When a society chooses to introduce a new concept to the acceptable sphere of inclusion, there is bound to be some resistance from those who do not like to experience anything outside their present state of comfort. This has happened when any new thing comes into our world, and it isn’t going to stop.
For those of us enjoying the release of the movie “Dune: Part Two” in theatres, we are familiar with the integration of outside influences, as well as the discomfort this integration can cause, so it’s a great way to introduce this week’s observation. Don’t worry, it won’t take long to appear. Just enjoy the setup.
In the “Dune” universe there is a mantra called the Litany Against Fear. Folks recite the litany to better approach anything which could trigger a defensive reaction, by focusing on facing the thing causing fear and overcoming its power to diminish one’s inner strength. The promise at the end of the litany is that the fear will then pass and no longer exist. Fear, says the litany, destroys the mind.
Our society is beginning to see things we never saw before, which can be somewhat frightening. A video I saw the other day showed a woman who has had the whites of her eyes (sclera) tattooed blue. My reaction was, “My, that must have been difficult.” I can’t imagine having somebody, expert tattoo artist or not, aiming a vibrating needle filled with dye at my eyeball.
Did I throw down a social media reply decrying the evils or dangers of tattooing? Did I call the woman hideous? Did I mention a word about her split tongue or multiple piercings? No. I kept scrolling. It works for her. I wouldn’t do it. We’re still sharing the same spinning planet.
Now for the “you won’t believe what happened this week” story.
Some feedback came to my attention recently from somebody who had choice angry comments about a photograph online. Because fear is involved in the person’s rant to some degree, it fits here nicely.
The picture depicted what looked like two businessmen, with papers strewn on a bed, and a laptop; the men were sitting on the spread and appeared to be engaged in a conversation about the information onscreen. Their faces show an officially casual demeanor. The background shows a side table with one lamp and non-descript accessories. The general look of the photo is that these gentlemen are on a business trip and reviewing documents and online content using the hotel bed (hotel desks usually have only one chair, so it makes sense).
For purposes of privacy, let’s narrowly say the sponsor of the image is a business software company. I attempted to find the image, but it may be proprietary to that company. Sorry.
So what was the problem with the photo? The complainant was livid about the image because the men were in close enough proximity to be touching each other on the sides.
Call the morals police! Send up the “clutching my pearls” signal!
Let’s put the person’s fear into perspective. I very much doubt that they never had side contact with another person of the same gender before. Would the reaction be the same if the two persons in the photo were women? The individual here took a harmless image and turned it, in their own mind, into an overt LGBTQ+ advertisement. Having a marked negative reaction to the acceptance of same-sex suggestive visual displays, the person disavowed anybody responsible for the final product. So the sponsor of the software company lost a customer because of a “woke culture” endorsement that didn’t exist in what was being touted as the proof.
This poor individual will be casting out so many people and businesses in the future, that soon none will remain. All because of being afraid of two figures in a photograph. If they had looked at the picture without the filter of fear, there was nothing there. Heaven forbid two men on a business trip should get less than two feet away from each other. Perhaps they should have phone conferenced from their separate hotel rooms.
Fear has killed the person’s mind.
Funny thing is, LGBTQ+ people have been in everybody’s atmosphere since the dawn of human existence. It’s the integration of what is already there–the sudden clarity of knowing it’s there and has been–that has put the poor soul’s mind into overdrive.
Hopefully the poor person will not be too badly affected by Daylight Saving, when we all won’t want to wake up for an extra hour. Fortunately more of us are woke when we’re awake. Maybe someday that person will find balance. Try the Litany Against Fear. That’s my prescription for the week.
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