First a few definitions:

Patriarchy: a system of society or government where control and power held by men is of a disproportionately large share.

Hierarchy: the classification and privileging of a group of people according to economic, social, or professional standing.

Death Throes: the violent movements and noises that are sometimes made by a person who is about to die.

Thank you Merriam-Webster!

Witnessing the Collapse of an Empire

The patriarchal, hierarchical system, which for 5000+ years has ruled through fear-based manipulation to gain control, is dying. This death is perhaps most keenly felt and most clearly observed as in the United States which has acted as if it were the ruling world empire since the day of its inception. The symptoms of this dying are almost too numerous to mention.  For those with eyes to see, the signs of impending death are obvious. Those who are clinging to the dying system and the perceived power they have obtained through that system, however, are clearly blind, deaf, and dumb to the obvious truth around them.

Instead of acknowledging that the system upon which they have built their (perceived) power is imploding upon them, they are desperately grasping after legislation and other means to maintain their perceived control.

Legislating Drag

Certain legislatures in certain states have recently passed laws that make dressing in drag illegal. The pressure to legislate a certain kind of costumed theatrical performance was pushed for by a very vocal minority. If this isn’t grasping at straws, I don’t know what is! I can 100% guarantee that the vast majority of people don’t have an opinion about drag, let alone consider it to be of any moral consequence. Who cares!? Other than the vocal minority desperately trying to find something to control, no one.  No one cares!  Legislating drag is a symptom of a system in its death throes.

Banning Books

Haven’t we gone through this shenanigan already in the history of Western culture?  Has banning books ever been successful in accomplishing the goal of those who want to ban them?  As one who writes banned books, I say to those banning books, “Good luck with that.”  Those with half a brain will go right out and purchase these books and read them to find out what the fuss is all about.  I remember when a local Catholic school tried to ban The Golden Compass, I went right out and bought it.  I immediately saw what disturbed the magisterium of the Catholic Church as the villain of The Golden Compass was called the magisterium!  Intentional? Coincidence?  You be the judge. My point is that banning books is simply another example of the dying patriarchal system in its death throes. 

Transgender Phobia

All I can do is roll my eyes here. The psychologist in me sees right through the uproar over gender correction. The only people who would be threatened by a child or young adult identifying with a gender other than the one assigned at birth are those who are insecure in their own sexuality, or who falsely judge transgender to mean homosexual, thereby revealing their own homophobia. It is ludicrous to me that anyone would be threatened by gender correction and it boggles my mind that some are attempting to legislate gender correction treatment, surgery, and even bathrooms.  These legislative attempts are at once a symptom of the death throes of the patriarchy, and proof of the deep homophobia and transphobia that still exists in our nation – phobias based on sexual repression and a serious lack of understanding.

The War on Women

In one fell swoop, the overruling of Roe vs. Wade put the United States right back into the dark ages.  Now women no longer have access to important, and sometimes life-saving medical care and treatment. With the overturning of RvW, one state after another has rushed in to further deprive women of healthcare options related to reproduction. How did we get here? 1) A very loud vocal minority of individuals attempting to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of the nation through legislation. 2) The patriarchy unconsciously realizing that they are swiftly losing power and projecting the blame upon women instead of taking responsibility for their own failings.

The Tic Tok Drama

I don’t use Tic Tok, but my kids do. Tic Tok is owned by a Chinese company. Said company gathers data from Tic Tok subscribers. SO FUCKING WHAT?  I don’t see how Tic Tok could possibly be a threat to anyone regardless of how much and what kind of data is being collected. As I have often said:

the only people afraid of surveillance are those with something to hide!

Is there something to fear or is this just another symptom of an empire in its collapse grasping at straws?  Mostly, as it relates to Tic Tok, I’m concerned for the business owners who have found in Tic Tok a way to make a living. Shutting down Tic Tok will deprive likely thousands of their livelihood.  Who does that serve?????

Banking Collapse

OMG!  We’ve already been down this road!  Did the US learn NOTHING from 2008?  Apparently not. When the greedy get greedy and find the ear of those in perceived power, protections put in place after the 2008 collapse are rolled back. Then the greedy get even greedier and ignore sound banking practices, leaving themselves vulnerable to collapse. Like a game of dominoes, one falls, then another, then another.  Serves them right for being irresponsible (though my heart goes out to honest people who could not access their deposits while the collapse was taking place). But then someone steps in and bails out all the banks!  And again, nothing was learned. Another symptom of an empire and the system it is built on in collapse.

What Do We Do About It?

There are again, too many symptoms to count. The bottom line is that the empire is in full fledged collapse. The question that arises for us, is:

What do we do about it?

The short answer is NOTHING – at least as it relates to the dying empire. The empire is beyond repair. It was faulty to begin with and now it’s time for it to pass away. Our job is to get out of the way and let it die. Our time of being hospice to the dying world is over. There’s nothing that can be done to stop the death. Instead, it is now our job to get to work creating the new world that is going to take its place.

What part are you playing in creating the new world?

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