My wife and I are hunted by racists and fascists.
This is a dream image from some days ago, I didn’t make a note of the exact date.
IN THE WORLD
Authoritarians and fascist thrive on intimidation and silencing others. We have seen it in any authoritarian and fascist regime through history. We see it in Trump’s USA today, where lawyers, universities, and travelers are blackmailed and intimidated to silence. (If they continue to follow the fascist playbook, they will soon go after journalists.)
They want people to watch silently their policies of cruelty. As an individual, it may sometimes be wise to choose silence, especially if you are in a precarious situation. At a collective level, choosing silence is what allows their regime to continue.
Large numbers of people speaking up is their greatest threat, and they know they wouldn’t survive if all who oppose their actions spoke up and stood up to them.
I can see a few reasons for why this dream came up now. The most obvious is seeing Trump implementing the typical fascist strategies, one by one, in the US. How many will silently accept it? How many will speak up and not comply? That will largely determine how it continues to unfold.
I am privileged so I can speak out without too much obvious danger: I am in Norway. I am a white male. I don’t work for someone so can’t be fired. I don’t have children dependent on me.
At the same time, I notice the atmosphere of intimidation, perhaps especially since I lived in the US for twenty years so a part of my psyche is still there.
We are also involved in projects where we live in the Andes that brings us some risk, including legal action to stop a massive (and destructive) hotel project.
ALL IN ME
Dreams are also all me. All the different dream dynamics and elements are part of me and my psyche.
I have those authoritarians, racists, and fascist dynamics in me.
They may not take the same form as what I see in the world, but they are here.
I have intolerant sides of me. I have parts that want to suppress other views to create the illusion of simplicity.
Some parts of me sometimes “hunt” other parts of me they are scared of, when that fear is not met with kindness. This was internalized in me from my family and society, and becoming aware of it and inviting shifts here is a part of a collective examination and healing process.
In terms of how I “secretly” relate to myself, others, and the world, it makes sense to move in the direction of full inclusivity. It’s all already allowed and included, so why not conscious align with that and invite the different parts of me to join in. That’s healing and maturing, and a part of allowing my human self and psyche to reorient within my nature (AKA consciousness) recognizing itself.
In my life in the world, it’s sometimes different. There, it’s wise – and even kind – to set clear boundaries for what’s acceptable and what’s not. This is the paradox of tolerance. If we are too tolerant of intolerance, the intolerance is unchecked and tends to take over. We need to have clear boundaries as a society and in our own lives.