On Waking Up to a Nightmare

The profound themes of personal and societal challenges, exemplified by the author's experience with his son, Marco, who became disabled after a serious accident. This personal narrative serves as an analogy for the broader societal difficulties faced since 2020, particularly regarding current governance and societal attitudes.

1. Personal Story of Courage:

The author recounts an experience with his son, Marco, who suffered a severe injury from a collision with a kudu. Despite becoming disabled, Marco shows remarkable courage and maintains a positive outlook on life.

2. Awakening to a Nightmare:

The author draws a parallel between Marco's personal nightmare and the collective societal nightmare arising from recent global events. He suggests that both individuals and society must confront their realities rather than retreating into complacency.

3. Societal Cowardice:

The author criticizes society for its passive response to threats, contrasting it with previous generations who actively resisted totalitarianism during the Cold War. He argues that many today prefer to hide from unsettling truths instead of addressing them courageously.

4. Freud's Perspective on Dreams and Nightmares:

The article explores Freud’s theories on dreams, indicating that nightmares confront deep-seated fears rather than disguising them, highlighting that acknowledging these fears is essential for growth and action.

5. Call to Acknowledge Current Crises:

The author urges readers to recognize ongoing issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, economic challenges, and the looming threat of totalitarianism, as significant ‘nightmares’ that need confrontation. He references Michel Chossudovsky’s work that discusses these crises in detail.

6. Current Economic and Social Reality:

Observations are made about the economic repercussions of pandemic responses, with noted resilience in certain countries like Russia despite attempts to impose restrictions and totalitarian measures in response to the crisis.

7. Totalitarian Threat:

A warning is issued against the encroaching totalitarian tendencies in society, with a call to resist these by confronting unpleasant truths. The author emphasizes the responsibility of individuals to not ignore these issues.

8. Importance of Courageous Action:

The article closes with a rallying cry for courage and action in the face of adversity, suggesting that acknowledging the nightmare at hand can lead to resistance and eventual change.

The article presents a compelling call to awareness and action, drawing connections between personal resilience in the face of adversity and societal challenges. It advocates for acknowledging uncomfortable realities to inspire meaningful resistance against totalitarian measures and subsequent loss of freedom and community. 

https://brownstone.org/articles/on-waking-up-to-a-nightmare/