Emotions come in many forms and levels of intensity.
The joy we experience with the arrival of a new family member is intense. The sorrow we feel with the death of a parent may be of mixed intensity. If that parent suffered, their passing is sad; however, we are joyful that their suffering has ended.
Yet, the emotion that causes the most dangerous reaction is fear. A single cow gets spooked and soon, you have a stampede. An armed person feels threatened and you may have a shooting. A crowd stoked up by a speaker may cause a riot. A viral assertion on social media amplified frequently and loudly can cause a social movement – sometimes for good, or sometimes for bad.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt understood this when he gave his 20-minute, 1,833-word Inaugural Address. The speech declared war on the Great Depression.
He understood the psychology of national fear and the risk inherent to our sacred democracy. He said, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” Then he took on the bankers who he called “unscrupulous money changers” and challenged Congress to enact his “New Deal” programs in the next 100 days, or he would implement the necessary actions by broadening executive powers.
He closed with the profound statement, “We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed. In fact, they want direct, vigorous action. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take it.”
When you think about FDR’s words and compare the many hardships of the Great Depression, it is easy to ask if anyone is delivering the strong leadership and comprehensive approaches that are needed to meet the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the resultant recession.
Fear is a powerful thing. The Boomer generation of leaders are afraid to turn over the helm to younger aspirants for power. Political correctness keeps people from expressing their inner feelings. The relationships between men and women – and racial groups – are strained, as we try to find new paradigms of how to live and work with each other.
Fear of disease and ending up passing alone without loved ones at your side pervades our consciousness. Fear of economic disaster when benefits and insurance run out frighten the many who are one paycheck away from homelessness.
Rather than tackle these problems as a unified people, our leaders seek to find blame in other countries. Inflammatory speeches and their consequences make the news too depressing to watch. Most importantly, the blame game diverts the anger which should be focused on our leaders to some group that we can’t get to or that choose wisely not to respond.
There is no societal anchor against viral tweets or mob violence. We all need to look in the mirror and into our souls and resolve to do what we can as responsible individuals in order to return to normalcy.
Roger Carlton is a columnist for The Graham Star. He is a council member for the Town of Lake Santeetlah.