Superman, Storms, and the Death of Common Sense

by someone who just wanted a quiet life, a decent sandwich, and a planet that hadn’t completely lost the plot.

So here I am, staring at a blank screen, attempting to string together a story, something, anything— but all I can think about is how worryingly uninspired I feel these days. Not because life has become boring. Oh no. Life is still full of lunacy and people with the IQ of overcooked broccoli making decisions on our behalf. It’s just that the sheer volume of negativity out there could power a small city. People don’t laugh anymore—they just scowl and pick sides. It’s all turned into one massive, soul-sucking episode of a 1980’s soap opera—but without the charm, or the budget.

Everything, and I mean everything, is political now. You can’t fart in public without someone yelling “MAGA” or “woke” like it’s a tribal war cry. It’s not Left or Right anymore—it’s Us vs Them. Red hat, blue checkmark, and nothing in between. But what about us folks in the middle? The ones who just want to get through the day without being accused of cultural treason for having toast with actual butter on it?

Take Superman, for example. Harmless, cape-wearing, truth-and-justice Superman. Now, apparently, his “S” logo stands for MS-13, according to a Fox News host who’s clearly been sniffing printer ink. Why? Because the film’s director had the audacity to say that Superman—wait for it—is an immigrant. Which, by the way, he is. Rocketed from a dying planet and raised in Kansas. Classic immigrant story. And now, somehow, that makes him a gang member? What next? Captain America joins Antifa?

And it gets better. A congresswoman from Georgia—yes, that Georgia—has announced she’s going to introduce legislation that makes it a felony to alter the weather. Let me just say that again. A felony. To. Alter. The. Weather. Is this a law against God? Against clouds? Rain? Thor? Has she never heard of basic science? Cloud seeding isn’t the plot of a Bond film. It’s not weather control—it’s basically begging the sky to pee a little. A trickle. Not a monsoon. And even then, storms don’t check voter registration before flattening your house. Ask the Japanese. Ask the Haitians. Hurricanes, if I must add, don’t give a toss whether you vote red or blue—they just show up, wreck everything, and leave.

Then you’ve got the anti-Semitic clowns across the aisle screaming about Israel and Palestine like it’s an NFL match. The Middle East has been a hot mess since Moses wore sandals. It’s complicated. It’s ancient. And no, Israelis are not Republicans, and Palestinians are not Democrats. It’s not a campus debate. It’s people dying. So maybe, just maybe, a little less shouting and a little more thinking?

And don’t even get me started on bathrooms, statues, vaccines, electric cars, solar panels, and people insisting they’re one thing and demanding we all play along like it’s a massive episode of charades. Somehow, all of it is political. A wind turbine? Political. Choosing almond milk? Political. Sneezing the wrong way? Apparently fascist!

The sheer volume of this nonsense is enough to make you want to live in a shed, grow a beard, and communicate exclusively by whittling sticks. It’s drowning out the good. Drowning out reason, compassion, common decency—and let’s not forget, humor.

What we need—desperately—is a cultural reset. Less outrage, more Bob Ross. Fewer hot takes, more Mr. Rogers. Less of “BREAKING NEWS” and more of, “Let’s just sit quietly and be decent humans for a minute.” And for the love of all things holy, some accountability wouldn’t go amiss either.

Today, in a spark of defiant optimism, I shared what I thought was a lighthearted story on Reddit. A quiet, gentle nudge of humor. A chuckle. A smirk. Something to lift the gloom. And what did I get in return? Abuse. Accusations. Insults sharper than a divorce lawyer’s pen. It was like handing someone a puppy and being told it was a war crime.

How did we get here? When did ideology ever replaced good virtues and basic science?

Now look, I know some or many people won’t agree with me— and that’s absolutely fine. We can disagree. It’s allowed. We can argue and debate, even bicker, and poke holes in each other’s logic. But realize this, we can do it without foaming at the mouth like rabid dogs at a fireworks show. We can have a proper, spirited conversation without turning it into a gladiator match. In short, we can be… Democratic, even Civilized. And wouldn’t that be a novelty?

I am frustrated. Deeply. But I remain optimistic. There’s still a spark left somewhere, probably under a pile of canceled comedians and burnt-out logic. And if we dig just a little deeper, we might find it again.

And here’s the thing—I’ve got a question for the older generations. Has it always been like this? Was there always this much noise? This much hate? Or am I just too young to remember when people knew how to disagree without needing a restraining order?

Because this? This is madness. It’s exhausting. Outright discouraging. Completely disgusting. And to be blunt—it’s undeniably terrifying.

Still, despite the lunacy, the madness and the frightful uncertainty—I haven’t given up hope. Not yet. We can still find our better angels. Preferably ones with a working sense of humor and a basic grasp of meteorology.


Thanks for dropping by my little corner of the world. If the story gave you a chuckle or made you pause and think, a like would be mighty kind. And if you’re feeling adventurous, well, hitting that subscribe button is like pulling up a chair and staying a while—always room for one more.

I subscribe back, by the way. It’s my way of saying, “Welcome to the club—snacks are in the back, good times up front!”

Your comments make me smile, sometimes laugh out loud, and every now and then, they nudge me to dig a little deeper, write a little better. So, stick around—who knows what we’ll stumble upon next!

167 responses to “Superman, Storms, and the Death of Common Sense”

  1. Sarada Gray Avatar
    Sarada Gray

    I want to know what your story was on Reddit

    Liked by 4 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      It was the “Cruising for a Bruising” story.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sarada Gray Avatar
        Sarada Gray

        Sorry, don’t know that one

        Liked by 1 person

      2. AKings Avatar

        Hi. It was my post before this one. The one that I have published yesterday morning. ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    For a Superman, this world would be an unbearably terrifying place. As you said, common sense is dead. If he had to constantly turn a blind eye on mistakes, he’d have to wander around blind. There’s nothing left to save. Those who tell everyone to be hopeful are the ones who have taken the real deal; they’re lulling society into sleep.

    Liked by 3 people

  3.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    The news is clearly illuminating a world that is insane. It can fill my heart with darkness and a sense of futility. But it doesn’t show the whole reality. There’s still kindness, compassion, even joy, and a sense of balance — it just doesn’t make the headlines. I love Superman as an immigrant. We’re all immigrants!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thanks ☺️

      Liked by 1 person

  4. michael raven Avatar

    I don’t recall it EVER being this volatile. I’m not rosy-glassing it — the culture was highly-charged in parts of the 70s and 80s, but things were not so wonky. There was an expected decency element, but now everything seems to follow cavemen-era rules: Might means right. And I see large numbers of bullies on both sides of the aisle.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      In the 80s and 90s I was confident that our leaders are decent, in control and have our backs. And people were kinder I think.
      It’s sad what is going on now.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. michael raven Avatar

        To quote a comic no one in this era is familiar with: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” (Pogo)

        Liked by 4 people

      2. AKings Avatar

        No truer words.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar

      The Sixties and early Seventies were highly polarized and, as a consequence, an era marked by anti-war sentiment, the backlash against equality of the sexes and races, and the continuing struggle between the liberal and conservative camps of American society.

      The two biggest differences between Then and Now?

      Then we had no Internet or 6000 different streaming/cable channels, many of which are exclusively propaganda outlets intended to spread hate, divisiveness, and disinformation.

      Also, Then we had at least one – some might say two – external and existential enemies. Certainly the Soviet Union (aka Russia) was the main adversary. “Red China” (until 1972, anyway) was the other bete rouge in the view of many Americans, especially conservatives.

      The Cold War was not a particularly serene era, but I’ll say this much for it: As long as the United States had a clearly defined adversary with the potential to destroy many of her cities and kill millions, Americans could sometimes put their differences aside and unite against a common foe. Once that threat was gone…or vastly diminished, the Great Schism that’s always been there had a chance to widen, and old wounds of the national soul were deliberately allowed to fester.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. michael raven Avatar

        Sixties was just before my time, but I was a product of all that, plus all of the lingering racial tensions from a blending society (inner-city kid where there had been riots).

        All good points. I was on receiving side of the Soviet hate b/c of my association with alternative music and punk appearances, and even that seemed restrained in comparison to today. Thinking back, though, the racial stuff probably just went underground. I recall some fisticuffs with other suburban white kids because of the neighborhood I grew up in. They had to learn their hate from someone…

        Liked by 2 people

      2. AKings Avatar

        I believe that. Hate is learned, and it’s not inherent.
        Thanks Michael!

        Liked by 2 people

  5. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar

    Speaking of Superman. I hope to see Gunn’s reboot; from what I’ve gleaned in my Internet perambulations, it has a fine cast, decent plot, and a score reminiscent of John Williams’ themes for my favorite superhero film, Superman (1978). I’d like to see it in theaters, but if Fate says, “No” to that, I’ll add it to my Blu-ray collection when the time comes.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Me too. As a child, I’ve always viewed Superman (1978) as a representation of America. I hope we get that coolness back.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar

        Funny thing about Superman (1978), aka Superman: The Movie:

        Though the Man of Steel was my favorite superhero (I got acquainted with him by watching the Fleischer cartoons from the Land of Ago when I was a wee lad in the 1960s), I wasn’t going to watch Richard Donner’s film when it was announced. I thought, like some kids in my circle of friends did, that the movie’s tone would be campy like the ABC/20th Century Fox TV version of Batman. (I was also, in 1977, a Star Wars skeptic…at first. I resisted going to see that film until October ’77. Thank goodness for that extended theatrical run; it allowed me to claim the “Generation 1977” Star Wars fan badge.)

        What changed my mind and made me want to go see Superman (1978) that December when it came out? Four words: “Music by John Williams.”

        Liked by 4 people

      2. AKings Avatar

        I have that music in my playlist ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

  6. swabby429 Avatar

    Almost geezer here: The discord has been background noise for as long as I can remember. However, it’s been passive-aggressive in nature. Most of us went about our daily routines and lives rather good-naturedly. Then, a few decades ago, politics became like a spectator sport. Professional agitators appeared on AM radio in force to stir up interest and outrage–along with advertising dollars. The past two decades witnessed civil disagreement morph into cultural warfare. I wish I had answers as to how to dial back the hostility except to have a common enemy. I’ll leave it there.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thank you for sharing.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Brian Scott Avatar

    Spot on! I blame the Instagram culture. I’ve rid myself of all of “those” supposedly social platforms because they are not! Every now and then I actually meet, yes, face to face, a really nice person, people, in fact. They (we) are out there and just getting on with it and having a quiet grumble. I am possibly older and it was never thus! In my humble opinion, “that pandemic” somehow opened the floodgates of lunacy! F’idiots abound, everywhere. I won’t go to my favourite haunts at weekends. Only go into the city on a midweek, hopefully, quiet day

    I’m an ex-serviceman and we had our own humour not always appreciated by “civilians” but ……. we didn’t have any of the current isms, because all of it could be humour! (Spelt properly) 😉

    This IS scary, these ARE scary times. The orange gibbon is supposedly visiting our fair land soon…. I think he should be arrested at Customs and locked away for a few months on a remote Scottish Island. St Kilda might work 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Gosh, not in my beloved Scotland. Let’s just lock him up in Bradford. That’ll rattle the him to no end. ☺️

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Brian Scott Avatar

        He’d find a way to evict everyone and build a golf course / resort whilst ripping off the local council / government / tradesmen …….

        Liked by 1 person

      2. AKings Avatar

        I don’t doubt it. ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Penn,… Avatar

    Agreeing wholeheartedly, AK, nodding all the time, like one of those nodding dogs sitting on top of the car dashboard, ..maybe in the past without the use of the Internet, social media et, it was better, I don’t know…. All I do know is humour., … It’s needed like a vaccine., to counteract the disease, the ‘ eradication of common sense’ spreading, … and it is a disease, because it seems to take all mental capacity away from its victims, … terrifying, yes I agree…totally, ..💫

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thank Penn. I hope we get some sort of a renaissance soon, preferably when people were kinder to each other.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Penn,… Avatar

        I hope so too,… compassion, caring, empathy, … only three examples, which seem to be looked down on, as a weakness, maybe, … I did a poem once, walk a mile and someone else’s shoes, … I think that’s what they need to do, maybe it’ll wake them up maybe not…💫

        Liked by 1 person

      2. AKings Avatar

        I’d like to read that poem ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

      3. AKings Avatar

        I love it. Thank you, 😊.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Penn,… Avatar

        my new site doesn’t have Shortcuts, as my old old site did, so I had to go back through all the poems I’ve done, my good grief, I can’t believe I did all those poems, … I wonder, if I’ll ever look at a blank page and not fill it, … scary, … oh I’m glad you liked it, … it was in answer to a picture a friend took in India, a man, wearing two small hot water bottles as shoes, ,.. it made me feel so guilty and humbled…💫

        Liked by 2 people

      5. AKings Avatar

        It makes you see the world in a wider perspective, doesn’t it? ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Herald Staff Avatar

    We need more people saying things like this out loud today. Well said.

    –Scott

    Liked by 4 people

  10. Monkey's Tale Avatar

    And wait until they find out Superman was co-created by a Canadian! 😅

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Their heads would explode.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. aphra75 Avatar

    Why am I picturing you posting a story about kittens and getting this vitriol back: “KITTENS?! How can you think this is cute?! They are prisoners! Prisoners of HUMANITY! FREE THE KITTENS! They are chained behind your INVISIBLE FENCES OF FANCY FEAST!”

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Might as well. Those people love to hate. 😂

      Like

      1. aphra75 Avatar

        hopefully the Anger Kittens will stay off Reddit. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. AKings Avatar

        I think Reddit is full of anger. I wonder if you’re old enough to remember the old Yahoo chat rooms, they were great in the beginning, more positive than negative. Until perverts and the angry people took over. Frustrating.

        Like

  12. denvrital Avatar

    Hey there… yep! you nailed it! I couldn’t have said it better myself. And MTG… that stupid excuse for a human is just making people more crazy than she is. I got up this sunny morning here in Denver, looked at my digital clock and it said 7:48. How ironic I thought, because today is my 77th birthday… so (July of 48) on the clock was a sign. So I am a bit older, but I too am frustrated with what this world has become. I agree with one of your commenters… we didn’t have smart phones, or internet, or a gazillion media, or tv stations in which to get your news the second it happens… we were a happier people because we just had our families, friends and perhaps a pen pal or two to deal with and those burdens; as hard as they were sometimes were enough to keep us happy. We are bombarded by all this negativity by politicians, greed, and the one person who was elected so he could be an orange Mussolini… and he won’t stop until he succeeds and or is “eliminated” . So just for today, I am closing my laptop, shutting down my 8 year old smart phone and just going out to enjoy this wonderful day doing something that makes me happy. And I don’t give two shits whether or not MTG or BEETLEBOOB, or HOGSBREATH or DUFUS DUFFY or KRUSTY NOEM or JFKOOKY Jr. or TRUMPANZEE all die in a horrific accident somewhere as long as I don’t find out about it until tomorrow. We can dream, can’t we?

    Lenny

    Liked by 4 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      You just made me spill my coffee in laughter, Lenny! Thank you for that wonderful comment. ☺️

      Like

  13.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    The Spark, the Shed, and the Weather-Felon Law

    Ah yes, welcome fellow wanderer—to the part of the internet where wit is still legal, logic is on life support, and humor walks around in a flak jacket.

    I read your piece with the kind of slow, appreciative nod one gives to someone who just yelled “THE WORLD IS MAD” in a grocery store and then calmly returned the butter to the shelf. You’re not wrong. You’re just… sane, which is far more dangerous these days than being wrong.

    Let’s talk about the real issue: weather crimes. Finally, someone has the moral courage to stop people from making it rain without a permit. If I had a nickel for every time I saw a cloud loitering suspiciously, I’d have enough to fund Georgia’s next anti-thunderstorm task force. Thor, you’re on notice. Zeus? Expect subpoenas.

    And Superman? Poor guy. Came here with a visa made of fire and hope, raised on corn and decency—and now he’s being accused of gang activity because he accessorizes with a cape? If that’s the new standard, Batman’s definitely on a watchlist.

    As for the political fart detection system—I’m convinced someone’s developing an app for that. Let one rip and ping!: “ALERT: Suspected Left-Leaning Emission—Notify Tucker Carlson.”

    Your idea of retreating to a shed with a beard and a stick is not madness—it’s the blueprint for 2025 spiritual enlightenment. Monks had caves. We’ll have Wi-Fi dead zones and really judgmental squirrels.

    But listen, your spark? It’s not gone. It’s just buried under a five-ton heap of hashtags, hot takes, and half-informed outrage. Dig it up, dust it off, maybe add a cup of coffee and a rerun of Bob Ross—and you’ve got yourself a revolution.

    Thank you for lighting a match in this swamp of nonsense. Keep going. Keep laughing. Keep whittling if you must.

    And if you do move to that shed—save me a chair. I’ll bring snacks.

    —Chameleon

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      We seem to have a similar type of humor and I have enjoyed reading your comment thoroughly. Thank you! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  14. WritingfromtheheartwithBrian Avatar

    “Less of “BREAKING NEWS” and more of, “Let’s just sit quietly and be decent humans for a minute.” Yes, yes! That is so needed! Funny and spot on. Ha ha.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thank you Brian. ☺️

      Like

  15. Terri, I Wanna Be An Artist Avatar

    You really hit the nail on the head with this one! My husband and I have this conversation often, and it gives me hope to know there are others who more moderate out there.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thank you, Terri. ☺️

      Like

  16. Experience Film Avatar

    Right there with you

    Liked by 2 people

  17.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I have a different experience. Any time I leave a computer screen and go outside, I am amazed at how friendly everyone is. All you need to do is hold the door, make a joke, make eye contact and smile……and I am grateful that I live in this incredible country.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. AKings Avatar

      ☺️. That is good to hear.

      Like

  18.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    AK, as always, your gift for matching images with thoughts continually amazes me. To address your question—was it this bad before, say the 50s or 60s—well, yes and no. Human beings are complex creatures, part angel, part monster. We are capable of putting our lives at risk to save a stranger (Fousseynous Samba Cisse in Paris), embrace death threats to stop lying politicians from pillaging our people (Alexie Navalny), or do the opposite (no need to spell it out since we have plenty of candidates for this category). 

    Unlike antiquity and other eras in the past, human beings today inhabit a communications habitat unlike any before. Moreover, we stand at the edge of tectonic shifts no one, not even the super engineers who have invented this technology, can predict.

    We are scared. And fear breeds anger. Who will control our future? Then add the age-old existential questions Aeschylus poses in “Prometheus Bound.” No wonder we’re hunched over, barely able to walk with this mountainous bag on our backs.

    At the core, we face POWER. Who wields it? How?

    I believe that the ultimate power lies in truth and beauty. Truth cannot be exploited. It can be buried and nearly forgotten. But it always finds brave voices willing to listen and express its fundamental revelation.

    For example, Putin found a way to end Alexie Navaldy’s life, but the truths he exposed endure. Alexie sets an example. To live well, seek truth; it leads us to beauty and love.

    .

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      That is a beautiful comment. Thank you so much for sharing. ☺️

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Yamnis Acosta Avatar

    common sense chases them but they are faster.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. AKings Avatar

      Not a good thing for them. They keep running like that and soon they’ll hit a brick wall.

      Like

  20. lisaapaul Avatar

    I am a Boomer and can say with assurance, No, it has never been like this. There is actual HATRED being spewed between the 2 sides and the majority of us somewhere in the middle are afraid of a civil war!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      I hope it doesn’t come to that 😳.

      Like

    2. mosrubn Avatar

      Some time back before 911, I read a daily devotional book in which the writer had said that one time the Trade Towers will not be there. And when did happen, I remembered it with awe.
      I heard about the possibility of civil war again in America mentioned for various reasons. Unlike the Trade Towers that were being referred to randomly as one of those things man may marvel at but don’t last to eternity, the ingredients for civil strife are being sown by the politicians.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. AKings Avatar

        And those opinion media personalities that aren’t even journalists.

        Liked by 2 people

  21. Helen Devries Avatar
    Helen Devries

    My eyes were opened all too wide by the Brexit events…..in a life of some political involvement , from anti apartheid and anti Vietnam war demos – hello, the Met’s C Division! – to Thatcher, the miners’ strike and the poll tax hoohah, not to speak of Blair’s Irak incursion – I had never come across such open hatred, wilful manipulation of facts and just sheer spite. Where did that come from? Seemingly, if you were in favour of remaining you were part of the ‘civilised’ consensus….if not, you were a grunting primitive living on the remains of Empire.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      We can only hope that better times are coming, Helen. ☺️

      Liked by 2 people

  22. mosrubn Avatar

    No, we always have to be hopeful, we can’t leave without it. I’m not an American but I share concerns and sentiments.
    I’ve followed American politics and the Middle East since I was old enough to listen to the BBC World Service and watch CNN, but I have never seen anything like I see now from the Whitehouse. It’s interesting that one Israeli politician said that the most unserious people are in power in the US.
    The Middle East started boiling long before Moses when Sarah got Abraham an Egyptian maid called Hagar. Sometimes I don’t know what to think of the situation in Gaza and Whitehouse. At least I am always optimistic about Ukraine, with or without Trump. I don’t know why, but probably strong belief that evil won’t triumph over good.
    Thank you for sharing. God bless you.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      We need to be reminded of that: That good always triumph over evil.
      Thank you 😊.

      Liked by 3 people

  23. snowpackjack Avatar

    Was it always like this? Reading your post, I could only think of the character of newscaster Howard Beale in the movie Network. “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to tale it anymore” The rest of his broadcast speech will give you deja vu….

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      I’ll try to look for it ☺️. Thanks.

      Like

  24. Bronlima Avatar

    Internet has a lot to do with the polarisation there is now. You only get fed what you want to hear, not what you don’t want to hear. I was positive, according to my feed that the UK would remain in Europe. But……..?

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Then Brexit happened….

      Like

  25. leggypeggy Avatar

    Another Boomer here. I no longer live in the USA and simply can’t fathom how it came to this.

    Liked by 2 people

  26. Joni Avatar

    I’m a Boomer and I don’t remember it ever being this bad. There seems to be more evil in the world, less politeness and just general selfishness and bad behavior. I would hate to be raising children now. History tells us there were a number of great civilizations in the world, and I wonder if this isn’t just the decline of one of them. PS. As for an older perspective, my mother, who died last year at age 98 and was always sharp and interested in keeping up with politics and world news, she said you can’t solve the problems in the Middle East, they’ve been fighting like that for 2000 years….but even those hotspots seem to be getting worse now. She also lived through the Depression and WW2, but people were back kinder then. I often think about what if there was some big crisis – a worldwide tech or financial meltdown, a massive nuclear explosion. How would people react – would it be every man for himself? Sometimes I feel like we are living in a world without hope. Is it even worthwhile to try and be a decent person, and live a decent life, when so many are not.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Hi Joni,
      Your mom, wise to the end, saw the long view. People have always stumbled in the dark—wars, plagues, depressions—but somehow the sun kept rising.

      Kindness, it shows up in quiet corners, between neighbors, in dog parks and grocery store lines. The world might feel like it’s unraveling, but maybe decency is the last thread we’ve got to hold it all together. Keep holding.

      ☺️

      Liked by 1 person

    2. mosrubn Avatar

      Indeed one comes to a point of despair sometimes when you see evil and selfishness all around, and you wonder if it pays to be good anymore. I asked my fellowship members a similar question yesterday but we’re comforted to know that there’s always a remnant that will stay faithful.
      I’m raising children (teens) at a time when what used to be wrong or abnormal has become right or normal, and those who strive to stick to the good are often seen as unrealistic. We’ve to be true to ourselves, that is where the peace lies.
      I was elated to know that there was a mother somewhere who was like my own who died three years ago at eighty nine. She kept abreast of current affairs, had a desire to learn even at that age and always reminded us to do good and stay faithful amidst the rampant evil.
      Thank you for sharing and God bless you.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. AKings Avatar

        Thank you Mos, it’s messages like yours that keep people more hopeful.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Joni Avatar

        Thank you Mosrubn, for your very kind comments. Yes, being raised by a strong and kind woman is a gift that some people don’t share. And peace can only be found in standing true to yourself and your values.

        Liked by 2 people

  27. earnestlydebra Avatar

    Parents were polite in the 50’s, but only to the “people who deserved it.” Maybe there’s some value of darkness out in the open. Unfortunately, the kids see it all. I refuse to click on headlines that fuel the outrage that is intended to destroy our peace of mind. You can still make me laugh. So, you haven’t lost your sense of humor.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      I stopped watching the news too. The only news I get now is the one that just comes through windows and I choose what I click. ☺️ Thank you Earnest

      Liked by 1 person

      1. earnestlydebra Avatar

        YouTube fake news recently came with the disclosure that “it’s for entertainment purposes,” buried in the channel description… manufactured for the emotional reaction, one way or the other.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. AKings Avatar

        Like Fox News. They’re actually illegal in other countries tries like Britain. And, they outright admit that their opinion heads are not journalist.

        Liked by 1 person

  28. Shaun Bradford Avatar

    I agree. A reset is needed. Remaining hopeful.🙏🏽

    Liked by 2 people

  29. thomasstigwikman Avatar

    I agree with you and it very well written and brilliant. As for your question. I was young in the 1980’s and it has not always been like this. I can’t speak for the 1960’s but things have really gone haywire compared to the 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Hi Thomas, that’s how I remember it too. Maybe it’ll get better in the coming decades when we finally get used to all this social media and constant barrage of information. Maybe.

      Liked by 1 person

  30. cindy knoke Avatar

    I am older than you so I could say I have experienced a lot, which I have, and this is not that bad, but I would be lying.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thanks Cindy. Now I’m wishing I was born earlier. ☺️

      Like

  31. Zeal4living Avatar

    I read AI will only pass human intelligence when it can truly master humour. After reading your entry I am wondering what humans become when they no longer are so politically correct that they no longer have humour and the ability to laugh at themselves.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Maybe we’ll end up like the Borgs in Startrek. But I hope that we will endure as we are minus the bigotry, greed and etc.

      Like

  32. Asiyatu Avatar

    This was funny and witty🤣✨but absolutely true. We really do need a major cultural reset.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thank you 😊

      Like

  33. veerites Avatar

    How impressive are those words!
    ! A Kings
    I am awfully thankful for liking my post 🙏❤️💐

    Liked by 2 people

  34. Joey Jones Avatar
    Joey Jones

    Good post?!

    Liked by 2 people

  35. paolsoren Avatar

    You ask has it always been like this? Here in Australia it seems that it is starting, but nowhere as divisive as it is in US. He we have compulsory voting so everybody has to take some of the blame either way. The information we got here was that about 70mil + voted Red, 70mil + voted blue and more than 80mil didn’t vote so only 1/3 of the population actually voted for the winner. That is a certain formula for disaster. As they used to say, “Oh Dear, What a shame! Never mind.” But that doesn’t help.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      If only people would exercise their rights to vote. I hope it gets better soon, before I get too old to appreciate it.
      Thank you. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        death of common sense is universal

        Liked by 2 people

  36. Mags Win Avatar
  37. LauraLynnHammett Avatar
    LauraLynnHammett

    It is always a pleasure to read your words. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard to find time to read so many.

    Coincidentally, there was a man of fewer words holding a sign on the corner between Whole Foods and Walmart today. It said, “Hey Mommy, what does a democracy look like?”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. AKings Avatar

      Says it all.
      Thanks for sharing Laura.

      Like

  38. S.Bechtold Avatar

    I remember my father in the 60s making this much noise over Hippies and Yippies and those Southern problems. Something about the SLA and Charlie too but I grew up in California. It was just as noisy but it didn’t have the religious apocalyptic overtones, just cold war ones.

    Liked by 2 people

  39. shredbobted Avatar

    Gonna go get my whittlin’ sticks. Grumble.

    Liked by 2 people

  40. David Avatar

    You are singing my song. Over here in New Zealand, I was at university in the late 70’s. Lots of rebellion against strait-laced parental culture but freedom of choice and tolerance were the main message, especially with a lot of immigration of people from other cultures. The only major social issue was that the earlier immigrants, the Maori, were under represented in academic areas and jobs and were just starting to re-establish their cultural identity after earlier government policies of repressing their culture. However, there was no social reaction to me, coming from English immigrants, marrying a Maori, in fact in my first real job, in IT, we had an United Nations of nationality in the team and we all loved it.
    How things have changed. We are still a multi-cultural society, but there is now huge pressure to adopt the Maori culture or be branded anti-Maori racist. Any suggestion of posing a different cultural view is highly risky. It is almost like the old religious pressure. I was recently in a serious conversation about how car maintenance courses could be taught in the ‘Maori way’, even though their culture is pre-mechanical. The government department I worked for also organised an international training company to run a 3 day course on “How much of a white racist are you?” Given that when my Maori wife passed away I ended up marrying a Chinese immigrant, I don’t identify as racist, so after researching the course’s content and talking to people who had already been on the course, I declined to go. According to my (very) senior manager, “while the course is not compulsory, not going is seen as rejecting the organisation’s cultural values – a serious offence”. And I told I was not allowed to ask any questions during the course, I just had to accept what they told me. Oh, and my employer was part of the Government’s education ministry. I signed up, vowing to raise hell on the course but got taken off when I responded honestly to a gushy “we are so pleased you are coming” email from HR.
    To be fair, most people are pretty moderate here in NZ, but there are some scary extremists hiding just out of sight,

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      We’re all experiencing the same thing here in the states and in my adopted country the UK. I love my American culture, and I really love British Culture. To be honest I love all cultures and I travel a lot but forcing one onto the other would be catastrophic. Imagine going to England and not experiencing English culture? There has to be balance.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. David Avatar

        I love seeing and learning about all cultures, but I do not want to adopt them, and in some cases not even take part in them – I am more of a watcher than a participator.

        Like

  41. veerites Avatar

    Dear A Kings
    How studious you are, which is visible in your writing in this post !
    Thank you very much for liking my post, Daughters 👍❤️💐🌺

    Liked by 2 people

  42. Max Shaw Avatar

    How can grow my website

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      That I wanna know too ☺️.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. AKings Avatar

        Hi Max, I’m not sure how to help you. I was just patient with mine, just writing as good as I can. And whenever there are people who subscribe to my blog, I make sure I subscribe back. That’s all.

        Liked by 1 person

  43. Max Shaw Avatar

    Teach me on how to get subscriber

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Cindy Georgakas Avatar

    Great post with lots to shake my head and chuckle about!! 🩷🙌

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thanks ☺️

      Like

  45. whisperer2darkness Avatar

    Brilliant write up, King!. I love the theme that everything’s a battle… weather, toast, and superheroes…
    maybe peace begins with knowing when not to shout,
    and finding joy in a sandwich that doesn’t pick a side.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Thanks 😊.

      Like

  46. ourlittleredhouseblog Avatar

    Thank you…this gives me hope, your post. Thank goodness, there’s someone else out there that is seeing this as the madness it is. I have been getting it out writing my own post about it, been sitting on it for weeks. It’s a little rant about my family too, so I haven’t hit that published button yet because of that, probably will never get published to be honest. I am basically writing about this madness too. What is going on out there I always ask my husband. Just pure craziness. People have turned every topic into politics and if you try to tell them before hand that there will be no political talk, just hanging out having fun…they go crazy with that. Mad, mad world from Tears for fears, just two teenagers singing about what was to come…madness.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      It’s apparent on social media. Reddit is like a breeding ground for nastiness, pettiness and bullying. Not all of it though, the Generation sub Reddit groups people are nice and constructive in their criticism. ☺️

      Liked by 1 person

  47. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
    Not all who wander are lost

    This is a great and thought provoking post. Well said

    Liked by 2 people

  48. lisaapaul Avatar

    I haven’t ever seen this many comments on a blog before. You have really touched on something that is bothering us all.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Funny enough, one of the websites that I posted it on banned me indefinitely. Moderators there don’t read articles though, they listen to whoever complains first. ☺️ WordPress is so civilized and full of wise and smart people like you ☺️.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Lisa or Li Avatar

    The current “leaders” have been setting the tone for a few years now, and with instantaneous social media sharing it spreads like a heavy metal (and not the good heavy as in music) fire that will sizzle your brain if exposed to too much of it.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. AKings Avatar

      Yup, on being me back to the 80s. ☺️

      Liked by 1 person

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