WHAT, ME WORRY?

  Oh, for the good old days of MAD magazine, where we were able to laugh at various crises of the world and then move on to and with our lives. Today, in deep and increasing contrast we have no true relief valve, no trusted and truly nonpartisan newsfeed, so "me worry? Oh yes. Certainly so.

Once upon a time the world had a healthy number of strong democratic states or nations. Some were better, others not, but still, there they were. To achieve democracy was a goal of people living in autocratic countries, ranging from individual dictators to the mega nations such as the USSR which subsumed other nations as swiftly and surely as a thirsty cat laps up a fresh bowl of milk.

Today, 60 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, we are back at the brink. Only this time, the brink has truly unstable qualities, the dirt crumbling beneath our feet, the edge moving closer and closer. The loser in this self-defeating state of being? Why us, so most assuredly, worry. There is no escaping the consequences should that unstable edge of the cliff truly crumble into the sea, breaking into ever smaller, unviable pieces as it caroms off the rocks along the way, hits the razor-edged formations at the bottom, and the deep depths of an ocean that will swallow all who fall into its depths.

I can remember those drills and the knowledge of how foolishly we all believed in their 'protection'. We 'knew' that Castro, and more importantly, the USSR would come to their senses. We 'knew' there was a sense of responsibility, of duty, owed to the people under whatever leadership, to ensure that there truly would never be a nuclear war, certainly nothing to resemble on an even greater scale, the realities of a worldwide Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Never!

And the world stepped back. Eventually, the USSR and the USA signed a mutually limiting treaty over the number of nuclear missiles allowed - around 1,500 I believe. Enough for MAD, something which no one truly desired. And then - the 21st century arrived.

It brought with it a new reality - one that denied true reality, arrayed new 'realities' in a smorgasbord display, where one could find a site that validated one's opinions, shored them up, no matter the idiocy of them. Dangerous ignoramuses began their infiltration of governments around the world. Egotists began their rise, and loyalty to countries, to people, disappeared, replaced by self-importance, willful ignorance, poorly educated despite schooling, hate filled people who cared for naught but power. The more held in their hot little hands, the better. 

Here in America, we were not immune to this newly empowered virus. No, not COVID, though that did a job, certainly, on the world, adding its negative influence to the pot. No, this was a virus where open traitors, disloyal to America, in whose government they served, rose to the fore. They rejected equality, loyalty, true patriotism, rejoiced in victories of openly hostile nations and individuals. As their stars ascended the rot grew, ate into the foundation of our nation.

We gave up on democracy here in the seat of it. We gave up all hope of a democratic future as we allowed autocracy proponents to impose their new normal upon us. The shenanigans of legislatures around the country, with perversion of voting rights, making it impossible for true democratic voting to take place, the elections of 2022 will bring about the end of democracy right here. Here. In the USA.

Worse, leaders of countries around the world also evidenced signs of mental illness or were ravaged by dementia of one cause or another. They ruled with a mad set of rules, rules which changed on a dime. Fear was the working mechanism and we here succumbed to it as we had Trump in the White House and a government run by people who now admit they knew he was deranged even as they enabled him to continue on his oh so dangerous path. And here we are.

We have a country with a thriving economy, a turnaround, but rising prices due to international issues disguise that fact. People are tired of isolation, of unwelcome changes to their lifestyles and the unknowing, forever right there in our faces, as to when, if ever, this would end and we could return to 'normal', whatever that meant. Facing us, spitting in our faces, playing deadly games of chicken, we had another deranged leader, Putin, who isolated himself physically and mentally, from all. He has embarked upon a path which has a very short span of miles to its length.

This crazed egotistical monster is responsible for the new state of being, of reality, on the face on this earth. He has his mad finger on the button of disaster, of a Sixth Extinction - that of humankind and all else, other than some rats and roaches! 1,000 seconds to midnight reads the Doomsday Clock. The massive armies of Russia descend upon Ukraine and its cities and villages. Indiscriminate bombing of civilians. Russian soldiers telling their mamas how hard it is, how they were lied to. Yet another refugee crisis. Massive humanitarian and humanity crises. A raised nuclear attack level - at least for the madman of Russia.

Will he succeed in his plans? I fear so, at least for Ukraine though it will be a difficult occupation as these brave people are digging trenches, stocking up on Molotov cocktails, determined to fight till the last rock to be thrown is gone. Then what? Then the juggernaut rolls over all the other countries of Eastern Europe, all the former SSRs, and beyond. If not stopped NOW, this mad Putin, a self - declared modern day restorer of the Empire of the Tsars, a close cousin to all power-hungry autocrats, a true throwback to Hitler, if not stopped, once and for all, will bring it all down with a resounding earth destroying BANG!!

If we are able to contain this situation, end it on a somewhat positive note, and look to the future through wiser eyes and minds, then perhaps we have a chance. In the meanwhile, yes, worry. Even as you go ahead and purchase a long-term item, or dither over choices for dinner or which movie to see, what to stream.

The other choice? To worry about pulverization, most eminently not good for one's health!! The acidic juices will eat away at us from within, our challenged minds and brains, struggling to hold down the fort, to defend sanity, will lose its valiant fight, with results most eminently not desired. Not to worry though, for we will be returned to the dust, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Beyond caring, beyond concern. Perhaps a fitting end to this glorious experiment of humanity, to live and maintain this once beautiful planet. We gave up progress in the face of false declamations of false leaders, turned once again to hatred, chose the wrong leaders - perhaps the ones we deserved. No Lollipop Kids to sing us along onto a better, more hopeful path. No yellow brick road for us.

What, me worry? Oh yes. But in the meanwhile, move on with your everyday life even as you keep a watchful eye on the world at large. There is no escaping it, even as we must live within it. The answer to the situation? Huh! Damned if I know. Perhaps ....... Man, the impossibilities overwhelm, the difficulties' myriad, Gordian knots of mammoth proportions. Gotta' get me some worry beads or those Chinese rolling balls, or a squishy thing for 'nerves'. Perhaps a slew of these things sent to the appropriate leaders might help. As if. If only.

In the meanwhile, tune in to the State of the Union. The Netflix movie can wait. The book can wait. The hobby can wait. The world awaits. Far more important.