toGod,“Putmein,coach!I wanttoplay!I wanttogivemyselftothisaffairoflife.I wantto
makea difference.I wantmylifetocount.”Ifthatwaswhatwewerecallingfor,we’vehit
thejackpot.It’sreallyhard.Butit’sreallyalive.Andit’sreallyconsequential.Andwe’rehere
together.Wow.Weneedtoseetheirdivinenature
too.Andbefriendthem.Butsome
ofthemarepsychopathic.Someof
themaredangerous.Someofthemare
functionallyevil.We’redealingwithan
eruptionofsomeprettydarkforcesinmycountryrightnowwithourpresidentandtheway
thathissupportersaregoingintodeeper,deeperangerandthreatsofviolenceasheseems
tobebeingexposed.Youjusthavetodefeatcertainforces.Psychopathyisfunctionallyevil.
Itneedstolose.Itneedstobeexposedasmorallyandspirituallybankrupt.Ourtendencytogointoapathy
andcynicismisourspiritualbattle.Wehavetowakeupfromthat.Therearemanypeople
whoarenotyethealthyenoughorevolvedenoughorawakeenoughtoparticipateinthis
conversationinthewaywe’rehavingit.Andtheycount.Theymatter.Butthere’sa very
hopefulprinciple.When 10 percentofa populationreachesa newunderstandingora new
levelofdevelopment,itspreadslikeflamethroughthewholepopulation.Sowedohave
a shotanda kindofstrategy.Wecanwakeupandhelpotherswakeupandrecognisethe
inseparabilityofthechangeofconsciousness,thechangeofcultureandrelationships,and
thechangeofourbehaviourandofourstructuresandsystems.Whatweneedisa whole
systemstransformation.Itisn’tgoingtobeenoughforustojustapproachthisasa matter
ofpersonalgrowthorrelationalgrowth.Orjustapproachitasifit’sa matterofecological
engineering.It’sallofthosethingsandmore.Hmm.That’sfuckingawesome.I lovethat.Whatabout...?
I’mdoinga BrenéBrown.We’retalkingaboutconnectionandIkeep
thinking about disconnection. What about all the asleep ones who
want to be living a consumerist life to obliterate the feelings?Cynicism conspires with psychopathy in order
to undermine what’s best in us.
110
TERRY PATTEN
DUMBO FEATHER