Oh well, all you can do is laugh

In his book "Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation", Alexei Yurchak defined the term hypernormalization: "everyone in the Soviet Union knew the system was failing, but no one could imagine any alternative to the status quo, and politicians and citizens alike were resigned to maintaining the pretense of a functioning society"

Meaning: people in the USSR kept pedaling even though they could see their bike falling apart until one day the wheels fell off.

Because no one took decisive action to course correct, not enough people stood up and said "hey, we need to start fixing things now", no movement coalesced to organize and prepare, collapse became inevitable.

Now think about how we are watching the federal government implode. Agencies that help ensure we have clean water to drink and safe food to eat have been decimated. Organizations that help monitor and stop outbreaks across the world have been hobbled.

The president and his allies are enriching themselves by robbing the rest of us. Taking advantage of a sinking ship to loot everyone on board before getting away with their multiple passports and bunkers.

All while Americans think "if it was truly bad, someone would do something." "America is special, stuff like that could never happen here."

We need to do. something. Now.

Otherwise we are going to fall just like they did.

on survival

AARON TVEIT as Freddie Trumper CHESS THE MUSICAL

+ bonus

yes, everyone is CAPABLE of growth and change. everyone has the RIGHT to growth and change. but no, not everyone will CHOOSE growth and change. some people are not interested in and cannot be made interested in self-improvement or self-reflection. some people will go their entire lives refusing to admit they might be wrong or examine their own behaviors. some people will never, ever accept responsibility for the effects they have on people and the world around them. humans are varied; some are just always gonna be like this.

it is VITAL to understand this if you’re the kind of person who tends to pour energy into helping others, especially if there are already people knowingly hurting you who consistently show absolutely no interest in changing that behavior. you can’t forcibly make them want to change who they are. you aren’t going to find a way to convince them to suddenly care that their behavior is hurting someone.

the motivation to change and grow comes from within. others may inspire us, but WE have to decide we want to be better and work towards that. until they decide that for themselves, nobody else can do it for them. and they might never. people are mortal. we are a finite series of choices. it is entirely possible to make mostly selfish ones.

“You feel the bulge in his pants” - implies that you are feeling some guy’s penis, may be sexy depending on context