It’s Time To Have An Honest, Rational Conversation With Your Family
It’s Time To Have An Honest, Rational Conversation With Your Family
Notes From The Field By Simon Black August 26, 2020 Dallas, Texas
When the captain came on the announcement system yesterday morning to introduce himself to passengers, the first thing he said was:
“Ladies and gentlemen, a lot of us have been cooped up and under tremendous stress for the past several months. So the most important thing we can do right now is be kind, patient, and understanding with one another.”
It was an interesting way to start off a flight.
And I remember thinking to myself, “He probably wouldn’t bother saying something like that unless they’ve had some bad experiences recently with passengers fighting with one another.”
Sure enough, it didn’t take long before I heard an altercation between two passengers; ostensibly one of them had let her mandatory face covering slip ever-so-slightly below her nose. And a nearby passenger would have none of that.
It was even more interesting to me to witness the sense of entitlement that some people feel in barking orders to other human beings. They’re like Army Drill Sergeant shouting “Put your mask over your nose!”
This example, of course, barely scratches the surface of conflict these days. I’ve written before in these pages about people being pepper sprayed, or assaulted, for not wearing a mask.
I’m not even talking here about whether it’s right or wrong to wear a mask; I’m talking about the inability to people to engage in civil discourse.
There’s so much bottled up RAGE in the world… and it takes nothing anymore for that rage to explode and turn violent.
Masks are only one example. Social justice is another—rage quickly turns to violence and chaos.
Earlier this week an angry mob (of mostly white young people) swarmed restaurant customers whose only crime was dining outside in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The mob ran up to the restaurant tables and commanded the diners raise to raise their fists in solidarity, screaming “White silence is violence.”
You can’t even have lunch anymore without having to worry about being attacked by a violent mob.
And just last night in Wisconsin, rioters violently clashed with armed citizens in a literal gun battle that took place in the streets in America.
The mob had already torched private property, including, inexplicably, a car dealership. And several concerned citizens took it upon themselves to defend other property from the mob since the local government doesn’t seem willing or capable to do so.
And that’s when things became violent. At least two people are dead, and several shot.
Even something as simple as politics—which has long been a source of passionate and vocal disagreement—easily descends into violence and chaos.
These days, people are literally being beaten and battered for quietly expressing their political views. Countless others have been fired from their jobs.
It’s nearly impossible to have a rational discussion anymore, and this all constitutes a complete breakdown in the social fabric.
I figure many of us probably stare at our screens and watch these videos and news reports in utter disbelief. We can’t bring ourselves to acknowledge what has happened over these past few months.
But make no mistake-- this is happening. This is not a figment of our imaginations. And it’s not going away.
Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s going to blow over. Or some politician is going to ride in on a white horse and make everything better.
In fact, in many cases, state and local governments are in on it… they’re fanning the flames of chaos, cheering on riots and dismissing the violence as “peaceful protests.”
I’ve been writing about this for years: you cannot depend on your government, and you cannot depend on the good nature of your fellow citizens. You really have yourself to rely on, first and foremost.
That’s why I’ve long encouraged our readers to have a Plan B.
A Plan B isn’t about doom and gloom. On the contrary—it’s about ensuring that you’re in a position of strength regardless of what happens, or doesn’t happen, next.
A Plan B is an acknowledgement that obvious risks exist… and a sensible approach to protect yourself from those risks.
Well, we’re not talking about ‘risks’ anymore, i.e. potential threats that -might- occur. We’re talking about terrible trends that HAVE happened… ARE happening… right in front of our very eyes.
Our brains work in a funny way in this regard; human beings often suffer what psychologists call “normalcy bias,” i.e. even when we see radical events taking place, we assume that everything will quickly go back to normal.
Seriously—does anyone honestly believe that these angry mobs will put down their torches and pitchforks and settle down? Does anyone honestly believe that after the election it will be all rainbows and buttercups?
Don’t fall into this trap. Don’t shrug off what’s happening and assume it will all go away. Remember the words of Medal of Honor recipient Admiral Jim Stockdale, who survived 7+ years in a Vietnamese prison camp:
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose– with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
It’s really time to have an honest, rational conversation with yourself and your family about obvious threats… and sensible solutions.
To your freedom and prosperity , Simon Black, Founder, SovereignMan.com