« The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil but by those who look at them without doing anything. »
Albert Einstein.
Hello, young padawan
This summer took a long time to get hot. Gloomy rain and flooding in the middle of July, as if the weather had decided to live in a dystopia just like us, and now it’s hot on all sides. Hot for your skin, hot for your rights, hot for your future, hot in the streets, hot, boiling. I would tell you to put sunscreen on, but I’m not sure that it will protect you from everything, at least not from the main thing.
Several of you have asked me, even if many have been able to read between my lines for over a year, what I thought of the “current events” in France. I put quotes in these words because, even if I decided to answer this question, it is not necessarily going to be about what happens today, so much for me the stakes are elsewhere.
And in philosophy mode, as usual.
What if we had to be afraid of something else?
Whether behaviors are driven by fear of the virus or fear of the vaccine, we remain in the same register of anxieties maintained either by television or by social networks. Only, on both sides, no one has THE truth. And maybe even it is somewhere else.
Beware of fallacies. Most people called “anti-vax” or “stupid” are, in fact, up to date on their health record, considering other diseases as serious, but not this one, or the other vaccines as reliable, but not this one. And those described as “hypochondriacs” or “sheep” may be rightly afraid of the virus, suffering from co-morbidities, or having a fragile person among their relatives. Whether we recognize ourselves in a person who has died from the virus or who died from the vaccine, fear, sometimes, makes us want to convince those around us with more or less radical means.
Objection – “Altruism: Who cares for the good of others selflessly.”
Selfless? Really? Must I admit to you, for example, that when I was younger, when I gave my time in animal protection associations, I had a sweet feeling of accomplishment? Bingo, in the ego. Human altruism always has a tiny little personal goal, even at the end of the day; sorry to disappoint you. That’s okay; it’s just that it’s best not to throw bombastic values in each other’s faces that neither he nor you can achieve.
In addition, I do not see a notion of risk-taking in this definition, but any act, medical or not, carries its share of risks; however small they may be. Moreover, if we push the logic, altruism would be, for example, not vaccinating children and young people, on the one hand, to spare them this risk-taking. On the other hand, they are statistically more likely to have problems with the vaccine than the virus. And as for the notion of “sacrifice,” in our individualistic society, um, I don’t think I need to argue; you already see the oxymoron. The world has never been and will never be binary, just as there is no such thing as one hundred percent risk-free. Everything is much more complex than you might imagine.
In conclusion, there is one thing we can be sure of: It is fear that leads to evil. Fear and emotions make you lose your mind and tip some of our fellows into madness. However, trying to force anyone to do anything against their will is dangerous. Anyone who has ever opened a history book can understand this; they are made for that so that we can learn from the mistakes of the past. The world is complex, life is complex, the reality of some is not the same as that of others, and we would do well to respect that, because to force some, if we let it go, next time it will be the turn of the others.
But I think once again we’ve missed the target; we’re off-topic. When we are shown the moon, let’s stop looking at the finger, rise, and take a step back from this situation. Does divide and rule or the Trojan horse speak to you?
In fact, I think that the summit is several steps ahead of the valley – especially since the summit is neither subject to ski lifts, ski passes, or track checks – that the bishop is too inclined in his move, and that the rook, which has gone straight into the track, will soon be knocked out. But if the king falters and the summit screams impatiently, an avalanche might destroy the valley. The summit will always be, at worst, it will suffice to wait for the next snowfall for its coat to be perfectly restored; but the valley, for its part, will pick up its remains injured pawns and unfortunate knights – checkmate. What, you still don’t play chess of the mountains, despite last week’s article? Alright, let me explain.
Here is my thought: I am neither afraid of the virus nor of the vaccine. However, what keeps me from sleeping is seeing the Chinese model of social control arriving in the land of Molière. That scares me as Hell, and for real. Well, everyone has their own neuroses, lol.
But no matter neuroses, fears, or anxieties, never forget that the facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored …
Change one’s mind.
With me: Let’s take a deep, long breath through our nose, as much air as we can, and once we’re full, count to three and blow slowly through our mouth, slowly, gently. That’s good. It’s getting better, isn’t it? And yet you have just inhaled billions of viruses and bacteria. Don’t worry, you’ve been doing this since you were born, and if you’re still here to read me, it’s a priori that you’re still alive.
Alive, here and now. Since one’s brain has (too much?) evolved, one has (too much?) a tendency to let one’s fears guide oneself, one’s anxieties, one’s emotions and forget that living, that happiness is neither in the past nor in the future, it is now. You will never live yesterday again, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. The danger is not in the others, nor in the visible or in the imperceptible things surrounding us; it is in what we allow ourselves to be locked up, paralyzed by our fears, preventing us from living the present moment. It is at this moment that the fear of dying exceeds the desire to live.
The magic of a sunrise after having talked until no hours with a friend, that of a romantic evening by the sea with your beloved, or the enchantment of an afternoon skiing with the kids, or a country walk with your dog. These moments are precious; today is priceless. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant with those who get a little too carried away by projections of fears, anxieties, assumptions, and even more when they are at the summit. For what might happen may never happen, but the time that is there, now, will not return, and that is a certainty.
« I learned that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to overcome it. »
Nelson Mandela.
So, let’s unite, for today and tomorrow, do like this sublime hydrangea flower and see our life in blue *!
Let us learn to reason our fears and not judge others because each lives in some reality other than us. Thus the wisdom will be ours and will perhaps help us one day to glimpse the real stakes to move forward together.
Reading tip :
-Eugène Ionesco: Rhinoceros (1959).
-Edward S. Herman & Noam Chomsky: Manufacturing Consent (1959).
*Blue, since ancient times, has been the color of the future, a symbol of truth, wisdom, and loyalty. No pun in any political sphere is intended, of course.
