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FEARS, SUM OF ALL
Monday, March 22, 2021 - daily column #6705
I don’t fear drones.
But, armed military drones?
That’s different …
Cars kill. But they don’t scare me.
Well, that’s different too.
We live with fears we’re conditioned to – while scary things we’ve never encountered (or might never encounter) unsettle us. (i.e., COVID-19 risk a year ago vs. COVID-variants risk today).
If we have nothing to fear, why are we afraid?
Not from what we see or how we feel, but rather those unknowns we fret about, causing us to chase for understanding how we can move past this state of being scared. In this race to return to pre-pandemic comfort-zones, getting back to how things were, we are relaxing our guard sooner than we should. And, by the way, if you are wondering when new-normal arrives, buckle-up. It is here.
We can speculate whether we’ll be more peaceful, more cooperative in a post-pandemic world. Pure guesswork how life, work, and business will never return to what we used to call normal; instead, expect completely new things to proliferate.
Every country is righting its ship to sail out of the pandemic while creating turmoil in high places; new leaders in, old leaders out. Perverse to see Netanyahu facing strong forces to oust him, while Israel leads in citizens vaccinated. It’s more complicated, I know, but that’s a strange fact combo.
For example, you have to shake your heads when elected Americans only took demonstrative action to remove danger (i.e., Trump’s 2nd impeachment) as he was slipping out the back door, conveniently labelling Trump a clear and present danger. We saw incited insurrection live on TV. Damage – real, fiscal and physical, visceral outrage or morality play? Prompt reaction/action was absent.
Plenty of danger!
You’ve heard – “there exists a clear and present danger ” in movie scripts, political discourse and legal arguments. One could argue that any bad-act against anyone or group could constitute a clear and present danger. And every time a live microphone collides with a pundit, politician or protagonist, something will be painted dangerous, arguing inaction or wrong-action will be catastrophic. We see popular support for deciders-in-chief has a short shelf-life.Well-regarded/popular leaders falling from grace for reasons (i.e., France, Germany, Israel, Canada, California, New York) yet proven, but widely believed/feared …
We cannot imagine the pandemic horrors of 1918. Or the catastrophic impact of the great depression or of an atomic bomb on August 6, 1945.
While our American friends remain caught in perpetual filibustered political gridlock/chaos, it would be convenient to denounce or renounce them. But, since our Canadian and Alberta political houses aren’t in order either …
We want their free and fair trade. We want their tourism. We want their investment. We want their friendship. There is no danger in that, and there should be no fear either. If Canada, with our massive landmass and assets, is threatened by intruders, isn’t it nice to know that the most capable defender on earth is a friend and attached at our hip?
I rest comfortably in that notion, but still … those flying Cadillacs unsettle me.
We know the dangers, complacently though, because we presume everything is statistically factored in by those who analyze risk. Stock prices, commodity futures, and indiscernible graphs are supposed to reflect expert and actuarial ‘factoring in’ all risks.
Was Trump-risk factored in? Possibly not so accurately in his waning weeks in office.
But black swans, day traders, and pandemic risk, how do you factor those in?
How do you factor in political leaders lying to their citizens? OK, I know how stupid that sounds, but seriously, we NEED to factor that in too.
Life is dangerous, always, that’s clear and present.
We hurtle through space, 67,000 miles/hour. For billions of years, our earth takes that orbit/round trip every 365 days, 5 hours, 59 minutes and 16 seconds, a pace not altered through ice ages, dinosaur extinctions, pandemics, wars, tsunamis, continents rearranging themselves or the latest blockbuster Oprah interview – not even a wobble.
So, if there is a clear and present opportunity, what is it?
Notwithstanding the horrors, malaise and costs of the last 12 months – do you agree with me that everywhere on earth, we are better off than any time in history?
p.s.: today is World Water Day. Much concern – where the water is, what condition it is in. Many see that situation as dangerous. Others see it as full of opportunity. Methinks both are truths. Real risks we are comfortable with are always less concerning than dangers nobody sees coming. The other end of the risk-reward continuum is the reward.
Reader feedback:
Thanks for today’s musing on what Spring and life brings at this time of year. Time to enjoy and make the most from the opportunity for renewal! Enjoy (seize!) the day!, EM, Calgary, AB
Congratulations on another Successful Year. This year going forward I hope marks the year for your first draft of your Manuscript coming out. Looking forward to buying a copy. As my girlfriend who wrote her first screen play last year and its now being looked at to film it possibly here said the other day, "I never thought in a million years someone who look at it." Keep writing, keep looking up Mark. This is your Year. - MJ, Calgary
Congrats Mark on yet another milestone. Keep up the great work … it’s obvious your readers love the daily Musings! Happy Spring, BR, Calgary, AB
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