Friday, 17 September 2021
Right to Say No Context
Stuff on my mind today was the right to say “no”. Moreover, where do you draw the line in allowing people freedom without locking people into feeling helpless? Today, there were people on the streets of Melbourne protesting amid a lockdown, “a lockdown”. More specifically, the lockdown restrictions or vaccinations.
For starters, vaccinations are not mandatory, but they are “strongly encouraged”. Moving forward into a post-COVID world, there will be few choices available to those who are not vaccinated.
I’m unsure where the failure lies if there is any. The protestors technically have a right to protest and have a right to say “no”. But I suspect the ones protesting are suffering a type of cabin fever from continual pseudo-voluntary restriction. Heck, I experience it now and again. What must it be like for those in lockdown for an extended period?
Sure some want to make a point, drum up anti-anything sentiment. Are there people who still disbelieve COVID’s existence? Perhaps there are, maybe in locations where COVID hasn’t been as prevalent.
Living in Brisbane, Queensland, we’ve been fortunate to get away with comparatively fewer cases. In places like Melbourne and Sydney, the six degrees of separation would have you know somebody that’s suffered it. Thus, putting paid at least to the conspiracy theory.
Again, why make life difficult for yourself and others? Weren’t we all in at least one class at school where the teacher punished everyone because of one misbehaving child? It was frustrating, right? Where is the victory in getting COVID, passing it to family and friends?
History of No "No"
I’m an empathiser, not a sympathiser. Ever since we were children, our parents have said “no” to us, and from a child’s perspective, the “no” sometimes – if not all the time – seemed unfair. We grow up, and adolescence is troubling because you’re not quite old enough to do “grown-up” things, but you’re not a “kid” either.
In adolescence, the right to say “no” seems to be permanently removed from our will to the point we don’t feel we have one. Yet, others get to say it! By the time we hit teenagehood, we’re still feeling the restrictions, but it’s parental, societal, and peer restrictions this time. Adding to the plethora of restriction confusion are newly minted coursing hormones!
So here we are, teenagers, our right to say “no” has seemed limited to this point. Agreed, it has been for our safety. In teenagehood, we are to say “no emphatically”. The “no” applies to cigarettes, alcohol, sex, drugs, loud music, cool kids, uncool kids, and the list goes on. Fortunately, creativity is high, which provides us ways to skirt within the myriad of rules and when to break them.
One of the things that I have not mentioned up to this point is that girls are often told “no” more than boys, in my humble opinion at least. When it comes to being teased, we’re encouraged to “take the higher ground”. If you’re gentile or have attended some religious scriptures, you’re to say “yes” more than “no”. Is it any wonder teenagers find themselves in trouble? And cross physical boundaries they don’t fully understand, particularly around sex.
The Freedom of being Grown-up
Then we head into adulthood, and we discover we have more rights than we thought. All those years of well-meaning lies to keep us safe come to the fore when it happens once again.
You see, we’ve experienced the freedom of having the right to say “no,” and having that removed, however temporary, doesn’t fly. Some take it to the streets and protest for no other reason than to exercise what they think is their right.
Here’s the rub, it applies when there isn’t a pseudo-state of emergency. Fortunately, COVID isn’t bombs dropping, but would the people still be out there protesting if this were Agent Orange? Probably. 😟
Today's Cards
The Cards - Right to Say No Analysis
Carryover Cards
No cards carried over from yesterday.
Cross
Today’s Goal was one of Trust. Given my thoughts drifting to the right to say no, Trust is one of the aspects brought up by the protests. I’m trying to trust that things will work out. I believe that by sending my intention toward things working out, working out will get supportive energy.
In the Distant Past, Thunderbolt points to a time when my world changed, physically speaking. It’s too difficult to pinpoint just one instance of when I felt I couldn’t say no.
More recently, Laziness has contributed to me not pushing back when I felt like saying no. This one is most likely the vaccination. The Recent Past has me on the path of least resistance was getting vaccinated.
Obviously, with the Intensity surrounding (influencing) the restriction and vaccination protests, my Mind is in a state of confusion. Now that I’m vaccinated, I don’t understand the fuss. Oh, no! The Mind control worked! Just kidding, in retrospect, why did I make such an ado?
Fortunately, The Lovers are in Future Energy, and an acceptance of my choices are likely.
Base
While typing this post, my Feelings match the New Vision card. Feelings of clearing out old thoughts and being flexible about the future.
Conversely, Others’ Views are of me with Guilt, where I feel New Vision. Guilty of beating myself up over nothing. Again, I cannot comment on others’ views easily. And I do feel guilty no matter which side of the debate choose at the moment of discussion.
What I’m hoping for is Completion, a finality to the vaccination talk, and to quote a line from Monty Python’s Holy Grail, “get on with it”. However, I fear protests might drag on until vaccination projections by the government occur.
Finally, Innocence is in the Outcome position, and wisdom will be forthcoming.
References
- Osho, Osho Zen Tarot – The Transcendental Game of Zen, St Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-11733-7
- Tarot Layouts per month
SEO – Protests in the streets of Melbourne about lockdown restrictions prompts me to look at when in our lives we are allowed to say no.
