Since the outbreak of this Covid virus, and the extreme measures undertaken to combat its spread, I’ve been hearing with increasing frequency the term ‘the new normal.’ I find it interesting how a word, which once had one meaning, can be repeated over and over again in an entirely new context, with the new meaning becoming part of the American lexicon. A quick example is how the word gay began being used to replace the word queer; gay has become accepted as part of the American vocabulary now to describe those who don’t fit into, what used to be, traditional man/woman relationships.
What is normal, and more importantly, who gets to decide what normal is? One of the definitions of ‘normal’ is: the usual, average, or typical state or condition. That could be understood to mean, the same as everyone else in almost all things; clothes, beliefs, likes and dislikes. I find it quite hysterical that, in a country whose people take such pride in their individuality, that anyone would want to limit that individuality by being ‘normal.’
I once read a biography of Vincent Damon Furnier, aka Alice Cooper. When Vince/Alice was growing up he always sought to be different; to stand apart from what was considered normal. Vince would buy clothes that other kids weren’t wearing and, due to his popularity in school, other kids began wearing the same style clothes; whereupon he became normal. Vince would then have to go out and buy new clothes, clothes that other kids weren’t wearing, just to maintain his individuality.
The same thing could be said about the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. When they were growing up they had long hair in a school that had established standards for what was considered ‘normal’ hair length for boys. In fact the band took its name from the notorious gym teacher Leonard Skinner, who was known for strictly enforcing the hair code. The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd didn’t want to be normal; they wanted to be themselves; they wanted to be individuals; to do whatever they wanted under no one else’s terms.
That’s why the idea of being normal, or having either government or society dictate what is normal, concerns me so much; for it crushes individuality; the cornerstone of individual liberty. How can anyone claim that they are truly free when there are so many laws, rules and regulations that dictate what you can and cannot say or do?
I don’t know how many of my readers have been in the military, but when you enter the military you go through some form of basic training. The idea of basic training is, first and foremost, to strip away a recruits individuality; to make them become part of a team, a unit, or a society that will conform to military standards and obey orders without question. It is only half jokingly said by some members of the military that once you enlist your ass belongs to Uncle Sam 24/7.
While those in the military enjoy certain freedoms, these freedoms are more accurately described as privileges; for if you decide to exercise too much freedom, go beyond what the military has defined as ‘normal’, then you will find yourself being punished under the UCMJ; Unified Code of Military Justice. Believe me, as one who lost two pay grades for violations of the UCMJ, I know all about the punishment they inflict upon those who don’t conform to their definition of ‘normal.’
The point I’m trying to make here is that those who decide what is considered ‘normal’ are in a position to rule over those to whom those standards of normalcy apply. If your social status, if your job, if your friendships depend upon you conforming to what is considered ‘normal’ then you have a choice to make; conform and retain your status and position, or become a rebel and to hell with those who do not like what you say or how you act. Any action between those two extremes puts you right smack dab in the middle of a grey area I call hypocrisy.
If you want to be normal, then by all means, be normal; be dull, be drab, be a conformist…BE A COLLECTIVIST who believes that the welfare of the whole is of more importance than the freedom of the individual. If, on the other hand, you say you believe in freedom, in individuality, then prove it by being different, by being a rebel, by being a non-conformist.
How does this apply to politics you might ask? Well look at our two party political system; and the word system ought to give it away without further explanation. First and foremost it is a system, a system of control; and you are the one being controlled. You are told that you can vote for candidates seeking office, but then when someone votes for a 3rd party candidate, or heaven forbid, not at all, you are told that they are helping the ‘other guy’ win, or that they are part of the problem.
This process of voting does two things. First it maintains the integrity of the system, and secondly it ensures your compliance to the laws, rules and regulations it imposes upon you. It really doesn’t matter which party has a majority in Congress, or which party’s candidate sits in the Oval Office; government enacts laws and those who are ‘normal’ obey those laws because they are taught to support the system, to trust it…to be slaves who never question the purpose or validity of the laws being passed.
There have been a lot of Hollywood movies that, if you were capable of any kind of analytical thinking, explain this system of control that invisibly hovers over us; governing our lives. The Matrix is one of them and it tells the story of how those who recognized the system, and sought their freedom from it, fight against the system to free the minds of those still trapped within it.
Then there is the low budget film starring Roddy Piper called They Live; where Piper find a pair of unique sunglasses that allows him to see aliens living among us who seek to control us by subliminal messages.
In 1949 author Eric Arthur Blair, otherwise known as George Orwell, wrote a dystopian novel entitled Nineteen Eighty-Four in which he describes a future where people’s thoughts and actions are controlled by an all powerful government known simply as Big Brother.
In 1984 there are the Thought Police who persecute and prosecute those who exhibit individuality and independent thinking. There is also the Ministry of Truth where the propaganda machine spews out whatever version of the news the government wants the people to believe; which constantly re-writing history to fit the official narrative.
All these stories have two things in common; a system that determines what is ‘normal’, or acceptable, and a large population that has lost its individuality, (its freedom/liberty) because they conform to what the system tells them they can and cannot do.
Are people truly that obtuse, that brain dead, that they cannot see that such a system exists right now, and that they are slaves to it? This system, be it societal or political, seeks to impose control upon the masses, and those who buck the system, try to retain their individuality, or liberty, find that they become outcasts, rebels who are ostracized, penalized, or flat out eliminated for refusing to conform.
Just look at the social media platforms so many of us use; Facebook or YouTube being prime examples. If we truly enjoyed freedom of speech we would be allowed to say whatever we want; so long as we did not bring harm to the reputation or standing of others. Yet when you post something controversial, or something that contradicts the official, (read government), narrative, you find yourself censored for violating their community standards, (read, their definition of normal).
Just the other day Facebook suspended my ability to post comments to my account because I attempted to post a sarcastic comment about me needing some LSD or psilocybin, (magic mushrooms), to deal with the insanity of what I am witnessing in response to the Covid virus. Apparently the mention of illegal drugs, (something our government has no authority to criminalize), violates their standards; so now I’m in Facebook Jail for 30 days. Freedom of speech; what freedom of speech when you can have your ability to speak freely restricted when you actually exercise that freedom?
YouTube is the same way; pulling down videos of nurses and doctors who are providing evidence that contradicts what officials and the news media are saying regarding the Covid outbreak. Where is their freedom of speech when their words are censored because they do not conform to what the Ministry of Truth, I mean, news media is reporting. Sorry, got my storyline crossed there for a second,
What I’m trying to explain here is that individuality equates to liberty and freedom, while normalcy, or compliance with what others define as normal behavior equates to slavery; you can be one or the other, but you can’t be both.
Life is full of risks, and to think that someone else is better qualified than you are to determine how you should live yours is to give them control over you and your freedom. If you cannot accept that, if you cannot accept responsibility for your own life, for your own needs, for your own comfort and security, you are a pussy. Oh, I’m sorry does that not conform to what society has deemed politically correct speech? Well here, let me qualify that for you; YOU’RE A FUCKING PUSSY!
When you allow government to shut down the entire economy; deprive you of the means of earning an income, or allow government to impose restrictions upon your ability to social gather, or require that you must wear a face mask when interacting with others, you have given up your freedom for the illusion of safety; for these masks are just that, an illusion of safety to make the herd, (you), think that measures are being taken to keep you safe.
This virus is here, and it’s probably here to stay; just like the flu virus is here and makes its way around every year. You can’t avoid that, and no matter how hard government tries, they can’t defeat Mother Nature; she’ll win every time. At the same time, unless you want to be a slave for the rest of your life, you can’t let government tell you what precautions YOU must take to ensure your own safety. If you want to take risks, then take risks; but accept responsibility for whatever consequences come about as the result of your decisions.
The problem arises when the individual who wants to be free from all these controls encounters the indoctrinated masses and they attack them for being uncaring, insensitive, hurtful, or any of the other names they hurl about in response to those who do not conform to what they consider ‘normal’ or acceptable behavior.
It takes courage, and a great deal of it, to stand alone; to be free in a world where 95% of the people prefer comfortable servitude over freedom. To reach the stage where you buck the system, exert your individuality, you must cherish liberty above all else; above comfort, above friendships, above your job, and above even life itself; for if you truly seek liberty all those will be threatened by the system that cannot tolerate independent thinking non-conformist behavior.
Yet in 1788 Patrick Henry declared to his fellow Virginians, “Liberty, the greatest of all earthly blessings-give us that precious jewel, and you may take every thing else”, and when he said everything else, I think he probably meant his life too.
If you want to be free, be free; it is your birthright as a human being so long as you do not bring harm to others nor deprive them of their individual rights. However, if you choose to be free know this; society will scorn and ridicule you because you are not ‘normal’; they will attack you verbally, and sometimes physically for your refusal to be just like they are; i.e. normal. The system will also come after you; with their jack booted thugs posing as ‘law enforcers’ to impose normalcy upon you.
Freedom cannot exist when more than half of society refuses to be free and to defend that freedom from all attacks. Freedom cannot exist when society, either as the individuals that compose it, or through their agents in government, seek to impose controls upon the ability of other individuals to exercise their freedom.
Therefore, if you seek to impose your views upon me simply because the things I do or say make you uncomfortable, you are a tyrant who seeks to limit my freedom; and that is the one thing I cannot abide.
You see, the one thing men like Patrick Henry understood that most people living today don’t is, when you live in a world where freedom is denied people, the only true freedom from the chains of servitude is death; and to regain or maintain your freedom you have to be willing to lay down your life to defend it; otherwise you’ve already lost and you are a slave.
If you want to be free, don’t be normal; be yourself; don’t live your life according to the dictates of society or government. At the same time however, you MUST accept that being free means being that each of us is different; and you must accept that the things others say and do are not the same things you would say or do. Therefore, if you want to begin the process of truly being free, stop trying to limit and restrict the freedom of those you disagree with.
I think the old saying is, “Live and let live.” If people would just do that, maybe freedom would stand a chance. But as it stands now, with the ever changing definition of normal, freedom remains an elusive quality that people fool themselves into thinking they enjoy.
You can’t say you love freedom, then seek to tell others how they must live their lives. You can’t be free when you rely upon others to provide for you your basic requirements in life; food, shelter, protection.
If you want freedom then it is up to you to wrest it from the hands of those who have taken it from you, or seek to further limit yours. If you can’t, or won’t do that, please be honest and admit that you are a slave who happily accepts their bondage; and please kindly remove yourself from my circle of friends; for I have no use in my life for willing slaves.
May 10, 2020
~ The Author ~
Neal Ross, Student of history, politics, patriot and staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment. Send all comments to: bonsai@syix.com.
If you liked Neal’s latest column, maybe you’ll like his latest booklet: The Civil War: (The Truth You Have Not Been Told). Life continues to expand for this prolific writer and guardian of TRUE American history.