Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Big Mad

Speculative fiction has a long history of taking the issues of the day and reframing them in a new context with the hope that people will look at them in a new way. Our "unprecedented" times are bringing all sorts of old ways and old thinking back to the forefront. On Tuesdays, I present "what if?" questions. Previously, the intent was as an idea generator. It still is. But now, I ask that you really think about all the repercussions that these ideas will have. If only these were just thought exercises. 

What if the free-floating anger is the point? (Yes, I'm being vague. Interpret this however you wish.)

7 comments:

  1. Yes, this is vague!...hmmm.... If people gave in to their anger impulses, control would be lost along with ones' freedom to speak one's mind but in a dignified, peaceful manner. Look at Martin Luther King and then compare that to the January 6 debacle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is what happens when I'm frustrated but I'm not frustrated specifically with anything. Yup, it's a terrible question.

      Delete
  2. Not sure what "Free Floating Anger" is
    Coffee is on and stay safe

    ReplyDelete
  3. My understanding of free floating anger is that it is anger without a cause. Anger with a cause can be channeled into something good (such as causing a non voter to go out and vote) . Someone with free floating anger just plain lashes out and doesn't even necessarily know why. It's very easy for wanna be dictators to grab hold of these people and also to generate more people like that. That would be the point - to use these people to gain power. Then we end up with events like January 6. And that could happen again, but this time it may just succeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It just seems like everyone is angry all the time, at least on social media. Perhaps it's social media's fault...

      Delete
  4. Well, at this point I think it is free floating for sure. Seems two yrs after COVID the world is pissed at everything and everyone! I being one, when I get around stupid people......haha. The question there is, are they really stupid or this how I see things!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a good question. What we consider stupid might just be someone else not having had experience in whatever they're being stupid about.

      Delete

I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.