Saturday, October 3, 2020

a contracting theater of shadow puppets

  • I feel the leash of decency and civility I was indoctrinated with when I ask:
  • What would conservative and evangelical Christians and Catholics think of their imaginary friend white white white Jesus and his bearded dad in the sky should bearded dad in the sky off Trump days after nominating the Supreme Court justice of conservative and evangelical Christians' and Catholics' dreams* 
  • and of course he'd be lionized and martyred, hounded to his death by forces of naked evil with nothing but nothing but contempt for conservative and evangelical Christians and Catholics, bearded dad in the sky bringing Trump home as reward for his sacrifice so he can rest
  • Meanwhile, professional Democrats who claim Trump a fascist, a racist, and an existential threat to the fabric of American culture, sending thoughts, prayers, and care packages to Trump and wishing him a speedy recovery and return to being the best fascist, racist, and existential threat to the fabric of American culture 


 

 


 

COSMIC DEREGULATION

Jake Marmer

I lost loads of time

eating information

pills in the ship’s abdomen—

we called it “the library”

(as a joke)

until one evening, in the back

of a bar on a desolate, backwater moon

I was introduced to methods

of ingesting vacuum

and felt cosmos not beer

running through me

in knowledge’s stead

“consciousness,” I called to the librarian,

“consciousness is a ritual, 

not an organ

and intergalactic history

is a contracting theater

of shadow puppets

performed by my own hands

which keep opening

like goddamn eyes”

2 comments:

  1. 1)assume that everyone you meet is asymptomatically infected, and wear a mask -

    advice from a physician speaking on cnn moments ago

    2)Marmarosh, C. L., Forsyth, D. R., Strauss, B., & Burlingame, G. M. (2020). The psychology of the COVID-19 pandemic: A group-level perspective. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 24(3), 122-138.

    Abstract

    Objective: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threatened not only people’s physical health but also every aspect of their psychological well-being: from their struggle to avoid contracting the disease, to their coping with the disruption of the normal course of their lives, to the trauma they endured when the virus took the lives of those they loved. The objective of this article is to consider the group-level processes that sustain people’s physical and psychological well-being during COVID-19.

    Method: Applying group dynamic and group therapy theory and research, we explore why COVID-19 spread so rapidly. We also explore how people cope with prolonged social isolation, distress, and social inequities, as well as how people deal with the psychological trauma of the disease, which includes heightened levels of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and complicated bereavement.

    Results: Researchers and theorists suggest that human beings are fundamentally social, and the need to gather with others is extremely important, especially during times of distress. The need to belong as well as the importance of reducing loneliness during uncertain times often encourages people to connect, despite recommendations to remain socially distant.

    Conclusions: Group treatment options developed by group psychotherapists are effective at reducing depression, anxiety, complicated grief, and stress.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was killed by a poison dart fired from an umbrella in London in 1978. See https://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/01/07/terror.poison.bulgarian/ .

    ReplyDelete