It is becoming increasingly more difficult to wait for the next anxiously anticipated excerpt from this enthralling tale.
That the developing plot and primary characters so closely resemble so many disconcerting aspects of our current too entirely tenuous reality provides considerable tangible texture to what is recognized as artistic license.
One thing that I noticed from my younger days that doesn't come into play here is the level of shame around getting pregnant and aborting. Like being divorced in the 1970s, the sense of not wanting to admit this horrible failure went a long way towards enforcement of the societal norm, whether it was staying married or keeping the baby or whatever the case was. I knew two good friends who had abortions when I was in college, and the whole process was agonizing and fraught with secrecy, even though it was perfectly legal. That's a huge change from then until now -- talking about everything openly made a world of difference in healthcare, gay rights, mental health -- that societal change will, I hope, be the hardest thing to reverse, because it makes the right-wing control structure so pointless and absurd without the shame and guilt that makes issues hard to talk about.
There's a reason "Don't Say Gay" laws and all the other stuff are the first things they're going to. They know the only hope they have is stuffing the genie back in the bottle. Too bad the kids these days have the internet. Good luck keeping them in the dark forever.
"talking about everything openly made a world of difference in
healthcare, gay rights, mental health -- that societal change will, I hope, be the hardest thing to reverse, because it makes the right-wing control structure so pointless and absurd without the shame and guilt that makes issues hard to talk about."
Yes! I absolutely agree with your sense of hope that shame and guilt will no longer be as prevalent as they've been in the past. Especially towards things that we are born as, and have no control over.
Reading this novella gives me hope. Because I think the reason why the right is so fervently trying to retain as much power as they can now is because they know that patriarchy, at least how we see it, is dying. They're howling in pain and indignation, kicking and screaming, bound and determined not to go down without a fight. They went too far outlawing Roe, and they know it. This upcoming election is their last stand, and it's going to be ugly. Yeah, they're fighting hard but they've been fatally stabbed. We have to fight back hard, too. But I think we will. Like I said, I'm still hopeful.
It's not just the waning of patriarchy that has them desperate. Their economic policies always result in crashes and scandals. Their homophobia is medieval. Their xenophobia is blatantly cruel. They continually lose the popular vote. Their denial of climate change and their anti-vax, anti-mask policies select for the ignorant (or the demagogic). The GOP is a zombie party of undead brain-eaters whose hero--Trump--is one of the worst Americans in history.
I really wish I didn't have a pit in my stomach thinking I know how this is going to turn out.
Not making any promises, but I don't think you know how it's going to turn out.
I need to catch up on some missed chapters, mebbe this afternoon. It is very good!
And becoming a bit scarier with each chapter!
Thank you both!
It is becoming increasingly more difficult to wait for the next anxiously anticipated excerpt from this enthralling tale.
That the developing plot and primary characters so closely resemble so many disconcerting aspects of our current too entirely tenuous reality provides considerable tangible texture to what is recognized as artistic license.
One thing that I noticed from my younger days that doesn't come into play here is the level of shame around getting pregnant and aborting. Like being divorced in the 1970s, the sense of not wanting to admit this horrible failure went a long way towards enforcement of the societal norm, whether it was staying married or keeping the baby or whatever the case was. I knew two good friends who had abortions when I was in college, and the whole process was agonizing and fraught with secrecy, even though it was perfectly legal. That's a huge change from then until now -- talking about everything openly made a world of difference in healthcare, gay rights, mental health -- that societal change will, I hope, be the hardest thing to reverse, because it makes the right-wing control structure so pointless and absurd without the shame and guilt that makes issues hard to talk about.
And you'll notice that the forces that want to bring back that shame are increasingly shameless.
There's a reason "Don't Say Gay" laws and all the other stuff are the first things they're going to. They know the only hope they have is stuffing the genie back in the bottle. Too bad the kids these days have the internet. Good luck keeping them in the dark forever.
"talking about everything openly made a world of difference in
healthcare, gay rights, mental health -- that societal change will, I hope, be the hardest thing to reverse, because it makes the right-wing control structure so pointless and absurd without the shame and guilt that makes issues hard to talk about."
Yes! I absolutely agree with your sense of hope that shame and guilt will no longer be as prevalent as they've been in the past. Especially towards things that we are born as, and have no control over.
Reading this novella gives me hope. Because I think the reason why the right is so fervently trying to retain as much power as they can now is because they know that patriarchy, at least how we see it, is dying. They're howling in pain and indignation, kicking and screaming, bound and determined not to go down without a fight. They went too far outlawing Roe, and they know it. This upcoming election is their last stand, and it's going to be ugly. Yeah, they're fighting hard but they've been fatally stabbed. We have to fight back hard, too. But I think we will. Like I said, I'm still hopeful.
Another great chapter, guys!
It's not just the waning of patriarchy that has them desperate. Their economic policies always result in crashes and scandals. Their homophobia is medieval. Their xenophobia is blatantly cruel. They continually lose the popular vote. Their denial of climate change and their anti-vax, anti-mask policies select for the ignorant (or the demagogic). The GOP is a zombie party of undead brain-eaters whose hero--Trump--is one of the worst Americans in history.
Other than that, I have nothing against them.