The Totalitarian Tiptoe

There are many of us who feel like we are in the early stages of something that could get much, much worse. For those with eyes to see it’s actually been pretty bad from the beginning. For instance, lockdowns, which many middle classes with large houses and nice gardens quite enjoy, is not so comfortable for those at risk of child abuse or domestic violence. Then there are the elderly in care homes, who were put on death pathways with excess quantities of Midazolam. Anyway, looking towards the future we see an indication of what the worst might look like with new mandates with prison sentences in Austria for those who do not get vaccinated. It doesn’t take much of an imagination, to see how much worse it can get than that. Although it appears there are an awful lot of people who either lack imagination, or don’t want to consider the worst. Perhaps it’s the new age thinking that has infiltrated our society and told us not to consider any possible bad outcome for fear of ‘creating it.’ Or it’s simply a case of thinking that the government would never do that, because all of this is about our ‘health’ and about caring for our welfare.

We speak up, not to ‘create’ or ‘manifest’ the future, but to issue a warning about it while we are still in the early stages. We use our imaginations to project into the future, to consider future potentialities, to look at Totalitarian regimes of the past, and ask ourselves. Is this like the early stages of Totalitarianism? Where could we lead if we head down this route?

It suddenly occurred to me today, that the world could potentially move quite seamlessly into Totalitarianism, without much resistance. Because if the people don’t speak up when we are still in a relatively free society, then why would they speak up if things get even more controlled? If they fear what the neighbours think now, then when the heavy boot of authority stamps down, why would there be any less fear?

It chills me to think that if humanity is not willing to see now, because of fear, because of the trauma-bonded government-citizen relationship, then they are not going to see later.

And I hope that the opposite is true, that as things get darker people find their courage. The other day, I got on a bus - which is now against the rules. I printed out a copy of the European Human Rights act, and I just decided that if I was stopped, I would hand it to the authorities. Whereas at the start of the pandemic I found the Italian police quite terrifying, I’ve learnt more about my rights now, and feel less afraid.

I genuinely don’t know, how this could go. Would erosion of rights create more fear, and submission, or more defiance, and finding inner strength? What I do know is this, that every one of us needs to find our courage, not to comply and encourage others to do the same. If we don’t do this differently, then history very much has the potential to repeat itself, if the mentality of humanity is still the same.

Today I cried at the thought of prison, of the thought that the Totalitarian tiptoe is moving closer and closer to a horrific place, and I had genuinely lost faith that humanity would do anything to stop it. Then I went about my day in the sunshine, eating good food in good company, and having deep gratitude for the freedom I now possess.

If you haven’t heard of the Stanley Milgrim experiment into obedience to authority and how most people would kill a person if told to do so by an authority figure then it’s worth looking up.

Are we different? Is our consciousness rising and evolving? Would people find the strength to stop it? I’m both awed at the bravery and courage of some while incredibly disappointed too.

What would you do? What would you have done in the early stages of Nazi Germany? Would you have believed in Hitler’s captivating speeches, or had niggling doubts? Would you have spoken up against atrocities, or protected yourself? Would you have considered that it might get worse, or brushed those thoughts aside, just hoping that everything would be okay?

I pray we all find our inner strength to recognise tyranny when we see it, and say no.