"Things are working out well... ...As tough as this was, it's been a wonderful thing. I think even for the country to watch and for the world to watch." (Speaking from Houston, after Hurricane Harvey.)

"Have a good time, everybody!" (Decreed upon departure from a Houston shelter, after Hurricane Harvey.)

"I'm not going to rule out a military option." (Who knows? Perhaps when he was angry with the Senate over healthcare.)

These are only recent examples of a dystopian disconnect; meaning, he believes the illusion and cannot fathom why anyone would not believe. The illusion of course, is a Perfect Society. An illusion fed by masquerading fear. And how could it be anything but? To sense fear is to project fear in an everlasting echo of primal understanding and action; unthinking, instinctive, and destructive. Yet to touch that fear, is to be perceived as weak. So what he believes, what we believe, is that our projection is our illusion, and that our illusion is (or should be) mutual. The actuality is that one's illusion is personal, and that one's projection (of fear) is reciprocal. Yet still, one's actions are guided by one's illusion, and one's reactions are guided by another's fear.

I believe all things divisive, (be it nationalism, sexism, politicism, racism, or any other form of supremacism), originate from an illusory perspective of potential perfection, that when allowed to germinate, and left unchecked, will grow into a dystopian future of fear and oppression. (We only have to look at multiple historical examples of past circumstance that did exactly that). The illusion we are currently being asked to buy into though, is beyond an issue of supremacy. The illusion currently being offered up flows deeper than a mere paradigm shift. The majority of us who are moving toward global compassion are not simply being asked to apply different standards; we are being asked to digress and regress. We are being asked to give in and give up. We are being asked to play and pretend. We are being asked to sit back and enjoy the show.

"John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople at the turn of the fourth century, urged that the liturgy should be more exciting, complaining that it was difficult for Christians to compete with the theatricality of the synagogue where drums, lyres, harps and other musical instruments made for entertainment during worship; as did actors and dancers brought in to enliven proceedings." (From The Silk Roads: A New History of the World; by Peter Frankopan.)

I believe that any individual or group believing entertainment is necessary, is likely NOT presenting reality, but rather an illusion. I believe we (too often) choose the diversions of entertainment over the effort required for reality. I believe the schism yesterday was illusion vs. illusion. I believe the schism today is yesterday's illusion vs. tomorrow's reality; or more aptly put, supremacy vs. survival.

I admit, entertainment is more entertaining than drudgery. And I admit, battles for short term supremacy are far more entertaining than the struggle for long term survival. And here we have exposed yet another entanglement. Beyond the shift from supremacy-conflict-illusion-entertainment to survival-compassion-reality-effort (and currently back again), we are facing a dimensional dilemma demanding a consensus on short term vs. long term. Examples:

• Despite how it may feel in this moment, 4 years is very, very, very... short term.
• Entertainment is short term.
• Dominance and control is short term.
• The advantages and disadvantages of global communication have been short term.
• Perceptions of reality are short term.
• The survival of our planet has been long term.
• Fear is long term.
• Reality is long term.
• With a recognition of long term reality and a concerted global effort and some interstellar luck, the survival of Humanity will be long term.

Yet many of us frequently place a priority on entertainment. Global communication has shifted emphasis from individual and local survival to individual notoriety.? Today we want to watch and we want to be watched. I believe we have (very) recently begun efforts to shift emphasis again; from individual and in-group notoriety to global survival. Yes; for the short term we have taken a step backwards. The drama and chaos and controversy "...it's been a wonderful thing. I think even for the country to watch and for the world to watch."

But after we get over this crumpbacked blip, we must get back to work. We must choose global compassion and an opportunity for long term survival.

If instead, we continue to opt for entertainment...

...well

"Have a good time everybody!"