When I was little, living where I lived, we notionally had electrical power.
Notionally because it was often more in default than not. Meaning that the electrical power was almost exclusively used for light, and that the light as such we would now here, and probably there, consider grossly inadequate (sixty watt naked light bulb in the middle of a huge room,for instance) and it went down all the time, on the regular.
It particularly went down during summer, not because of air conditioning -- I think the first time I encountered air conditioning I was 17? It was a dress shop in Porto and they advertised air conditioning on the door. -- but because people stayed up later/kept lights on longer, and also might run a fan or two.
So we were prepared. As in, it wasn't a matter of "shoot, the light went down" but just going to the kitchen cabinet and getting the candles or oil lamps, etc. and lighting them up. In a deranged way, I learned to enjoy when the light went down. For one, the family would go for long walks. (Took me years to figure out that was because my parents didn't trust me around candles, mostly because I really, really liked them. And was very clumsy.) For another, well, I could take a candle to a corner and read, and it excused me from socializing.
So, why do I bring this up? Well, first of all because there's enough socialism in the air, and we all know what socialists used before candles. But for another because everyone I know is really, really scared.
It's not that we think the American people want or would vote for communism. It's that we're seeing the fact the socialists/commies are again running a potemkin campaign, and you only do that when you know you have got it all sewn up.
Sure we hope and pray -- boy do we pray -- they fail, but .... you know?
And we saw the big steal go through once. And it's reasonable to fear it will happen again. And, boy, oh boy, is their program pure communism straight up, guaranteed to immiserate everyone.
So, some hope is more that their program has been failing to take hold for four years -- not for lack of trying -- and that "push harder" is not likely to work any better. Some hope is that they are truly, truly stupid and some of their attempts will mar their other attempts. Like, no the invaders they enticed in won't stay in as spiral deeper and deeper into depression.
But that is bitter hope, in both cases, and it's impossible not to feel scared/out of it/panicked as the election draws near.
First of all, prepare. Just prepare. As much as you can. And I do realize some of us are preparing on a severely injured budget. But try anyway. And it might be stuff like "Gardening supplies and seeds for next spring" because honestly even if Trump pulls a miracle, we will go through hard hard times before things straighten out. It's already baked in.
Second, remember you're not alone.
I figure that second is my function. To remind you you're not alone. Because being alone with the bad thing, in the dark, is the worst thing ever.
I promise I'll keep the lights on in this blog as long as I'm not forcibly prevented from doing so. And even if I'm forcibly prevented from being on the net, I know several of you are keeping address lists of commenters. I'll get those somehow, and you might get this blog once a month, on mimeographed sheets (are there still mimeographs?) or more likely printed in a 3d printed guttenbergish press, stapled together, like old style fanzines. (I figure it's the only way to continue selling fiction too, if everything collapses.)
And if I go silent, if the really worst worst possible happens, I hope someone will pick up the pen and continue.
Because, yes, more needs to be done than talking about it. We all know that. And for Fed the Fred, I'm not even talking violence. For instance some people here have been working with TrueTheVote for years. (Though Fed, honey, you should consider how hard we're being pushed, and incentives.)
BUT all forms of resistance, even passive, start with knowing you're not alone.
You're not alone. There are other people out there feeling the same. I suspect we're the majority.
If the worst happens, keep the lights on.
Likely the light will be seen through the night and inspire others into lighting their own light. Even if it's a little candle, or an oil lamp, it reduces the darkness overall.
And if the worst of the worst happen, the light we keep on as long as possible will be seen through the dark times to inspire generations still unborn.
Be not afraid.
Light a candle.
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