On Toxic Individualism

America is very sick, and we don’t even know to what extent…

The rapid spread of COVID has revealed how incredibly sick American society really is.

No, I don’t mean physically.

I’m referring to the toxic individualism that currently chokes our culture and is resulting in the life-and-death catastrophe unfolding before our very eyes.

It would seem our societal narcissism may be worse than the bug itself.

Are you aware of the symptoms — the “invisible irony” characteristic of this toxic demise?

Those who criticize others for “living in fear” are unaware that their irrational rejection of these incredible, once-in-a-lifetime medical advances in vaccine development is very much based in their own profound fear of loss, fear of losing individual freedoms.

Sheep, who claim not to be sheep and who ridicule those they perceive to be sheep, are unaware that they too are indeed sheep. In fact, it’s worse. They are sheep who believe that they are actually shepherds with knowledge of the terrain and pridefully parade to the edge of the cliff with the rest of the flock.

The mass delusion is real.

I can’t help but wonder if there’s even a cure readily available for this kind of cognitive cancer.

Drawing from my religious background, I thought maybe an appeal to Jesus and Christian love and charity might be one means.

But I fear His Name and message have been so marred by its association with the former Narssicist-in-Chief that it has but all been obscured in the service of justifying the worst offenses of toxic individualism.

Throughout the history of Christendom, the Church had served as the conscience of society. I fear its time is no more. The Lord’s name has been used in vain to the point of revulsion in the eyes of the greater culture.

It has lost its hope and power.

We need to heal from more than just the coronavirus.

America is very ill.

And no one person can heal it.

And definitely not the Pillow Guy and his friends.

It will take us all to first recognize our dire condition and nurture our hearts toward more empathy and compassion…

… For each other.