Sunday Musings - May 19, 2024
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is about two men - Vladimir and Estragon - who are waiting for another man called Godot. Some believe the primary theme of “Waiting for Godot” to be the meaning of life and the absurdity of existence. Some think “waiting for Godot” is a metaphor for the futility of waiting for someone or something which never arrives; which perhaps never existed.
Loneliness, anxiety and depression seems to have kidnapped the lives of many of we humans in the United States and in other parts of the world. The Surgeon General of the United States and others health care professionals continue to draw attention to these very emotionally, spiritually and financially costly symptoms of an underlying malaise. The attraction by many to the MAGA movement or the group which is loosely labeled as Cristian Nationalists may be related to the epidemic of these symptoms.
It may be true for a segment of society in previous generations life was less lonely and anxious. There were times in the history of this nation when some parents could count on their children having a more prosperous life in terms of education, housing and access to the luxuries such as automobiles and appliances. Some nuclear family, college educated, heterosexual, home-owning, Christian suburban individuals could obtain what was touted as the good life. (Being or appearing Caucasian also usually a prerequisite.) Of course, we now know the good life led to isolation, a push to have more and be more than one’s neighbors - the Jones. This highly stressful “good life” also excluded many including those whose immigration lineage was shorter than one’s neighbor. Various groups such as the Germans, Asians, Italians and others took turns being the “undeserving” along with Native Americans and the “former” slaves.
Films such as “Far From Heaven”, among others, attempt to expose the myths of the good life; the myth that the good life was open to all who deserved it; the myth that the good life was not dependent on ensuring the good life was in a gated community which trapped those inside while keeping others outside.
In recent years there are new versions of this gated life. “Making America Great” is dependent on ensuring that one exclude Muslims, Jews, non- heterosexuals, the poor immigrants (not the wife of one of the Presidential candidates), the homeless and anyone who is unable to dissociate and ignore history; anyone who is unable to separate spiritual beliefs from how one lives one’s life.
If fear of “the other”, anxiety, and isolation is the ticket for a good life; for “making America great again”, then we must get much better at dissociation; at ignoring the symptoms which are an automatic side effect of an “us and them” approach to the foundation of a nation state. In other words, one could accurately label the increase in anxiety, depression and loneliness as iatrogenic; the side effects of the foundation of this nation; the approach to an illusionary inclusive community.
We began this country as not only an escape from some of the same conditions current immigrants are fleeing, but by creating “the others”, the Native Americans, slaves, women and the non-landowners. Clearly the “all men are created equal” was not intended to be taken literally.
We have, perhaps, reached the light; the time when the emperor has no clothes has become an open secret which delusional groups such as MAGA attempt to flee. The largely white, heterosexual, public gun carrying advocates who have or want to gain their piece of the pie by any means possible will do all they can to avoid exposing the naked emperor.
It is said, “The truth shall make one free.” If that is accurate we must not shield our eyes. We must not pretend that an “us and them” approach to community - to building a nation - can or should last. This is the challenge facing all of us in the United States and in many other parts of the world. The emperor is naked. Godot is not coming. The United States was never America. It was and is one of the Americas. “The United States was never great for everyone. It is time to unlock the gates and introduce neighbors to neighbors.
Written May 19, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is about two men - Vladimir and Estragon - who are waiting for another man called Godot. Some believe the primary theme of “Waiting for Godot” to be the meaning of life and the absurdity of existence. Some think “waiting for Godot” is a metaphor for the futility of waiting for someone or something which never arrives; which perhaps never existed.
Loneliness, anxiety and depression seems to have kidnapped the lives of many of we humans in the United States and in other parts of the world. The Surgeon General of the United States and others health care professionals continue to draw attention to these very emotionally, spiritually and financially costly symptoms of an underlying malaise. The attraction by many to the MAGA movement or the group which is loosely labeled as Cristian Nationalists may be related to the epidemic of these symptoms.
It may be true for a segment of society in previous generations life was less lonely and anxious. There were times in the history of this nation when some parents could count on their children having a more prosperous life in terms of education, housing and access to the luxuries such as automobiles and appliances. Some nuclear family, college educated, heterosexual, home-owning, Christian suburban individuals could obtain what was touted as the good life. (Being or appearing Caucasian also usually a prerequisite.) Of course, we now know the good life led to isolation, a push to have more and be more than one’s neighbors - the Jones. This highly stressful “good life” also excluded many including those whose immigration lineage was shorter than one’s neighbor. Various groups such as the Germans, Asians, Italians and others took turns being the “undeserving” along with Native Americans and the “former” slaves.
Films such as “Far From Heaven”, among others, attempt to expose the myths of the good life; the myth that the good life was open to all who deserved it; the myth that the good life was not dependent on ensuring the good life was in a gated community which trapped those inside while keeping others outside.
In recent years there are new versions of this gated life. “Making America Great” is dependent on ensuring that one exclude Muslims, Jews, non- heterosexuals, the poor immigrants (not the wife of one of the Presidential candidates), the homeless and anyone who is unable to dissociate and ignore history; anyone who is unable to separate spiritual beliefs from how one lives one’s life.
If fear of “the other”, anxiety, and isolation is the ticket for a good life; for “making America great again”, then we must get much better at dissociation; at ignoring the symptoms which are an automatic side effect of an “us and them” approach to the foundation of a nation state. In other words, one could accurately label the increase in anxiety, depression and loneliness as iatrogenic; the side effects of the foundation of this nation; the approach to an illusionary inclusive community.
We began this country as not only an escape from some of the same conditions current immigrants are fleeing, but by creating “the others”, the Native Americans, slaves, women and the non-landowners. Clearly the “all men are created equal” was not intended to be taken literally.
We have, perhaps, reached the light; the time when the emperor has no clothes has become an open secret which delusional groups such as MAGA attempt to flee. The largely white, heterosexual, public gun carrying advocates who have or want to gain their piece of the pie by any means possible will do all they can to avoid exposing the naked emperor.
It is said, “The truth shall make one free.” If that is accurate we must not shield our eyes. We must not pretend that an “us and them” approach to community - to building a nation - can or should last. This is the challenge facing all of us in the United States and in many other parts of the world. The emperor is naked. Godot is not coming. The United States was never America. It was and is one of the Americas. “The United States was never great for everyone. It is time to unlock the gates and introduce neighbors to neighbors.
Written May 19, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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