Rebuilding Rob

As WordPress continues to recycle old prompts, I pulled another prompt from The Coffee Monsterz Co to respond to today

What worries you about our society’s trajectory?

To be honest, it isn’t the trajectory of our society that frightens me anymore. It’s exactly where we are standing at this moment.

History tells a grim story about empires. Most historians agree that a society rarely lasts more than 250 years before a major collapse or transition. This coming summer happens to be the 250th anniversary of our independence. It’s hard to ignore that timing when it feels like we are reaching a terminal breaking point.

The Fear of the “Guy Next Door”

My fear isn’t just about the administration or the man at the top. I see the “left-hand/right-hand” distractions for what they are—performance art designed to mask the actual work being done. What truly keeps me up is the fear of those who follow blindly.

I recently read a quote regarding the Holocaust that hit me like a physical blow: “Hitler and Goebbels didn’t round me up. They didn’t put me in a camp. They didn’t turn me in. It was the guy who lives next door to me. It was people in my community.” That is the reality of our current moment. It’s the neighbors I wouldn’t trust to tell where Anne Frank was hiding.

Finding “Option C”

I haven’t always been this afraid. In 2003, I was in Washington D.C., protesting the invasion of Iraq. I was vocal then, but I wasn’t scared of my government. Today, I feel the weight of a different kind of silence, wondering if I’m doing enough or if it’s already too late.

But then, I see the light. I saw a video on TikTok tonight—a high school coach and counselor, a man who has never been a “protest person” in his life. He was moved to tears by the ICE raids and the detention of children. He looked at the camera and chose humanity over political affiliation.

He was choosing Option C—choosing empathy.

The Audacity of Hope

Seeing people who have nothing “personally” at stake risk everything to speak out gives me hope. We are seeing a collective realization that this is no longer a question of politics; it is a question of human rights. People are finally finding their “Enough is Enough” point.

Maybe the 250-year clock is ticking, and maybe the empire is shifting. But seeing everyday people exercise their First Amendment rights and find their voice gives me the audacity to believe we can still look toward a horizon that isn’t completely dark.

As long as we choose empathy over the cult of personality, there is still a chance to rebuild.

Today’s post is inspired by the WordPress Daily Prompt. While I’ve taken the topic in my own direction for the Road to 1,000 Days, you can find more responses to today’s prompt HERE.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like 👍, comment, and subscribe below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media and check out my recent posts!

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The article “The 250-Year Clock: Finding Hope at the Breaking Point” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.