So. Yeah. As I’m writing this on February 3rd 2025 in these Blighted and Divided States of America, the last two weeks have felt like two decades. It seems like no matter which direction you look, everything is chaos and disorder, destruction and misery. I definitely feel that way. And for good reason. There is a violent, sociopathic, destructive, selfish, gluttonous, would-be despot running things right now. And that’s not even counting the actual president.
So. Yeah. Things seem rather bleak. In the words of King Theoden, “What can man do against such reckless hate?” And that’s honestly the crux of it. Those currently in power are filled with hate. They hate everything. They hate even themselves. Perhaps especially themselves. They hate that they have never made anything of any value to anyone, only stealing from others and plastering their names up. They hate that the only thing of worth they have to anyone is a hoard of ill-gotten money, and that if that were gone, they’d be instantly forgotten. And that hate drives them, compels them, to destroy everything in their sight. That’s all they can do, destroy. And ultimately they will destroy themselves (hopefully without taking all of us with them).
So, indeed, what can we do against such hate? And that, my friends, is a good question. The levers of power seem so far away, the obstacles in the way so intractable. And our voices seem so ineffectual, like yelling into a vacuum. And the news, the inexorable firehose of hate and destruction paralyzes with its frequency and volume. How can we respond to such wanton evil and hate?
It’s so easy to destroy. That’s why they do it. Because it’s easy. And it gives that immediate dopamine hit, that cause and effect. They knock over the toy block tower and they feel powerful, in control. But you know what’s hard? Making something. Creating something. Taking raw materials, an image or thought in your head, and the sheer will and determination to form something where previously there was nothing. That’s hard. That’s fucking hard. But it’s also powerful. Real power.
Any two-bit criminal or petty thief can break things, can tear things down. Can cause destruction. But it takes an artist, a craftsperson, a magician to bring something into reality. To manifest something into being. To drag an idea kicking and screaming into the universe.
And that’s the real power we have. No matter what they try to do, no matter what kind of destruction and chaos they try to throw at us, they will never, ever, ever be able to stop us from creating. From making stories and art and games and movies and songs. That is a power they will rail against, they will try to break, they will try to outlaw. But they cannot take that from us. That terrifies them. And it should terrify them. They will gnash their teeth and flail about impotently in the face of our creation.
So what can we do against this hate and destruction? Make something. Take that anger and that fear and that hopelessness and make something. Create something out of spite. Create something to show them that creation is stronger than destruction.
And take care of those around you. There are people who are the targets of the most vile and hateful acts of destruction. Our trans siblings. Our immigrant siblings. Our queer siblings. Our disabled siblings. Take care of them, protect them in what ways you can. Show the world that these attacks against them won’t stand, won’t be tolerated, that they won’t be sacrificed.
And create, by god, create your hearts out! Funnel that rage and that pain into something beautiful and weird and joyful and something only you can make.
Take care of yourselves and each other.
