Hi all,
I'm back.
After a much needed break, I'm back. I know it's been awhile. But here I am again, leaner and meaner than ever! So why the hiatus? The main reason is that I really didn't know what to write. I've had so many questions about what is happening in the world. How on earth did this all happen? Why are there so many strange and angry people around? What the hell has happened to the places I love to visit that are now closed down? Why is there so much concrete everywhere? Why has population grown so suddenly? Is it causing the bad traffic or is that something else? Initially, I thought I was depressed. Perhaps, I've been in shock. Now I realise that I've been living with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is defined as "when you feel intense fear, helplessness or horror after a traumatic event." This is how I feel. And how I feel about Melbourne. Melbourne, for me, is a site of trauma. And I've been living in the centre of it for years. Let me be clear, the PTSD is not because of covid. Honestly, there were so few cases, the overwhelmingly majority so minor as to be unnoticeable, and very little to no risk to individuals. No, not "the virus". No, the damage has been done by both government corruption and crappy conformist people living here (I don't call them Melbournians, as real Melbournians would be aghast at this all). I know I'm not alone in living through a range of traumatic events. Here's a few examples:
Imagine not being allowed to work, to access a get car park, or to be alone in an office because you are not an "authorized worker".
Imagine not being able to buy a coffee, borrow a library book, or get a haircut because you simply ask questions.
Imagine having to eat out on the street because you were denied access to a restaurant's eating area.
Imagine going from exercising every day at a gym to being shut out and excluded by that same gym.
Imagine being harassed walking down the street, online, and on television news because you didn't buy into the Big Pharma sales pitch.
Imagine having 24-7 propaganda from the news media how you are "selfish" and not deserving of respect and consideration because you choose to live differently.
Imagine academics having parents and siblings turn on each other over fake science.
Imagine seeing where you live having trees cut down all over the place and replaced with concrete slabs.
Imagine attending a protest and seeing people get beaten up and shot with rubber bullets because they want basic human rights.
Imagine a narcissistic Premier pouring on his vile hatred over a 100 day series of press conferences against vulnerable people.
Imagine having a government set up its own separate government to run separate to democracy and shutting down parliament, essentially forming a one party state.
Imagine not being able to run your business of 10 years because of selfish, self-centred politicians.
Imagine walking down Swanston Street watching a paramilitary, with their tanks and machine guns, "occupy" the city.
Imagine having to use a 'green pass' to enter an outdoor cinema just because the government wanted to set up a surveillance system.
Imagine watching a guy getting his head bashed into concrete at Flinders Street, kids and women being pepper sprayed in their faces, and retrenched workers suiciding because of cruel mandates. So many things have been traumatic. I could list a thousand more, but you get the point. I still am at a loss as to why this happened. Why did we need to endure this? How can people so care so little for others? It was just madness. So just bear with me as I work through this PTSD - maybe we can work through this together. Hope you are doing well :-) In Peace and Parallel, DB