DOUBLING DOWN

 It has been said lately by several commentators that people are 'doubling down'. Generally, that phrase is followed by "or nothing". That happens when people are either caught up in the wildness of the moment, leaving behind all rationality, or are running fueled by deeply held beliefs, determined to advance those beliefs. Personally, I believe this current and ever increasing trend has risen due to two main reasons.

The first is the destructive legitimization of crude, no limits behavior as manifested by Trump and those  within his camp. This was followed by the incensed reactions of the opposing camp, and the rest is history, a shameful one at that.

The second is a reaction and result of the yearlong plus lockdown. With lives endangered, with the frustrated and natural desire to huddle with loved ones, we simply ran with it and lost our way. With some notable exceptions we became selfish. Our needs were paramount. In the servicing of those needs we tromped and stomped on all others. We forgot and/or ignored rules of societal behavior. We lost all patience with the ever increasing wait times for just about anything and everything, all the while desperately missing friends and most of all, the physical presence of loved ones.

Now, now we have doubled down on that anti-social behavior, forgotten how to interface with others, how to share lives and needs. We have forgotten our mutuality, doubling down on so many negatives. We shout at each other, deaf to the words of others. We increasingly use and allow the presence of weapons enabling a horrific growth industry of mass shootings.

There is a premise in psychology that "the type of memory designates the appeared distance in time". That means that good memories can feel as if they occurred yesterday, even as we push those more difficult recollections off, distance them. Yet today we are doing the direct opposite, hugging close the nasty, the selfish, pushing away the past memories of societal pleasantries and achievements, the joys and extrinsic and intrinsic rewards that ensued.

We have chosen the wrong things to double down upon and instead we are getting the "or nothing". In so choosing, in so doing, in such shortsightedness, we are reaping what we have sowed. Extreme climate becoming normal. Increased world tension. Existential, real, threat to the continued existence of America as we know it, as we believe in. Lives with less depth, less affection. In short, a losing bet.

Cannot we do better? Can we not find, create, a more positive bet upon which to double or nothing? A truly sure thing? I believe we can, have some leeway remaining. On that I would double down.