultural lenses so far apart as to be light years away from each other.

We aren’t in a let’s ignore all these relentless untruths, stolen rights, and horrific violence type of mood.

History and reality has shown that those on the left side of the political divide didn’t attempt to overthrow America with a violent insurrection. Only a matter of months ago. History books (if we’re lucky) will show this too.

We’re living in two separate countries. It’s unmistakable.

If you haven’t already changed your mind about the guy who used to go to the oval office and mostly grunt grievances, for the entirety of his time in office, no longer sure what it’ll take. Oh wait, he was just indicted again, in early June 2023. This time it’s for multiple federal felonies. It’s a long list, but one of the top felonies he’s been charged with is Willful Retention of National Defense Information, which is concerned with putting the security of our country at risk. Something we should all be concerned with?

We’re living in a time when both sides aren’t going to agree about much of anything. Maybe partly agree on some fundamentals. As long as it’s not extremist fundamentalism.

Hopefully we can agree finally, finally, finally, to legislate and enforce laws that’ll stop the ongoing senseless gun violence that’s affected every group of people in the country, but is especially targeted at kids, black people Asian people, and LGBTQ+ people. That a lot of hate-filled, murderous hearts, with easy access to powerful weapons of war. Senseless, horrific violence continues happening week by week, with a steady drip, drip, drip, of murder, bullets, blood, and tears.

Enough is enough. Pass stronger federal gun control laws.

One school shooting after another, where young people are literally slaughtered by a person using a weapon of war, and once more only hearing thoughts and prayers.

Thoughts and prayers. These often-spoken words ring hollow. They don’t mean it. We don’t want to hear it. If those words ever carried any meaning, they sure don’t now.

May someday we know actual truth when it continually bites us on the ass.

In 2010, the Supreme Court told us with their Citizens United decision that corporations are people. In reality, what this means is that corporations can buy elections. Clear enough?

Corporations are run by people, but a corporate entity is NOT a person. There’s that pesky reality part of things showing up again.

When free speech costs billions, suddenly it isn’t so free anymore.

When people with gay kids are forced to move out of Florida, that’s coming from disgusting policies and awful autocratic behavior. How many people know someone who has moved their family out of the United States due to the horrific weekly gun violence? Constant carnage. Weekly mass shootings. How did it come to this?

In early June 2023, The Human Rights Campaign has declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ citizens across the United States. This is literally saying, it’s not safe anywhere in the nation for gay people. How did we reach this increasingly awful point as a nation?

It’s now unmistakable. We’re living in two separate countries.

When writing down what should be manifestly clear and based on true events is controversial, one has to ask, how did we get to this point?

Of course, there are other forms of reality, in the form of cosmic dimensions and metaverses, and for day-to-day life, there are connections and conversations and having breakfast, and watching the morning news explode from the TV set. There’s morning coffee and dinnertime discussions, and taking the dog for a walk. But, all of this happens while the propaganda channel broadcasts nothing remotely true in the background.

We’ve experienced enough gaslighting as a form of societal control. We’ve tuned out the insane level of gaslighting going on. When nothing’s true everything is true. When reality is up for debate, hold onto your hat. Don’t look over there. Keep your curiosity to a minimum. Don’t ask too many questions. Stay in line.  How did we reach this point?

We’re not listening anymore. Your attempts at authoritarianism didn’t work. We’ve seen through your act. You are terrible at lying.

If some of us welcome autocrats and authoritarianism, then we must ask why. Authoritarians want to eradicate those who don’t comply with their bloodthirsty need to dominate and destroy. History doesn’t lie. Go online or pick up a book. The entire history of Civilization is there for you to dive into. It shows us again and again what will return if we let it. Dictatorships. Fascism. Autocracies. Totalitarian regimes. These don’t sound like good forms of governments to live under, do they? Emphasis on the word under.

Countless studies have shown more and more Americans consider themselves spiritual but not religious. I wonder why. Thoughts and prayers?

It keeps coming back to our individual choices, and the choices made for us behind closed doors. Bad legal decisions that affect everyone, decided by corrupt people.

Wasn’t the future supposed to be a friendlier place? Smarter than ever before? We were told there would be robots for all, and we’d be flying on highways in the sky. Made for everyone, and not just the ultra-wealthy?

Earlier each year, wildfire seasons are creating unbreathable air, more and more toxic to humans. Seattle was closed down for a week a few summers ago. It was too dangerous to go outdoors and breathe. In June, 2023, New York City and London experienced Climate Crisis related toxic air quality events.

How did we reach this point in 2023?

It seems breathable air is necessary for all humans, even if you’re an authoritarian or a billionaire.

What will it take to create a better world for all of us?

The New Now is available in paperback or eBook format, on Amazon in the Social Philosophy, Democracy, and Modern Philosophy categories.