To the young(er) people among my followers (especially in Europe) that feel powerless and frightened by all the stories about a possible war with Russia and a supposed defenceless Europe.
This is nothing new.
Your parents have lived through this. As have your grandparents. Your worries will not change what's happening. It is perfectly OK to accept that and focus on The Good Things in your life. We will get through this. We already have many times. And trust me, it was even worse in the past.
But just as we did in the past, you should also join the protests. Demand from your government to secure and defend our lives, wellbeing and freedom.
Don't hide. We need you!
Also: don't be afraid to ask for help. For explanations. To be able to stay calm and stoic. To stay focused on The Good Things. People my age should share our experiences from the 1960s/70s/80s where we also had to deal with these fears.
I for one am offering an informed, calming voice, if needed. Send me a DM and we can talk. Anonymous, confidential, open, you decide.
Again. We'll get through this. I don't say "don't worry". But I do say "be happy". You are not alone!
REMASTERED IN HD!Music video by Bobby McFerrin performing Don't Worry Be Happy. #BobbyMcFerrin #DontWorryBeHappy #Remastered
I recently had a long conversation with my parents on how they experienced the Cuba crisis, when the world really was at the cliff edge of a nuclear war. I remember how after The Wall fell in Germany, 1989, my dutch grandma visited us in Germany and insisted I take her to East-Germany as she wanted to see once in her lifetime what was hidden from her for so long. All of these conversations and moments prepared me to deal with what is happening now.
Again. It is nothing new.
@jwildeboer people networks, water, food stockpiles, knowing how to grow stuff, how to make a spear from a kitchen knife and a pole, to teach others. All the old essential "what if" skills are back in requirement. Electricity at least is a hell of a lot easier now.
Good skills to have anyway because they are the same ones you need in a natural disaster or if the climate gets real exciting.
@jwildeboer I also grew up in Cold War era and I don't even think there is /that/ much risk of atomic war nor direct invasion - Russia isn't /that/ strong.
What is needed is *resilience*, especially in the face of hybrid warfare / stochastic terrorism that causes inconveniences such as power cuts, supply chain disruptions and transport restrictions that impact on the level of freedom and affluence folk in Western Europe have taken for granted over the last few decades..
@powerstrand @jwildeboer if you lived into WW1/2 there'd be a decent chance you would not be alright. Also if Korean or Vietnamese person before was there. Given what we're seeing there is a huge chance we won't be allright as individuals. More reason to the live your best life right now i guess.(also yeah like try affect things)
I do not have the optimism, like i can say 'i never died before, why would i start?' Feel tlike people unconcerned about nuclear weapons are doing that..
@jwildeboer I would have not wished this on my child.
But such are the times. At least we still have people who remember how to protest.
We have people who remember how to fight authoritarians.
We have enough money to fund Ukraine all by ourselves.
We have the economic means to kick drone and munitions factories up and running.
It's not as bad as it looks.
@jwildeboer I'm was born in Barcelona, and lived near Hipercor when the deadliest bombing from ETA happened. We were going there and I'll never forget the sound and smoke.
Something my parents taught me then and I'll also never forget, terrorist win when you succumb to fear. That's the goal, to make you afraid.
My only advice is to turn that fear into something else, either rage or the hope that there's still good somewhere there. Use that energy to push yourself and others, keep going forward
@jwildeboer It's not fear of Russia, it's more like absolute and utter disgust of the previous two generations who let this happen.
Who turned everythying they touched into shit.
Whose moral decay made all of this possible to begin with.
So maybe just be silent.
Edit: Telling you that you are part of the problem is not "tone policing". Grow up.
Jan Wildeboer 😷
The Penguin of Evil
Peter Jakobs ⛵
Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK
filid
Muckz
Powerstrand
Jasper 🍉
Toni Aittoniemi
Gulthaw
soc
René