Imagine Magazine Question For 8/27

[Comicality]

Not long ago, I posted on the Shack forum about a young actor that I really liked and seemed like he had a bright future ahead of him...and then he went completely off the rails, killed his own mother, and went out looking to assassinate the Canadian Prime Minister! I mean...how did we get HERE???

But that's a very important question, isn't it? Take a moment and think about it. In a world where people can be radicalized to say, believe, or do almost anything beyond any realm of logic or common sense...it's pretty clear that this is becoming a growing problem in our society. I mean...what does it? Brainwashing? Conspiracy theories? Or just a mental imbalance? Maybe a touch of all three in different doses. But whether it be the Manson family, Jim Jones getting his followers to drink poisoned Kool-Aid, or Heaven's Gate getting people to castrate themselves and commit suicide in order to reach a comet from space...this keeps popping up in every culture. And no one knows what to do about it.

The question is...how well do you know yourselves? And do you think that you could ever become one of those people who suddenly follows a rabbit hole down into a pit of madness and violence? It has nothing to do with intelligence or morality or lack there of. Some people just get sucked into these things where it all makes sense. What about you? Is there anything that would get you to change everything that you are and abandon what you now may think is your sanity for something better? Could you be talked into it? What would it take to convince you?

Apparently, we're all susceptible to such a thing. Do you ever wonder if there's a trigger within you somewhere that could ensnare you a cause you wander off of the path that you once thought was so straight and narrow?

Let us know what you think! And be careful what you say here...hehehe, the Illuminati is watching!

[Comicality]

I have to admit that I am quite baffled by the whole idea that anyone would allow someone else to lead them away from their own core. I mean, inspiring thought, challenging norms, and encouraging a certain curiosity to learn more is one thing. I can get that. But in real life...to follow any ideology that discourages questions and demands blind loyalty for the sake of comfort...I can't understand that for the life of me. How can people not have limits? What the hell?

I want you guys to watch this...
 

https://youtu.be/b2OcKQ_mbiQ

There are people out there who can see the weakness or the need in you...and they will try to manipulate you every chance they get. You can be cheated out of your money, cheated out of opportunities, even relationships...but keep you heart and your soul for yourselves. Please. There's nothing more precious than that.

See? LIMITS! Nobody can make me believe something that I don't believe. I won't lie to myself. I won't lie to other people in order to defend it. You couldn't pay me enough to sell my soul for something like that. If I deliberately wore a T-shirt with something hateful or offensive on it, something that hurt people, and I was getting dirty looks and was being booed in the streets, I would experience a level of shame that I don't think I'd be able to handle. Why do that? Even if I made a new friend and we were really cool and having a good time...if he pulls out a pistol and was like, "let's rob this bank really quick!"....ummm, FUCK no! What the hell is wrong with you? What the hell do you think is wrong with ME to even suggest such a thing?

I wrote a series called "Agenda 21", where I followed a bunch of videos and stuff down into the conspiracy rabbit hole myself, but it was mostly because I thought it was cool how people were building it up and connecting dots that shouldn't connect. But I would never be 'radicalized' by such a thing. It's ridiculous when you really stop and think about it, but it makes for a cool story. You know?

The series is on a long term hold because of the big anti-vax stuff going on with the Covid pandemic. I felt that it would be irresponsible of me to possible fuel that any further with a totally fictional story about the end of the world. I don't want to be a part of that madness. Maybe one day I'll pick it up again, but folks need to stop searching for some kind of 'war' to fight around every corner that makes them think that every day is filled with life or death situations. I'm pretty sure that anyone trying to lead me down one of those dark paths would be wasting their time. I have limits. Better yet, I have common sense. And I know when people are telling me outright lies in order to appear perfect.

Nobody's perfect. So knock it off.