What would you do?

How would you act politically — what kinds of arguments would you make, what kinds of laws would you support, what means of persuasion would you use — if you knew that those whom you most despise will at some point hold the reins of political power in your country? - Alan Jacobs

I would say that we are already at that point. Okay, things could be worse, but I don't consider the people in power my friends, well, for some value of "friends".  The people in power are playing the political game (something I have no talent for and very little interest). This is going to be true no matter what system of government you have. How well you do depends on where your loyalties lie, or rather on where your "perceived" loyalties lie. People make snap judgements based on how you look, act and sound. Any or all or those may be incorrect, but you would have to take the time to get to know someone to find that out, and ain't nobody got time for that.

So here's some useful advice that is good for all occasions: keep your head down, maintain a low profile, know who your friends are, and keep a stash of resources someplace safe. Resources can vary depending on your situation. It might be a case of dog food, a box of ammunition, or gold coins. Someplace safe also depends your situation. It might be your cupboard, a bank, or the heel of your shoe.

"Friends" is such vague term. It's often used to mean people you enjoy being around, people you have a good time with, and that's okay when your situation is easy. When times get tough is when you find out who your friends really are, and when times are tough it can be tough to make new friends. It's better to make friends when times are easy, but then you really won't know what kind of friends they will turn out to be. Kind of a sticky wicket, that.

"Despise" is such a strong word. You can work yourself into a rage over just about anything. There aren't enough RPG-s (Rocker Propelled Grenades) in all of Russia to destroy all the cars and drivers who have pissed me off over the years. I don't get so angry so often anymore, probably because I get more sleep.

People get worked up over all kinds of things, usually it's what someone else is doing or failing to do. Question you might want to ask yourself is whether there is anything you can do about it that will make a difference? There are always things you can do. I got pissed off at the meter man a few months ago when I got a parking ticket. I paid the ticket (part of keeping my head down), but I also wrote a letter about the injustice of it all. The City of Portland refunded half of the $60 fine. It only took them 11 months.They didn't say anything about hanging the meter man, so I am not fully satisfied, but my anger is assuaged.

Political combat in the USA these days is being waged by forces with deep pockets who use mass media to appeal to people's emotions. I remember I got a telephone survey one time about some kind of deal, electric power maybe? Anyway, the pollster kept asking me the same question over and over again, it was just phrased slightly differently. The scumbags were just trying out their sound bites to see which one would generate the response they wanted. Facts? Truth? They are whatever I say they are, and if you disagree you're a heretic. Burn 'em!

Inspired by a Monday Evening post.