Don't work for the demagogue

George Monbiot wrote in The Guardian  about how to respond to the fascist divide and rule tactics then offers suggestions of how we might deflect that.

"Use humour to deflect aggression, distribute leaflets explaining the action and apologizing for the disruption, train activists to resist provocation, run de-escalation workshops, teach people to translate potential confrontations into reasoned conversation, respect actively all people including police"

People's assemblies like the recent Gabriola Talks on Climate Crisis, bring people of different positions together and focus on the issue. Part of that is the reality that we have different interests and different histories. Civic spaces allow for other voices to be heard.

Stephen Porges points out -- compassion for others is difficult to see if we don't feel safe. Calm spaces are essential to rebuilding democratic life.

Monbiot writes "All this might sound like common sense. It is. But understanding how our minds function helps us to see when they are unconsciously working for the demagogues. Breaking the spiral means restoring the mental state that allows us to think."

Activate your compassion on days that don't require too much energy in rehearsal for the days where it might become your default.

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There's a crack in everything (Cohen)

The crack in everything is what saves us from the ambitions of greedy rulers.

Yes we suffer because of the narcissistic games of those who want everlasting power, who want to keep getting bigger and bigger, who want to die with the satisfaction of conquering the world, forever.

George Orwell's  'boot on the face of humanity forever' is not how demagogues view their ambitions. They cannot see how sick they are, and dependent on the minds and hearts of those whom they control and humiliate.

The crack is what saves us from the ideologies and our vanities that come and go. Even our achievements break at some point.

There's a crack in even the beautiful things that bless us.

Title is from Leonard Cohen's song "Anthem".