Hmmm, should I bar the doors or throw them open in this time of troubling discontent?
A couple of years back, I wrote a post titled A Rallying Call to Defeat Old Man Apathy in response to a collective mentality I perceived at the time. I see increasing signs now that this mentality has further devolved into a state of cynical discontent.
Discontent itself is not a bad thing. It prevents us from becoming complacent and can light a fire within us to take action against an unhealthy state of affairs. Discontent is often the precursor to significant leaps forward in human endeavour.
But the situation changes profoundly when the discontent is shaped by cynicism. Cynical discontent causes people to raise their guard and focus on protecting their own turf. Eventually, turf protecting turns outward and results in acts of aggression.
The recent killing of two soldiers in Ottawa and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec seem to me to be examples of such acts of aggression. Yes, I know there is a long and complicated history of conflicting ideologies at play. You can convict me of oversimplification if you choose. But I believe that cynical discontent is a central driver in these acts.
We are on the eve of a municipal election here in Ontario. Cynicism often shows up in elections in the form of low voter turnout. This time around I am inclined to think it is manifesting itself in the bewildering number of candidates who have put their names forward – at least here in Brampton where I reside.
I can hear you saying: But isn’t that a positive development? These people are stepping up to take action. I agree with that assertion to some degree. A number of these people are community advocates who have done the groundwork to qualify themselves as viable candidates. But others have no qualifications whatsoever for the job.
It is increasingly difficult today to find something solid to which to anchor ourselves. Our trust has been betrayed too many times. I suggest that the plethora of candidates is a symptom of this mistrust. Some of these people have thrown their hat in the ring because they have lost faith in elected officials in general. I can’t trust any of them so I’ll put my own name on the ballot.
As I pondered this state of affairs, I took a walk to enjoy the extended autumn we are blessed with this year. I stopped to admire a striking maple tree. It had a near perfect globe shape with leaves adorned in a palette of goldenrod yellow and waning crimson.
The other trees had all passed their peak of autumn colours. But this maple stood out in all its seasonal glory. A voice from above seemed to be saying: Do not dismay. Here is a metaphor of hope to replenish your faith in these troubling times.
Let each of us radiate optimism as we go about our daily lives. We need to be agents of hope – throwing open the doors rather than barring them – in this time of spiraling discontent.
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
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Tags: cynicism · discontent · hope · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · Parliament Hill shootingNo Comments