Economic Battery & Violence
Last edited Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:40 PM - Edit history (1)
There are tens of millions of US citizens who feel they, literally, cannot afford to live. I think we may be unique in that way, largely due to our bootstrap, rugged individualist national mindset. There are tens of millions of people who don't feel safe every single day, and it's because of the ever-present chronic and acute stress of the looming dangers of outright poverty and even living paycheck to paycheck; the working poor. I think about this every time I'm at the doctor and they ask if I feel safe at home. No, I don't, but not for domestic battery reasons. I feel that way for economic battery reasons. It's a violence that's perpetrated on a significant percentage of our population every single day.
We may succeed in latching on to gratitude and putting on a brave face by doing so, but it doesn't remove the constant feeling of being unsafe. Would we tell someone in an abusive relationship to just find the ways to be grateful and ignore the violence, stress and fear? I sure hope not. Economic violence of a predatory system is no different. The system is designed to oppress; it's like trying to climb out of quicksand. Some may be lucky that they have long enough arms to grab onto a branch, or that someone is standing there to help pull them out. Sometimes there are no branches, nor anyone within earshot who cares to truly hear.
We know this chronic stress makes us ill, which just adds to the stress because of the economic hardship of illness. Many of you understand this. Many of you never will, but please know it's the reality for tens of millions of your fellow citizens, including many you know personally -- coworkers, neighbors, family and friends -- but who would never say out loud what I'm saying out loud here.
Because we're taught to keep this shit to ourselves. Be grateful it's not worse. You somehow did this to yourself.
The abuse all around us of varying types and the culture of victim blaming overwhelm my heart this morning.
(Most DUers probably don't know that I'm in the midst of my second round of chemo; so I see doctors a lot, hence my hyper-awareness of the "do you feel safe" question.)
= new reply since forum marked as read
Soooo nice to "see" you.
