I was an English Literature major in college because I love to read. My favorite authors to study were the 20th Century authors (of course when I went to college it was still the 20th Century).
There were lots of writers whose works I studied and found amazing and challenging but none more than Thomas Pynchon. He is considered a unique writer in how he combines complex plots and themes about American society combined with over-the-top humor. My favorite of his novels is The Crying of Lot 49.
The plot is about a woman named Oedipa Maas whose life is turned upside down when she is named as the executor of her ex-boyfriend’s estate. She discovers mysteries, conspiracies, and secret organizations similar to the Illuminati but instead run as private postal services. It all seems ridiculous and entertaining in the light of 1966 when it was written and in the late 70’s when I read it.
But in many ways, it is not so ridiculous, especially now in 2023. We have millions of people who look for secret clues in the most mundane things and swear that hidden sources can reveal a diabolical evil. As a student, I was told to question whether Oedipa was seeing what was really there or if she had lost her sanity. It is almost as if the Q followers of today long to be Oedipa on her quest to reveal the trail of hidden countercultural societies and conspiracies to control all of us.
But this theme of “reveal the truth about those in power” permeates our culture. Back in the 70’s we had lots of novels and movies about conspiracies – perhaps the real-life conspiracy of Watergate made the pretend more real. Now we have the fantasy movies about Kingsman: The Secret Service, the secret assassin world of John Wick and so on. These are worlds with societies that seem to exist on the same plane as us but that we cannot see, cannot experience, cannot be a part of. But we know these are fantasy worlds. The problem is that there is a growing number of people who are convinced that real secret worlds exist just like these fantasy ones. And those secret worlds are not populated by secret agents or super assassins but people who are threats to them personally. Because those who hold secret power must be the reason their lives are not what they feel they deserve.
We have many systemic problems that are based on hate, racism, greed and very real economic and social victimization such as the school to prison pipeline. But what excuses do you use when you are taught that you are supposed to benefit from our social and economic systems and you feel you have not? There must be a reason why others have what you don’t have, there must be someone or something to blame for why your life is not what you want it to be. There must be someone to hate so you can avoid being responsible for your own life. Or maybe you are just bored and think these delusions will make your life exciting.
The blame mutates into paranoia and turns into fearing those who are different from you.
For all our history, we have been taught that the other is the enemy and must be “eradicated”, even when they are our neighbors and do us no harm. This paranoia and hatred have now gone into overdrive. With the flimsy excuse of “protecting children”, lives are being destroyed while these manipulators especially target the destruction of the lives of children. Those who profit from harvesting and reaping hate and fear keep changing their narratives to find more and more groups to blame for some evil universe that doesn’t exist. At least Oedipa Maas wasn’t ranting about pedophiles.
And then we keep finding that those who do the most blaming and hating are the ones most often committing the crimes they accuse others of doing. Google “youth pastors molesting”.
Are there powerful conspiracies out there that want to harm us? Sure, the Federalist Society comes to mind. These conspiring groups are the ones who have the power and want to ensure they keep the power and the money that comes with it. The harm and danger are not coming from the powerless. Remember, the motto of Google was “don’t be evil” until, well, that didn’t fit their agenda.
I see the pain of my dear friends who are being targeted with their existence being demonized. They agonize and try to process their fear and anger and my heart breaks. Then I remember that as a Jew I am also a target in today’s United States.
How do we stop this downward spiral? I heard today that 39 states now have anti-trans legislation pending. This has now evolved beyond paranoia into full blown fascism.
Don’t look away. Don’t pretend this doesn’t involve you. Don’t deny what is clearly happening. The call is coming from inside the house. It is only when we all accept that this darkness is here and doing battle that we can fight it. Because we can only defeat the paranoia and hate if we unite as one.
3/7/23
