As the details started to surface on day 3, I started getting the notion, that, even the gruesome tragedy in consideration, the attack itself, was just a small part of the plan. I fear, the worst is still to come. If not as a result of the obvious possible chain effect of escalating events, then possibly as the result of how we carry ourselves through this. Where will our fear lead us?
We've got more details. Truthful details or not, this is what most of us relate to.
We know Anders Breivik had enough money to lead a pleasant and fulfilling life. He was an intelligent student, who was generally kind to other people. We know he spent 9 years in planning the attack. He trained with extremists in Belarus. He has international friends. We know he listened to music while coldbloodedly spreading death. He called the police himself from the island. He does not regret his actions. We know he wrote a 1500 page manifesto, and that he kept a detailed diary, both of which are now published and available for anyone who seeks them. Yes. Just now, I spent less than 2 minutes to find and download the manifest. Actually I found it twice in the two minutes. I doubt I’ll care enough to read it all, and if I do, it will be out of necessity rather than interest. If things do escalate we might all need to know the details of "his" thoughts, to be able to fight back appropriately.
We "know" a lot of details, and the more we learn, the less we understand. We simply cannot comprehend. Or perhaps rather, we don’t want to comprehend.
I have collected and deducted a bit of additional information, in my attempt to see a bigger picture. If we neglect the full picture, we will fight the wrong enemy.
The manifesto is well written. It speaks to more people than you might think. Probably as many as you would fear. We are being told it is a copy/paste job, and I ask: Does that description not fit the political programs of most popular parties in our democracy? They too recycle the same old ideas. Copy/pasted crap can still speak to a lot of people.
A lot of other tales have been told in regards to his abilities and personality. Most are just attempts to discredit him. Things like, he did not have any money, he did not start any companies, he is not intelligent, he could never have written the manifest himself.
So what alternate objective lies behind such statements? I think it plainly ignores what is really important, just to calm down the crowd. But that just leaves the crowd in the dark, unprotected against reality.
In his own words, he made a cash surplus of 4 million NOK, all through legal means. He was trying to make more, to finance a slightly more political approach to his revolt, but during the Internet bubble he lost some, and soon chose a new course of action. Collecting enough money to pull of his plan, even if it is less than what he states, is no easy task. It takes extraordinary dedication. And skills beyond most of us. Or a secret benefactor.
So either he really is very clever, or he is just a front, working for, or at least being supported by, someone else. Either way, we should be scared.
I doubt we know the full measure of his plan yet. I think the real plan is an elaborate attempt to slowly manipulate us, into to a cause and effect scenario, finally leading to its goal. Just like we see it every day in business and politics. I think he is trying to use the methods of his sworn opponents, to achieve his own goals. If we fail to see this, he will probably succeed. At least to some extent.
And what does all that mean ...
I truly believe the race towards change has begun. Either we present a better alternative or “Anders” wins. Because in the battle between right wing and left wing, I’m certain the right wing will win. Simply because they are more ruthless. Right wing cares for their own, left wing cares for everyone. It’s their weak spot. But in the battle between poor and rich, the poor will eventually win, because they simply, by far, outnumber the rich. It may take a long time and surely it will be bloody.
And so I think we should avoid that battle at any cost. Almost any cost. Who wants to fight a loosing battle anyway. We need to open our eyes and minds and accept that not everyone share our own beliefs.
The current system and mentality will not prevail. Continuous attempts to suppress any extremity will only lead to more extremity. Extremity is not logical. It's fear. You can't deal with that using logic. Nor words. Only by acknowledging the fear and with lots of human interaction. Possibly by being patient and hoping the fear will dissolve with time and positive experiences. But no one is being patient. Now more than ever, when someone utters their fear in public, they are instantly attacked by mainstream extremists. Everyone is extreme. Calling everyone else the most obscene things. Always trying to do it in a slightly more sophisticated way than the others, hoping no one will notice they are as scared as anyone. They preach peace, but induce fear.
For some inexplicable reason we choose to fight fear with more fear. There is no real action, only reaction.
If a child is afraid, does yelling make the fear go away? If someone is afraid of water and you force them under, will it make them any less scared of water? If you attack someone who is already under attack, will they join your side?
So why is that the response we choose? Because we’re just as afraid as they are. Different reasoning, same fear. Blinding fear. We want them to respect others, but yet we fail to respect them. Regardless of “them” being right wing, left wing, poor, rich, Christian, Muslim or even the Godforsaken Atheist. And within our petty nations, people starts feeling betrayed.
They may say idleness is the root of all evil, but in that case, betrayal is the soil from which the evil grows.
As to idleness I prefer Søren Kierkegaard over Hannah More. But of course, if you are on the side of the powers that rule, you will want to keep the minions occupied or you might be facing a riot. Sooner rather than later.
From hereon I see a couple of possible outcomes.
a) We let the fear drive the reaction, start fighting each other and eventually we will get the civil war "Anders" is hoping for.
b) We let ourselves be dulled again and forget the real problem - the actual dept of our internal division. Slowly we loose everything to a system ruled by money and balanced by fear. Poor people will finally revolt, and we will have a civil war, just like it has happened over and over again throughout history.
c) We change fundamentally. Make room for each other, both right-, center and leftwing. Broaden our societies, slowly, respectfully.
Problem with stupid people like us is, we don't want an event like this to change our way of life. That would be caving in to terror. But will we rather continue fighting?
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