Yesterday afternoon, I was rudely awakened from my daily nap by this, a fb message:
I’m not going to say who this is, since I don’t want to publicly inflame a suddenly tense and unexpected interpersonal drama. However, do know that this is coming from one of my principal — and beloved! — permaculture teachers! And that he messaged me further to say that he is “disgusted, disappointed, and angry.”
What surprises me most about this drama is that here is a person with whom I’m sure we’re mostly in accord; but since, over the last few years, my political views have morphed from decidedly liberal to somewhat conservative, this teacher of mine elects to judge me, call me names.
Frankly, I’m shocked that even he could be so infected by the polarizing rot that has descended upon this country. A rot that is exemplified, let me add, by Saint Greta in her address to the UN: the furious denunciation, the flashing eyes, the left-right distortions of her facial muscle, her grim, mean mouth. Geez! Is this the way to create change in the world?
I used to think so. In fact, I was a violent peace activist myself, once upon a time, setting myself above others who, as far as I was concerned, were bad, wrong, evil, in their attitudes. While I’m still a peacenik, not since the early ’80s have I violently insisted on my way. Instead, I seek to set an example, by plugging into and demonstrating another value system entirely, one that “builds community from the ground up” via permaculture. And that includes, not just land-based, but social permaculture — where we aim to treat each other fairly, kindly; cooperating and connecting, rather than name-calling and judging; loving rather than hating, no matter what our apparent differences of opinion. I.e., none of us are thought police for the others. And were any of us to actually step in the other’s shoes, most likely we would see the world through their eyes.
My teacher did say he was open to a conversation with me, and in fact had tried to call me. But then told me to email the reasons for my changes to him. In response, I messaged him with this.
But you know? Now it’s the next day, and I realize that I’m just as triggered as he is, by my perceptions of him! And here I thought he was the only one triggered! I definitely need to wait a few days before contact.
Amazing, how quickly the fires start, and how hot they burn, in such a turbulent historical period. Let go, Ann, let go.
7 thoughts on “OOPS! Suddenly judged, blocked and unfriended by a very important person!”
Wow – I’m sorry you are having to deal with this, from someone so trusted. But it’s not unusual these days, unfortunately. I went through this myself when I visited my mom and brother recently. She is now a gun-grabbing, socialism-loving Bernie supporter and my brother thinks I’m a mentally unstable “hoarder” for wanting to stock up on stuff.
I’m still 180 degrees away on my beliefs with regard to yours re: Trump and “Q”, but I’ve met you and gotten to know you through your writing and I know that you are for “Team Earth/Humanity”. That’s what matters. That other crap is minor, and best discussed passionately over a nice meal followed by a good-bye hug.
What really concerns me is the same thing that you write about, and that is the fierce divisions that are creeping up between people on all sides of, well, almost *everything* these days. You name it: climate change; GMO’s; vaccines; sexuality etc. People choose one side and defend it vehemently.
There has been a complete divorce between logic and emotion in this world, and people no longer question what they believe. Instead, they identify with those beliefs, even when faced with proof that would sway anyone who is mentally and emotionally balanced.
I think you are right, the only way out of this is to remember who we are: we are HUMAN. We are creatures of empathy and compassion. No matter what side of any argument is correct, the FIRST thing to recognize about the people you may have differences with, are the similarities.
I have my own thoughts on how this started: the death of the nuclear and extended families have resulted in entire generations growing up without the skills needed for basic human interaction. (Plus, cell phones.) And this was by design.
(Also, psychopaths who rule this world, who want us to be like them in order to justify what they do – I mean, who else benefits?? Aliens who feed on fear, misery, death and pain? [rhetorical question]).
Again, sorry this happened. But not surprised. And I hope your friend can rise above it and see that all this division IS the problem, not who believes in which side of whatever issue. The division IS the issue. And it can be healed as you say often, by acknowledging the humanity in front of you first before anything else.
(BTW, looking at the length of this response, I guess I was triggered, too…)
Thanks, Tony!
Ann, I’m sorry, but I have to agree with your teacher. You are *still* a violent person, through your words, and if you are concerned about “divisive rot,” you need to look at the kinds of things you’ve been parroting from your insomniac internet readings. You DO have responsibility here.
Speaking of responsibility, on to Greta Thunberg … who is FIGHTING FOR THE SAME GAIAN NATURE YOU WANT EVERYONE TO PARTNER WITH. She’s ON YOUR SIDE, ANN! She’s just Joan of Arc to your sweet Little Flower. She’s standing up and putting her anger in the face of the powerful people at the UN who dawdle and smirk about climate change response, with “fairy tales about endless economic growth.” She’s expressing the rage so many people feel and have no way of accessing … until they see a 16-year-old high school girl do it, on the world stage, fearlessly.
It’s nice that you are comfortable enough to sneer at her as some kind of mind-controlled puppet, but you’re ignoring the PUBLIC RESPONSE to her message! I mean, have you seen the pictures of climate strike marches all over the world? The girl has raised a global, citizen’s army for Saving The Natural Environment (YOUR environment!) in just ONE YEAR.
You know these kind, enthusiastic youngsters involved with the Green Acres Garden? Greta Thunberg is of their generation. She’s just doing HER thing on the world stage, while your podmates are doing THEIR thing in this yard. All the levels of response to climate change are necessary, all have merit, all have their own responsibilities and consequences. So I have to insist that you examine your violently judgmental ways, Ann. They aren’t helping *anything.*
Sincerely,
Joy Shayne Laughter
Joy! Thanks for your appraisal of my still-judgmental self. I would help me if you would give me examples of middle-of-the-night insomniac posts you think of as “violent.” Re: Greta: I’m not sneering at her; I’m concerned that she is being used by the PTB as an emotional psy-op in order to help bring in the New World Order that would take charge of the planet. This would mark the end of human freedom.
Wow, the more I read re: Thunberg and her detractors/followers, the more evident it is that those who are following her have been completely taken in emotionally. And as I wrote above, those who have been taken in by her have completely divorced themselves from all reason – but they don’t care, because FEELINGS.
This scares me. Because people driven by emotion are capable of anything; and doing so when devoid of logic always, ALWAYS ends in disaster. And those with a brain who look at the science of climate change know now that there is NO solid science behind human-caused warming, so all that is left for those behind the fraud to appeal to emotions because they can’t stand on FACTS.
In any case, Greta isn’t the first girl to be used in this way. Check out this article and video from 1992:
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/were-group-12-year-olds-trying-make-difference-1992-un-climate-crisis-redux
This is a long-term agenda that sources even long before 1992. And using children to deliver messages is an age-old tactic to appeal to people via emotions to advance agendas that any right-thinking person would otherwise never stand behind. Simply look up “Hitler Youth” and the Chinese “Red Guard” and you can see the socialist forces behind such movements. Chilling…
Yes. Thanks for fleshing it out further. And do you remember the teenage girl who spoke of babies being thrown from incubators by soldiers in Iraq? And then it turned out the story was fabricated, and furthermore, she was the daughter of the ambassador to the U.S.? Sure did drum up US support for the first Iraq war. . .
Yup. And talk about timely:
https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-09-28-greta-thunberg-actress-as-fake-as-climate-change-hoax.html
In that article the babies-in-incubator scheme is addressed. (There is a quote about overpopulation being the cause of our problems, which would disappear overnight with world permaculture; otherwise the rest of it is spot-on.)
But we are speaking to the choir here. The Thunbergers have already made up their minds. They won’t read this stuff. They draw sustenance from emotion and not reason. Too bad they can’t see how their emotions are being used to fuel all of this chaos, and how they have been expertly turned to actually work AGAINST what would heal the world.
Buckle up, Ann, and get ready for increasing chaos. Things will only escalate from here. I think things will eventually work out for the better, but not for awhile. Take care…