Today We Fight

I think it is vitally important that we find some way to fight every day. And yes, I know that is a direct violation of rule number one, but in this case I feel both Chuck Palahniuk and Tyler Derden would agree. Let’s talk about the fight.

The fight we engage with our demons. I have many. They follow me relentlessly wherever I go, and there is no place to hide. They shadow me, use video surveillance, employ a network of informants and read my every blog post, word for fucking word. Looking for chinks in the armor, cracks in the dam, any weakness they might exploit. They are invisible and inescapable. They never sleep and subsist on nourishment from the emotional compost of my fear. They are my worst nightmare, 24/7.

I go into the ring with them every day because that is the rule. We must fight. I must fight. I must fight my fear. Punch by punch, round by round. That is the only way. With the understanding that once I have proven my willingness to fight, once I have demonstrated the courage of my conviction and commitment to not give in or back down, I no longer have to fight and can take the much more tranquil and peaceful approach much like Kuai Chang Caine, young Danny Millman or even the Son of God himself. Each one of those heavy-weights had their challengers, and, after every alternative had been exhausted, laced ‘em up. That is the fight.

It is against sloth. Against injustice and against dishonesty. It is a fight to the death with every politician who is using you, us, as a commodity. I recognize that we are hopelessly outnumbered in this battle. That 1% has and controls all the money, the guns, the judges and the henchmen to impose their greedy will union us. It has been suggested, and rightfully, that America is an Oil Company with an army. The manipulation that runaway capitalism employs upon the vast majority of US citizens is abhorrent. We are getting hammered in the very ring that our labour built. By the people that we elected to represent us. It is a crime of which 30%  of americans approve. I don’t need to color them, rate them or judge them. I need to fight the part of their fear that exists in me.

I can only be of assistance to my fellow man, of both camps, if I am at my best, fighting the good fight. We don’t need more victims or more martyrs. That One person who willingly died for our sins, I don’t think recognized at the time how sadly low His estimate of how deep the evil we are capable of actually is. We, as a collective demographic, suck. The United States, supposedly a beacon of democratic stability and hope, is a fraud.

And the fight goes on. It will today and it will tomorrow. The opponent against whom I spar is me. I am it. It has a name. Fear. Chuck and Tyler knew it.

I cannot and I will not back down. Fear will get punched in the nose today. I landed one punch simply by getting out of my warm bed two hours ago. Today I will push my body to provide an efficient  delivery vehicle for another flurry of jabs. A strong physical presence and a peaceful message is the one-two punch, the thunder and lightning, of my humble assault on fear.

Bring it you bastards. Today we fight.