To be honest, I'm not sure I can. You got any ideas? The land over the water has been taken over by a fascist tangerine. Purple meanies are running amok here. It's like the 70's has turned up, bringing its casual -isms with it and signs saying, "No blacks, no dogs and no Irish" and declared them acceptable forms of expression again. (They're not. Never were. Never shall be).
Read and Talk About Stuff
Not just the headlines, but the text of the article to see who is saying and doing what. Read from a variety of sources to get different opinions. Talk about things with others. To quote Dumbledore, which I'll be doing quite a bit today as the annual Harry Potter-a-thon has just finished: "Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts open". Try not to end up in a bubble of like minded people. It makes for lazy discussions, flabby arguments and horrible surprises when people you like disagree with you.
Being charming and likeable and having reactionary opinions aren't incompatible. I know lovely people who are thrilled by the current turn of events. It would be great if everyone with diferent views was a complete arse-biscuit and everyone who agreed with us was utterly delightful, but that's not the case. The Lord decided to mess with our heads with that one. Probably for our own good. Being able to disagree whilst remaining on good terms with someone is an important life skill. As is knowing when to keep quiet because it's just not worth it.
Being charming and likeable and having reactionary opinions aren't incompatible. I know lovely people who are thrilled by the current turn of events. It would be great if everyone with diferent views was a complete arse-biscuit and everyone who agreed with us was utterly delightful, but that's not the case. The Lord decided to mess with our heads with that one. Probably for our own good. Being able to disagree whilst remaining on good terms with someone is an important life skill. As is knowing when to keep quiet because it's just not worth it.
Act
Find something you can do - write to your MP, sign and circulate a petition, wave a placard at a rally, volunteer to help at a food bank etc. Even small things like smiling at people or giving up your seat to someone who needs it make a difference. Doing something practical or kind makes you feel more powerful. I hesitate to write, take back control, but ... Thanks for ruining that expression for ever Vote Leave. Support and encourage others in what they're doing.
John's gospel says: "The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out."
Dumbledore says similar: "The important is to fight and fight again, for only can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated". And: "Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right". Ouch!
John's gospel says: "The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out."
Dumbledore says similar: "The important is to fight and fight again, for only can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated". And: "Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right". Ouch!
Laugh
In Harry Potter, a boggart manifests as your worst fear. The only way to defeat it was to laugh at it. Fight back with love and laughter. Dumbledore: "Happiness can be found in the darkest times, if only one remembers to turn on the light".
Switch Off
When it gets too much, switch off, change the subject and do whatever it takes to make yourself and others feel better. This enables you to fight the good fight another day.
Fingers crossed for a few days of calm, hey?!
Good advice...and I need it x #bigpinklink
ReplyDeleteGlad it was useful and hope it helps. Tough times ahead I think
DeleteIs there any making sense of it? I think switching off is going to be the main coping mechanism in the near future! #BigPinkLink
ReplyDeleteProbably not. I have developed whippet like reflexes when changing channel to prevent unwanted appearances of Farage and Johnson etc. Looks like you have too
DeleteVery much in agreement with this! I'm not trying to promote my own work on your blog but I wrote this a few weeks ago - Oi 2017 - Our Children Are Watching. And No, It's Not OK., very much in the same vain . And I guess it just gives me hope that there are lots and lots of people that feel the same way as me. Which means we can make a difference, if we want to. Thanks for sharing. #MarvMondays
ReplyDeleteI read it and thought it was wonderful and nearly said I had a similar post due to go up in a few weeks! It's great to see pushback. We need it!
DeleteI love that you have basically likened that hideous man to Voldemort! I think that is the way to change things, the only way for most of us, by putting out love and hope and kindness and teaching our children to do the same. Thank you for joining us at the #bigpinklink
ReplyDeleteIf enough of us do it, we can make such a difference. I hope so anyway. Thank you for hosting each week and the lovely comment
DeleteIt certainly has been a year full of discord so far in the States. Everyone is at each other's throats and tempers are flaring. Sigh. It makes me want to hide in my home and watch nothing but cartoons. Maybe that's what I'll do. ;-)
ReplyDelete#globalblogging
Cartoons are one of the best forms of escapism I know! Happy hiding :)
DeleteI love these quotes, I have never read, nor watched Harry Potter but I am touched by these quotes. Such wise words here, and I totally agree. It is important to make our own minds up and not just mindlessly agree because people we like say things. I disagree with things that my fries are saying or doing, yet we remain friends. I may question why they make some choices, but they are entitled to their own thoughts and opinions, as am I. Graet Post! #mg
ReplyDeleteThank you :) You'd like the HP books I think, they're a great read, but quite a commitment as there are seven of them.
DeleteI was just talking about how people don't seem to read the body of articles anymore. A headline, a quick glance at the first paragraph to be sure it fits with their preconceived notions and thats it
ReplyDeleteDrives me nuts. The middle is where they hid the stuff they don't want you to notice.
DeletePopping back for #DreamTeam as I was behind you. Still a great post!
ReplyDeleteWaves! Thank you for visiting twice
DeleteI love how Dumbledore has the sage advice for these evil times. Here, with the orange fascist, I am stupefied daily by his actions, and continue to be motivated to act peacefully and make change. Thanks for sharing your lovely post on #globalblogging We all need to know when to turn it off. Calm, not so sure I will achieve that! <3
ReplyDeleteSo very true. I love the fact you're using your blogging voice to stand your ground and speak out. Thank you for the lovely comment
DeleteWhat a lovely piece and a great call to action whatever our views. Who knows what will happen across the pond or what effect it will have on us, but we can all do a little something about it if we choose to. As for friends, I have very good friends with quite different political views to me, we are still good friends. #Sharewithme
ReplyDeleteExactly. We've got friends who voted completely differently to us during the Referendum and we're still mates. Life's too short.
DeleteWe are all become reactionary, aren't we? People don't bother to read the entire article or to draw logical conclusions. It's just "I'm right, you're wrong." It's getting quite tiring!Lovely quotes, and some excellent tips!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
moderngypsy.in
Thank you. Glad you found it helpful :)
DeleteWhat a brilliant post - I loved the section entitled 'ACT' - people forget that little things can make a big difference. I also like the switch off point too. Pleased to have come across this post on #globalblogging
ReplyDeleteThank you. Glad you enjoyed it
DeleteSwitch Off
ReplyDeleteWhen it gets too much, switch off, change the subject and do whatever it takes to make yourself and others feel better. This enables you to fight the good fight another day. LOVED this!! Great lessons here! Thank you for sharing with #globalblogging
Thank you. So pleased it helped.
DeleteI love your thinking and your approach on this. Rather than be helpless and complain about the status quo, lets do things to challenge it. Even when something feels bigger than you, just one person doing something to try and change things and/or trying to make a difference can be more powerful than we realise.Great post, thanks for sharing it on #MarvMondays. Emily
ReplyDeleteGosh, thank you for the lovely comment and for hosting each week
DeleteThis is a great reminder that we can all make a difference and in some cases make a stand for the things we believe in no matter how big or small. Thanks so much for the motivation and for sharing with the #DreamTeam
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteIt certainly would be rubbish if we were all robots. #bestandworst
ReplyDeleteIt would be! Although there are times when it would really help ...
DeleteI think to fight back with love and laughter is such good advice. Thanks for linking to #sharewithme
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting each week :)
DeleteFab, well all need a bit of Harry Potter advice in our life! Thanks for linking up #bestandworst
ReplyDeleteWe do. It's a shame I've already done this year's read as I could do with another one
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