This is the best, most hopeful thing I’ve read in a long time. Deep thanks for putting into words my own thoughts and feelings of late. It’s a grievous thing to watch our baby Country crumble, but my community does not have to crumble with it. I will do my part to love on my family and friends and take care of those who need help.
I love this: “In a country of 330 million people, you can’t fix Congress — pretty clearly, Congress can’t fix Congress — but you can be 1/330,000,000th of a functioning society. You can do something, you can care about it, and you can do it with professionalism and craft.” Thank you!!!
Thanks for the shout out for nurses. There are many of us that care and work hard for the patients. It's like living in an insane asylum working in healthcare now. Zombies. I left but recently came back.
Doing my little bit. Bought 100 pesos (about $5 USD) worth of stainless steel hardware and secured a piece of public exercise equipment that was falling apart here in La Paz, Mexico, the other day. Also got CPR certified down here last year, but thankfully, haven't yet come across an opportunity to use it.
Institutions care, first and foremost, about preserving themselves and gathering power to themselves. Perhaps that's why the feds are so worried about Catholics who aren't totally under the sway of the lunatic pope--they didn't sell out when the Church did. (Milosz has a great line about how Big Evil would have a major victory if it could get the pope on its side... The dude was prescient.) I didn't need vast corporate and governmental evil to remind me to love God and love my neighbor (for-real love him, with actions, not just thoughts)--even a non-corrupt government couldn't do my own work for me--but I guess it's good if more people are recognizing the inherent features of systems and institutions.
Teresa L. derives from this excellent piece the idea that "we are on our own," and indeed, the piece might be read to suggest that the political battles don't matter. However, as Chris knows, just because elites and elite discourse is irrelevant to understanding reality, the horrible truth is that the Covid/Vax Disaster, and some related disasters unfolding, create dynamics, which as bizarre and denial-ridden as they may be, CAN EASILY RULE, and regardless of our own virtue.
Chris and I may simply be pursuing different themes on the same day, while largely agreeing on the basics, but what my latest essay series, "Repentance or Repression," stresses is that unless we get enough of our present elites to enter into some level of repentance, despotism is our destiny. It will not be enough, in other words, to "do virtuous you" and "care for those around you"; there is a political fight, which is also a spiritual one, which must be waged for the sake of getting enough of our present elites and fellow cits back to enough sanity. If they all continue as insane as they have been, we, and all those around us we temporarily help, are going to go down with them. People like Chris, myself, and most of those who comment here will all wind up in camps. Yeah, you "are your brother's keeper," what happens in his soul matters to you, and if you don't think so, a day may come, and sooner than you think, when your brother shows up at your door with the Red Guards of the 21st Century. Your virtues and your faith would then help you die better, or to "ascend" as a prisoner as Solzhenitsyn describes, but they won't protect you or save the fate of liberty in the 21st century. https://pomocon.substack.com/p/premises
This is interesting, and I'll respond with a post in a day or two. I don't think we're all going down with them, exactly, at least not all the way. More to follow.
As so often, and having flown airplanes, having been in the hospital, and having had family and friends in the hospital, I agree with you completely, and I have many true tales I could tell that only provide more substance and support to what you have said. My own sense of place and responsibility learned from flying remains with me, and my huge sense of appreciation for care nurses and orderlies and assistants (even one who merely brought a pan of soapy water and a washcloth to my hospital bed and helped me to feel so much, not just cleaner, but entirely better) will forever remain graceful and caring.
The FedEx pilot could have said a little bit more. "Southwest on Runway 18 Left, abort if able. Reply."
And I've got no problem with FedEx further saying "Southwest, Make any and all turns to left, FedEx 767 above you straying to right...." That said, you do the best you can when it gets tight -- and it more or less did for those guys.
But all of what you have written about this week suggests a principle -- that might be more often articulated and applied as a principle, because recognition of what is good and well done, and helpful and valuable is not as difficult as many institutions and the bureaucrats in them would have it. The pretense that all truth is too esoteric and "specialized" just to be plainly understood and spoken, that good judgment isn't much more frequently than not readily recognizable as right and valuable is one of the worst falsities that we continuously repeat.
Once upon a time personal pride, and a dedication to ones trade was the norm. Whatever your profession, taking pride in your work meant something. Years of mismanagement, greed, and excutive incompetence have taking a toll on this attitude. Many people just do the minimum to collect a paycheck anymore. Then complain all the time about how there job sucks or what not. That makes it refreshing when you come across someone that actually takes pride in what they do, even if its working a cash register, waiting a table, or sweeping a floor. As a blue collar worker thats spent years at his craft I deal with people that simply dont care anymore. Sloppy, haphazard work, laziness, moaning and groaning. I refuse to take part, even though my company is a complete shit show, run by pencil pushing idiots that never held a tool in there hand, I take pride in what I do, even if its just for my only personal pride. And as a dad i've explained this my boys, even if your bagging groceries or delivering pizzas, take some pride in what you do. Be professional, people will notice it.
Sage observation that each of us must do our best to fix things, help others where we can, obey the laws, and be the best we can in our own small way. Because if enough of us do live our lives this way, at least some of the coming chaos and destruction will be avoided or at least ameliorated, for ourselves, our families, friends, and a few strangers.
I’m on chapter 5 of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, it’s excellent, is George Bray related? (I didn’t read your full piece yesterday so as to not to spoil the story for me)
This is the best, most hopeful thing I’ve read in a long time. Deep thanks for putting into words my own thoughts and feelings of late. It’s a grievous thing to watch our baby Country crumble, but my community does not have to crumble with it. I will do my part to love on my family and friends and take care of those who need help.
I agree, Amy -- whatever the opposite of demoralized is, that’s how I feel after reading this piece
I love this: “In a country of 330 million people, you can’t fix Congress — pretty clearly, Congress can’t fix Congress — but you can be 1/330,000,000th of a functioning society. You can do something, you can care about it, and you can do it with professionalism and craft.” Thank you!!!
Thanks for the shout out for nurses. There are many of us that care and work hard for the patients. It's like living in an insane asylum working in healthcare now. Zombies. I left but recently came back.
And throw sand into the machine every chance you have.
Doing my little bit. Bought 100 pesos (about $5 USD) worth of stainless steel hardware and secured a piece of public exercise equipment that was falling apart here in La Paz, Mexico, the other day. Also got CPR certified down here last year, but thankfully, haven't yet come across an opportunity to use it.
Institutions care, first and foremost, about preserving themselves and gathering power to themselves. Perhaps that's why the feds are so worried about Catholics who aren't totally under the sway of the lunatic pope--they didn't sell out when the Church did. (Milosz has a great line about how Big Evil would have a major victory if it could get the pope on its side... The dude was prescient.) I didn't need vast corporate and governmental evil to remind me to love God and love my neighbor (for-real love him, with actions, not just thoughts)--even a non-corrupt government couldn't do my own work for me--but I guess it's good if more people are recognizing the inherent features of systems and institutions.
Amen.
Teresa L. derives from this excellent piece the idea that "we are on our own," and indeed, the piece might be read to suggest that the political battles don't matter. However, as Chris knows, just because elites and elite discourse is irrelevant to understanding reality, the horrible truth is that the Covid/Vax Disaster, and some related disasters unfolding, create dynamics, which as bizarre and denial-ridden as they may be, CAN EASILY RULE, and regardless of our own virtue.
Chris and I may simply be pursuing different themes on the same day, while largely agreeing on the basics, but what my latest essay series, "Repentance or Repression," stresses is that unless we get enough of our present elites to enter into some level of repentance, despotism is our destiny. It will not be enough, in other words, to "do virtuous you" and "care for those around you"; there is a political fight, which is also a spiritual one, which must be waged for the sake of getting enough of our present elites and fellow cits back to enough sanity. If they all continue as insane as they have been, we, and all those around us we temporarily help, are going to go down with them. People like Chris, myself, and most of those who comment here will all wind up in camps. Yeah, you "are your brother's keeper," what happens in his soul matters to you, and if you don't think so, a day may come, and sooner than you think, when your brother shows up at your door with the Red Guards of the 21st Century. Your virtues and your faith would then help you die better, or to "ascend" as a prisoner as Solzhenitsyn describes, but they won't protect you or save the fate of liberty in the 21st century. https://pomocon.substack.com/p/premises
This is interesting, and I'll respond with a post in a day or two. I don't think we're all going down with them, exactly, at least not all the way. More to follow.
"Horizontal diligence" - thanks for giving me a term for what we're doing!
As so often, and having flown airplanes, having been in the hospital, and having had family and friends in the hospital, I agree with you completely, and I have many true tales I could tell that only provide more substance and support to what you have said. My own sense of place and responsibility learned from flying remains with me, and my huge sense of appreciation for care nurses and orderlies and assistants (even one who merely brought a pan of soapy water and a washcloth to my hospital bed and helped me to feel so much, not just cleaner, but entirely better) will forever remain graceful and caring.
The FedEx pilot could have said a little bit more. "Southwest on Runway 18 Left, abort if able. Reply."
And I've got no problem with FedEx further saying "Southwest, Make any and all turns to left, FedEx 767 above you straying to right...." That said, you do the best you can when it gets tight -- and it more or less did for those guys.
But all of what you have written about this week suggests a principle -- that might be more often articulated and applied as a principle, because recognition of what is good and well done, and helpful and valuable is not as difficult as many institutions and the bureaucrats in them would have it. The pretense that all truth is too esoteric and "specialized" just to be plainly understood and spoken, that good judgment isn't much more frequently than not readily recognizable as right and valuable is one of the worst falsities that we continuously repeat.
Yes, and the pretense that all truth is very complicated and should be left to the experts is a kind of attack -- an attempt to deny people of agency.
That's it!
I feel like we are just continuously paying more for less, including with our taxes
Very much so. See also:
https://chrisbray.substack.com/p/government-evaporates-as-government
ESPECIALLY with our taxes.
Once upon a time personal pride, and a dedication to ones trade was the norm. Whatever your profession, taking pride in your work meant something. Years of mismanagement, greed, and excutive incompetence have taking a toll on this attitude. Many people just do the minimum to collect a paycheck anymore. Then complain all the time about how there job sucks or what not. That makes it refreshing when you come across someone that actually takes pride in what they do, even if its working a cash register, waiting a table, or sweeping a floor. As a blue collar worker thats spent years at his craft I deal with people that simply dont care anymore. Sloppy, haphazard work, laziness, moaning and groaning. I refuse to take part, even though my company is a complete shit show, run by pencil pushing idiots that never held a tool in there hand, I take pride in what I do, even if its just for my only personal pride. And as a dad i've explained this my boys, even if your bagging groceries or delivering pizzas, take some pride in what you do. Be professional, people will notice it.
Yes! That is exact same message I tell my four kids.
Sing it, Chris! We're doing it every day.
If something [Western civilization] cannot go on forever, it will stop. Herbert Stein (my annotation).
Of course, Western civilization cannot be maintained without people who have and can maintain Western ideas and values. See where I'm going?
Sage observation that each of us must do our best to fix things, help others where we can, obey the laws, and be the best we can in our own small way. Because if enough of us do live our lives this way, at least some of the coming chaos and destruction will be avoided or at least ameliorated, for ourselves, our families, friends, and a few strangers.
Danny Huckabee
I’m on chapter 5 of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, it’s excellent, is George Bray related? (I didn’t read your full piece yesterday so as to not to spoil the story for me)
I love your premise...as others have noted in their comments.
The "world" would have you think you can't make a difference.
...but I CAN make a difference to all those around me as I serve others & love others.
Loved your example of the nurse...ONE person at a time!