It may seem like a little thing, and one of a strange automated compliance, first for clanging pots, then for clapping, now for turning lights off at a specified time – all in the evening at the same time. Interestingly though, I only saw mention of them on the internet, because without TV and newspapers, how would I know? Same with many other things, if you didn’t have the internet on, it would pass by, unknown, which in itself is amusing, because while on the internet, many are talking about how newspapers are whipping up fear, and perpetuating things to be riled up by and afraid of. Overlooking somewhat their role in it too. There is fine line between sharing information to make people aware, and constantly wanting people to feel like you do, and knowing when to just walk away from it or stop being the facilitator of that information.
I’m going to use the latest stunt as the main example, Christmas lights. It seems to have got people talking, job one done, got lots riled up it seems (although who know how many of those were bots), job two done, and rather than ‘do what they were asked’, some talked about doing the opposite. Instead of turning off your Christmas lights, some people said they would be putting more up, or turning on every light in the house ‘just to show them’. Job three done. Reaction. Because either reaction means they have got to you, and are influencing you, and then in turn you influence others, on their behalf.
I can’t really fathom why people wanted to publicise it for them to be honest, or maybe they don’t realise that’s what they are doing, furthering the cause in their own way, thinking they are going against it – or as some would say, they are shilling and doing exactly what they are there to do. But by engaging with it so much, talking about it in the lead up and keeping it going in the immediate time after, is still being part of it, even though claiming to not be, by not ‘doing as they were told’. But they still get a result because the articles were shared, suggested to each other what to do that would be the opposite of the ‘request’ but at the same time of day. Odd to behold to be honest, because it means you are still playing their game, just thinking it’s on your terms. But what they wanted is people talking, sharing and reacting to the silly and distracting things. Taking your energy still, and tying up your time being outwardly enraged, or frustrated, or trying to show indifference, but still reacting as they would like. Sometimes I think it is best to just ignore it and not join in, at all, but maybe that’s just me. Work out what is beneficial for someone to see or know about, or not. Otherwise, you just end up being the free extra little messenger, on top of the paid propaganda machine, helping to fuel and promote the distraction and actually giving it energy to become what it was meant to. Social media can be used for good, or bad, and the key is with the user, not the controller, for now. And they say you get out what you put in, so if you put in drama and rage, guess what, it gets amplified and seems to create more drama and rage, age old formula, with a new much larger reach. So, be mindful of your thoughts and what you put into it, or at least don’t be surprised if that’s what comes back towards you.
It can be difficult though, not to react, I get that, especially when there has been so much damage to the economy behind the scenes, and people have lost loved ones. But when you go outside, it still looks the same mostly, no visible sign of any destruction at all. Cars are still driving around, shops are still selling goods, and people are still buying them. And before these last few years, we still had drama, and the economy was failing, just with a myriad of different excuses, austerity, Brexit, previous politicians, policies, wars, etc. No-one really accepting we’re in the shit, and just sorting it out, and the more time you waste trying to blame someone, the less time you are spending sorting it out. I certainly do agree with finding the cause of the issue and removing or resolving it, but not then to sit around discussing why and how you removed it, that would be silly, you should have done that first. If you catch my drift.
Knowing when and how to react, is becoming even more important than it ever was. Because now there are carefully placed and timed things to be there as buttons, to ‘trigger’ people into action or reaction, but both with a premeditated idea of what the result of either will be. And being aware of what to react to is equally important, and like I said, when to not react at all. It’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s reaction to things too, and some people demand others to be involved in theirs, so it really is a tricky road. Because are you just going along with something? Is it someone else’s strong reaction to something that helps to solidify or encourage yours? Or are those feelings from you, and how you feel and have perceived things?
We all know people say and do things just for said reaction to them, either for attention, or as ‘click-bait’ these days. And it can work on bigger things too, as we have seen since the rise of the internet, like the pond effect. Drop a big stone in water, and see the ripples, and the long after effects still causing a disturbance. Same with little stones, just less of an effect. Now, I know we know what the analogy represents, but I will spell it out from my view. Society is the pond, we as people are the water, and the media and entertainment industry are the stones. And the establishment are the ones selecting, holding and dropping the stones any time the surface looks to be calming or stabilising. Much harder to tread water or find your feet if there’s waves always crashing around you.
So sometimes, if you remove yourself from the centre, where the worst of it is, you can get to the edge, find a little bit of calm and take a moment. To just breath, and think, and take stock of you, where you are and how you feel, without other people’s thoughts and feeling being thrust upon you first. Then maybe at least, if you do react to something, it’s because you are meant to and for the right reasons, not because you are being made to.
