level of awareness

just wondering what's going on away from the internet and the tv screen in all your lives now? Are people around you nervous? Is the conversation all to do with the impending conflict, the latest superbug? Have some people even noticed?!

It's a beautiful spring afternoon where I am, daffodils coming out and the green hills all hazy. Got that weird occasional sense of the fragility of life, and yet I seem to be surrounded by people with their heads in the sand. Most of my friends and family and workmates are talking about anything other than current affairs. Blindness or survival tactic?

Most of my friends that follow the developments do seem to be retreating into a bit a shell in their minds, I would say that it is a survival tactic. Some even get a bit annoyed when I talk about it, even though they know what I'm talking about. When I see their eyes though, I know it's just worry. It's a bit of a 'wait a see' scenario. We're at the edge of the cliff about to jump off and I think they want to see where we land in the next few days before anything else.
On the other hand I live in a place full of small minds and people who don't have a clue what is going on. All their opinions come straight from the pages of the Sun, so I'd say the majority of people I know are just blind. Don't know if I'd rather be in their positon at this point...

I think a large reason for it is that our minds are getting swamped, especially in the last fortnight or so with the sheer amount of issues and information. We can feel the control slipping out of our hands. Even though it was an illusion in the first place, it's still comforting to think that you can make a difference. I haven�t been on this site too long but I think you can see it here too. A lot of the Discussion of the major, most worrying topics seems to have succumbed to that feeling and been replaced with more humorous and lightweight posts. I think we've just mentally got our helmets on, crouching in the bomb shelter in the garden waiting for whatever it is to arrive....or not.

kegs I think you're spot on with that observation. We're waiting for something to happen. Waiting is always the worst part, until something happens there can be no reaction, no course of action.

Well I'm out here in the foothills, of Mount Charleston. Yet it's a no brainer that somethings up. Military jets and helicopters are a common sight. Just had a jet buzz my house. When I do go into the nearest town of Pahrump I sense an uneasiness amongst the people. Smiles are lacking and replaced, with a worrisome look.

The main grocery is once again selling food, by the case. The last time they did this was around the Y2K time. Atleast this time we will have real news available, in this area. Art Bell and his wife Ramona will be giving the latest updates on the war. Finally we have a radio station that we can hear.
I'm pretty much ready for anything, because I still have all my off grid stuff. Like solar panels, inverters, batteries, generators, and the like.

There's no doubt, in my mind it's going to happen. A Dictatorship is ended swiftly and Peace will rule the world. (do I believe that?) No I'm too old to be living in a paper doll world. But I still love the song........ "The Candy Man" by Sammy Davis. " The candy man can because he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good!" I just hope the World will taste good, on down the road.

Good question arc........
I agree with kegs on this.I have taken in so much information these past couple months,that my mind is spinning. I have done very little posting or reading the news the last couple of weeks.I think its time to wait and see how things work out.
I know my wife and a few other people I know do not want to talk about the war or the war on terror because it scares them.So I think it is a kind of survial tactic not think about it.

[Edited on 03/5/03 by nyeff]