Master this Technology.

Fear. There's this lady at work who is afraid. Afraid of cars and terrorists. Afraid for her children. Afraid of work and me. Afraid for her life. I couldn't figure out what her problem was but this is the conclusion I've come to. You can smell the fear. You can practically see it when she's in the room. She's from the midwest. She has this wavering voice and a nervous laugh that comes out in clipped spurts between every few words. Her "favorite book" is the bible. You have to be very cautious when you approach her. If you come too close and she doesn't see you she will practically faint from the surprise. She's divorced. She has a backwater twang that amplifies the fear in her voice. You know who she supports in politics. She turns on the TV news every night to see how many have died in Iraq and the current tsunami death toll. She knows the exact shade of the terror alert meter. She comes home every day and all her fears are affirmed. She will continue to be afraid. Afraid of things that are not there. Afraid of things that are merely heresay or propaganda. The afraid are the easiest to oppress.

I just saw that new documentary on Howard Zinn. He's about dead unfortunately. He and Chomsky are the last great progressive author-activists of our time. Perhaps that is what got me thinking about the fear thing. That lady will never escape her enclosure of fear. To look outside her enclosure is too frightening. Since she cannot look outside, she cannot escape. Much like the ouroboros.

Words of the Day
placable - easily calmed or pacified
vamoose - to leave hurriedly
opine - to speak one’s opinion without fear or hesitation
copulate - make love
macabre [m&-'käb; -'kä-br&, -b&r; -'käbr&] – shockingly repellent, inspiring horror: grisly