Because those groups were right wing and funded by political agitators, multiplied by manipulated media. The people on the ground did believe in the issues, but it was a concerted effort of political theater as a show of force.

Everyone else is now debilitated by wage theft that they can only care about the economy. When the market crashes harder and full recession hits, that’s when people will take to the streets because they’ll have lost jobs and freedoms. That’s when the martial law will start.

🥱

I learned this Russian term “vranyo” today for institutionalized lies that we all know are lies but we pretend to believe them.

Anyway, here’s wonder wall (and fascism).

You should peep this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Enlightenment?wprov=sfti1

My church is proactive in doing good while on earth. As a community, we put spotlights on organization in need, 50% of the collection plate is split with them. Stuff like shelters for the unhoused, food pantry service, fundraisers, community clean up projects. Despite the nightmares around us in the modern world, being a part of a UU organization helps me keep going. If our community was devastated by an awful event, I know I could go to the Sanctuary & we’d figure out a plan to keep people safe. People would have each other’s backs.

John 13:34. If Jesus really is the holy prophet for the West, and his last commandment before being betrayed is “Love everyone,” then that seems pretty important to Christ’s message.

I believe in that sentiment strongly. If they believe that sentiment, then we can exchange hugs. It has to start from that place, or they are lost.

Ask more questions and entertain others’ ideas. If they are shutting down like this, it’s because you’re being equivalent to a brick wall. People model behavior. If you don’t model listening & engaging, then you’ll get the opposite: shut downs & stopping talking.

This is all speculation from a distance based on what you’re describing. My guess is you aren’t listening, so when this shut down happens, you’re reporting it as “out of the blue.” Most people I talk to have never done that reaction. There’s almost always a “This isn’t going anywhere,” or some phrase for “I’m disengaging.” If you aren’t hearing that, then my guess is you missed it.

I describe to friends as “internet rural life”: things go slower, for now.

That’s how all these things started though. People at church over 50/60 are asking me about bluesky. That’s a good sign for me.