Cause all those flawed mechanisms still have great kinds of usefulness- they just need to be part of a range of skills, not singular. And my particular way of dealing with fear gave me a great sense of awareness (because I grew up in a situation where danger was very, very real)
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Weirdly twitter seems to be the most plugged into the realities of danger (or maybe that’s not weird at all). Meanwhile all my conversations with family have been GAHHH. So many people are brushing it off with “oh, it will be fine” - “we’re not like Italy” - "not here!" etc.
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One relative, knowing I was self-quarantining literally suggesting I leave the house and interact with people to get some good food. But the time I convinced people that “I need you to take x seriously,” it immediately shifted to become, “okay, now I need you not to panic.”
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As a society, we’re so bad at fear in particular. And adults are the WORST at it. We deny it, then we jump to panic or irrational anger, or find all these ways to try and hold onto something that makes sense, as the danger keeps sliding closer and closer.
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These last few weeks even gave me a gnarly flashback to 2015. Because when Trump announced he was running, I was petrified from second one. I knew he could win. And yet it was the same jokes and disbelief, and I watched it all unfold with this pit in my stomach.
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He was elected because so many forgot (or never knew) the old adage about how a politician stokes the fires of fascism, for “ it does not take cunning, nor great communication, nor guile, nor insight, nor brilliant strategy… all it takes is no character.”
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History provides the answer to how this keeps happening. I saw a similar sense of surprise on twitter with people asking, “how did CONTAGION predict all this?” The answer is Scott Burns did very basic research and the CDC said “it will happen like this.” and then he wrote it.
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When we’re aware and accept the realities of what can happen and why, there aren’t surprises... There is just openly facing that which we must face.
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Stuff like this can happen so easily, all the time, everywhere. Our economies are made of paper. Most Americans a rent check away from despair. And as much as people don’t like it, we all constantly depend on one another to hold up the social contract.
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Which is why I struggle when people don’t take these threats as seriously as they should. When you’re hyper attune to danger, these situations feel like you are always watching a car crash happen in slow motion. It makes you feel helpless and scared, for we should KNOW BETTER.
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And it’s just then I have remind myself of everything I’ve learned, that the path forward is the same route of acceptance. That we are scared. That it’s okay to be scared. That’s it’s good for me to talk and get this off my chest. And know we have to keep doing what we can do.
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Because in the end, the emotion has a true, healthy, incredible purpose. Fear is what keeps us alive. <3
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End of conversation
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