A Government Led by Bathtub Stranglers

No, the emails aren't from a Nigerian prince, but whoever is writing them seems to use the same style, cajoling and repetition. The sad thing is, these aren't from some poor guy in an internet cafe circa 2000's, no-- these emails have been pummeling the inboxes of federal workers from their own government. These workers have had their email inboxes flooded with bizarre imperatives to basically go away. They've been insulted in the emails, being encouraged to leave and find “higher productivity” jobs in the private sector. They've had carrots dangled in front of them, saying they can take a second job or go on awesome vacations. They've been demoralized, and most are likely very confused, of course by design. What we have here is the Grover Norquist quote coming to life, the: “I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it in the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.” For those too young to have heard this, the quote is from one of the OG architects of this current bile-filled situation. It's always been their fervent desire to implement this bathtub murder--they've been patient and have all the plans in place. Now they are in the stage where they've drawn up the water, telling you they have some nice lavender bath bombs and beckon you through the steam.

Of course Grover Norquist types still have good versus bad government notions. They will never try to drown the missing dollars of the defense budget. You are only “federal bad” if you are someone like a physical therapist at the VA working with the mangled bodies of veterans--or someone working to keep food safe for consumption. You are incredibly “federal bad” if you were serving in some manner to keep illness counted and mitigated. You are “federal good” if you are a part of the massive military, ICE, or a teenager with a cross married to an old man, spouting nonsense for a federal paycheck. I think you understand. And of course it is crazy-making. That's baked in and a very real part of how this is all designed to work. The few of us still trying to follow the blitzkrieg that is the real-time attempt to remake the entire government are probably in the minority. Mainly it's chaos and confusion to the vast populace and this is often what causes a brain to simply shut down. It's too much and we aren't wired for it. It's the plan, to bring in so much rapid damaging change that it will be near impossible to stop. It seems the goal of the broligarchy is to reshape all of it in some fashion that they seem to believe will become their new utopia (but of course almost everyone else's BAD PLACE).

There is talk from individuals like Zuckerberg that workplaces need to become more masculine. It's bizarre and telling that they embrace a philosophy like this. Though I disagree with what these formulaic masculine/feminine dumbed-down versions of reality try to say, I'll look at this from what I imagine their perspective is as far as “masculine energy”. They seem to embrace a notion that all is about power and forcing change on others, rather than any type of collaborative energies. Rape versus love societal normalization. They seem to believe that there is an inherent inefficiency in taking in all opinions, in adjustments for others that may be outside what they consider the mainstream (of course that means them). Where would humans be if we all adapted this kind of thinking? Right where we are, I guess, barreling towards catastrophe.

The very real consequence of this shift to the Zuckerberg masculine is destruction, death, and misery. He implied that encouraging this energy would save businesses, but I'd say the embrace of this “energy” over the last couple thousand years is very much what is wrong with us. Enormous time spans with humans in small collaborative groups was sustainable, but this regimented and unequal world is the thing that has careened us towards oblivion. Yes, yes, let's lean into that during this time of crisis.

What are the moments you've celebrated in your life---the ones that touched your heart and made life worth living? I'm guessing for the vast number of individuals it was a moment that would touch on what these damaged men (and accomplice women) call “feminine energy”. Obviously it could have been a moment of decency and empathy from a man or woman—it's the concept of this collaborative and kind energy and what they seem to want to demonize. These types are using the terms masculine energy and feminine to define something very warped, something that speaks to their inability to live in a shared world. All they know is conquest and theft; they have convinced themselves that it is the pinnacle, when in fact it has always been the lowest of behavior. They consider empathy to be a weakness, but how much more difficult is it to use the frontal lobe rather than the amygdala--the fear-based region of the brain? It is much easier to steal than to share, to lord over with authoritarianism than to win support through collaboration. They rebrand what really is mental weakness as superiority, and they slap the label “masculine” on it. It's as pathetic as Zuckerberg's new look, an artificial edifice that reeks of insecurity and Axe body spray.

That said, they are obviously the ones in power, that sickening worldview is very efficient at creating open air prisons and taking over equitable societies through the ages. The energy of the natural world-- they would say the “feminine” has not been successful at countering this disease. This has been exhibited over and over whether it was expecting a mutual agreement to be honored (say in the form of treaties with Native Americans) or other failings of the reciprocal world. They are liars above all else—others operating in good faith with them fail. It is said that those who are not malignant narcissists have difficulty understanding their behavior because the wiring in those individuals is so vastly different. I don't know that it's wiring differences, as much as it is giving the reins to your inner child and that child is Joffrey Baratheon. It is difficult to fathom those who truly enjoy causing misery. For most of us, being in control of the world and its vast resources would mean little if we did it at the cost of humanity. And it is impossible to negotiate with these types as they don't respect anyone else as having the same rights they do. It's an extremely toxic worldview and can have no other endpoint than destruction of all that makes life worthwhile.

As far as this masculine/feminine thing--it is difficult to define; I find our language so lacking when the energy of inclusion, nurturing and belonging becomes “feminine energy”. We do need a new term. Most likely the broligarchy would just call it “weak”. But the moments that count, when someone truly understands you, when you perhaps felt alone and someone stepped in made you feel seen, heard and protected—this is the kind of energy these types are against. Feeling safe, whether as a child in the care of someone who loves you and would do anything for you—that's truly the powerful energy they want to be rid of. We aren't to look down the road as stewards for our descendants; we are to scramble and clutch for belongings like deranged psychopaths in their image. We are not to feel secure (it's better to have your workforce scared and compliant in their view, not a willing member of a just society). It is a philosophy created in retrograde, that is, an individual who has a deep loathing of others who show empathy looks for a worldview with no reciprocities, one of top-down authoritarianism. It's as if Jeffrey Dahmer stumbled upon an entire community supportive of cannibalism and its celebration. Yes, he'd probably really have liked that group and would have gladly paid the monthly dues to join. It feels great to have your pathologies turned into virtues.

The keys are in the hands of individuals looking for an excuse in regard to their own internal hollowness. In the same way that it is more difficult to use your frontal lobe than the amygdala, it is more difficult to look at internal shortcomings and to address them than to proclaim and embrace a worldview that it's all dog-eat-dog. I think there might even be a simmering jealousy of those not infected with the “hungry ghost” that can never be satisfied, so a perverse need to punish may stem from that. And the rest of us are to pay for that rot that seems to very much infect those “masculine” types--those who do not place worth with true human connection, but instead value standing on top of the rubble pile they created.

There is so much less safety in a world like this, so much more hatred. If it truly was a philosophy that believed less government is good, then there would be some sort of consistency. They would have the same aversion to the bloated military that they do free school lunch programs. The fact that they hate one and celebrate the other tells you all you need to know about these types. It's a death cult.

So of course they are wholeheartedly demonizing the federal workers at this time. Much like Reagan did with the air traffic controllers, how teachers began to be treated after privatization became the goal, how healthcare workers were treated during the pandemic..........in short, they try to drive a wedge among those of us who all should be allies. Billionaires are marketed as exemplary citizens; a nurse's aide at the VA is the scourge of society.

One interesting thing I've come across in trying to parse out the philosophy of this Business-Plot-Come -to-Fruition is that they seem to consider city-states to be an excellent form of government. These smaller entities can work more in line with their idea of states working as corporations. Everything stems from that idea that top-down, it all needs to be private and what they consider nimble. They love private schools, gated communities, tiny principalities with their own rules........often with the right to be racist, sexist or any other ist they enjoy. But overall, they want it all to be like a myriad of corporations, slipping into a locality as they see fit to extract resources in the most “efficient” manner. No common good, simply commerce and extraction. Of course, they will need to keep the military to enforce their notions of masculine energy and conquest, but they seem to have a soft spot for fluid locales they can swing in and out of, taking advantage of the best tax breaks etc. I am hoping this leaves an opening for some areas to simply slip out of the noose during this chaos. Places like California who contribute more to the federal economy than they get back might consider simply walking backwards like Homer in the bushes. But seriously, this craziness will not be efficient in the long run, and I don't think it's illogical to consider a fracturing of the US might take place, whatever that might end up meaning.

It's a cliché, but I'm sure that perhaps Sun Tzu might have a book or something about maneuvering in times of chaos. If that guy ever got published, that is. Even smaller areas like left leaning cities might be able to find a modicum of independence if they are annoying enough to try to manage. We have to look for hope-- what's the alternative? I think of places like New Orleans that have so little in common with the rest of their state. The ample money they take in from visitors gets funneled to places that decide the Ten Commandments should be on their school walls.... on the walls that is, not actually obeyed by those in power. This is just one notion I think of when I try to consider what might happen in the setting of this truly abhorrent time. Managing a bag of cats might be disruptive to the end goal for them, however. Can a city or state do an Irish Goodbye to the US government when things get more unhinged? They are creating true chaos; I certainly hope individuals of good intent are looking for ways to benefit others in this situation and looking for exit strategies. The current state of affairs is a dead-end.

But back to the government emails. They seem to be trying to coerce individuals into taking what the establishment media without context call buy-outs. It looks to be more like a Twitter level trick—that of demoralization, and carrot dangling, making people think they can leave and still be paid something. It all sounds like making a deal with a leprechaun or the jinn. Basically, do not do it. They are bad faith actors. Also they are forcing individuals who worked from home to come back to offices. This is another threat to get staff to just go away, and if they don't leave, well it can artificially pump up that commercial real estate. So, layers of motivations on their part, all bad.

Sadly, some of this shit behavior will probably start to work. Erosion and death by a hundred cuts. Those who take any “deal” will likely be screwed, just like the Twitter workers were when Musk took over. The staff remaining will have more difficult jobs and will leave by attrition until yes, Grover and company can start strangling. As an aside, isn't that a wild red flag for your branded worldview when you invoke that you need to strangle anyone? I mean, I think that's a fair sign that you've lost your way as a human, right? You are wildly wealthy with power and security, but you wax poetic about bathtub strangling? Nothing more throbbing with masculine energy than strangling someone, I guess.

I have massive respect for those who will continue to fight this onslaught they are facing. If you want to hear from some brave, good people check out the federal government workers subreddit. It's incredible to observe what they are going through and to hear from those the current administration would consider ineffective bloat. They sound like some stoic, principled individuals who have been doing a lot of heavy lifting for us all in various positions. An energy of decency and dignity. I don't think you put a label on it like masculine or feminine. I'd say that type of energy is life-affirming and reciprocal, in short what will be needed if we are going to make it as a species.

At this point, though, we do have to realize we are stuck on the path with grade A psychopaths. We need to be furtively darting our eyes in every direction like a character in a bad movie, looking for work-arounds, escape paths and allies. In short, we need to fight the Bathtub Stranglers and all the chaos and hate they bring with them.