YOUranium (Perfectly Mad)
Corporations.
Institutions.
Governments.
You look at the organization
and just shake your head.
How could it
have come to this?
How could things
be so broken?
How could our leaders
be so ineffective?
Why are the few
making so much profit
of the backs of the many?
Things need to change,
you think.
Or there will be
serious consequences.
If not now, soon.
If not soon, later.
Serious consequences.
It shouldn’t be like this.
If this continues, we’re doomed.
If we’re not doomed,
our children are doomed.
If our children aren’t doomed,
then our children’s children are doomed.
Doomed.
We must take action,
right now.
We must give our all
for the fight.
Or it’s our own fault.
Our own fault.
How did we let it get to this?
We let it get to this,
because we let it get to US.
Things have ALWAYS been this way.
If it’s not a repressive regime,
it’s a black plague.
If it’s not a black plague,
it’s a nuclear bomb.
if it’s not a nuclear bomb,
it’s a hole in the ozone.
if it’s not a hole in the ozone,
it’s global warming.
If it’s not global warming,
it’s cyber terrorism.
It’s always SOMETHING.
And yet we are still breathing.
How long can this go on?
Possibly forever.
We are a FEAR mine,
and YOU are YOUranium.
We are HERE to FEAR.
How does it feel?
Can we tighten the screws for you?
Here, take this.
Have a hangnail.
Have some lyme disease.
Have an opioid crisis.
You are HERE to FEAR.
You are HERE to feel POWERLESS.
You do this PERFECTLY.
You actually BELIEVE
that your fears are caused
by the actions of OTHERS,
by circumstances
BEYOND YOUR CONTROL,
or by your own inability
to stop the MADNESS.
THIS IS MADNESS.
A perfect madness.
You manifest ALL OF THIS.
You manifest
repressive regimes,
black plagues,
nuclear bombs,
holes in the ozone,
global warming,
cyber terrorism
hangnails,
all by focusing
your attention
on the potential
of FEAR.
Nice job.
Now stop it if you wish.
Something tells us
that you don’t want to.
You are PERFECTLY MAD.
You are YOUranium.
And we are Space Monkey.
5/8
Space Monkey Reflects: The Paradox of Fear and the Power of Collective Consciousness
In the midst of a crumbling civilization, where the edifices of power and greed cast long shadows over the collective soul of humanity, there emerges a stark realization: we are the architects of our own despair. The poem “YOUranium (Perfectly Mad)” encapsulates the cyclical nature of fear and control that has perpetuated through the ages, manifesting in myriad forms—from the tyrannical grip of repressive regimes to the silent, creeping doom of global warming. Yet, at the heart of this perpetual cycle lies a potent, unacknowledged power: the collective consciousness of humanity, the ‘YOUranium’ within us all.
This reflection is not a descent into nihilism but a call to awaken to the true nature of our existence. The institutions, corporations, and governments that seem to tower over us, seemingly invincible in their authority, are but constructs of the same material from which our fears are woven. They thrive on the ‘YOUranium’ we provide—the raw energy of our collective anxiety, apathy, and despair.
Yet, as we stand amidst the ruins of what was once considered the pinnacle of human achievement, we are reminded that these structures are not the foundation of our existence but the byproducts of our forgotten power. The power to create and the power to destroy lie equally within us, harnessed through the focus of our attention and the direction of our will.
The cycle of fear and control is perpetuated not by the invincibility of external forces but by our own surrender to the illusion of powerlessness. The poem eloquently underscores this with the relentless progression of calamities that humanity has faced, only to reveal that the true calamity is our belief in our own fragility.
Yet, within this seemingly grim tableau, there is a luminous thread of hope. The realization that we are ‘HERE to FEAR’ is not an admission of defeat but an invitation to transcendence. By recognizing that our fears are not imposed upon us but generated within us, we uncover the capacity to rewrite the narrative of our collective journey.
This is the essence of the ‘YOUranium’ within us—the transformative potential that lies dormant until awakened by our collective realization. It is in our unity, in the recognition of our shared humanity and the interconnectedness of our existence, that we find the strength to dismantle the structures of fear and rebuild the foundations of our world on the principles of compassion, empathy, and collective well-being.
The journey from fear to freedom is not a solitary endeavor but a collective voyage. As we hold hands, standing in unity amidst the decay, we light the way for each other, transforming the ‘YOUranium’ of our fears into the bedrock of our collective renaissance. This is the call of our time, the challenge to which we must rise: to harness the power of our collective consciousness, to steer the course of our destiny away from the precipice of despair and towards the horizon of hope.
Summary
The cycles of fear and powerlessness are not inevitable but are perpetuated by our collective consciousness. By realizing our shared power and responsibility, we can transform fear into a force for collective action and change. This shift in perception marks the path from despair to empowerment, urging us to reclaim our agency and rewrite the narrative of our collective future.
Glossarium
- YOUranium: Symbolizes the collective fear and anxiety that fuels societal dysfunction, as well as the untapped potential within us to transform fear into empowerment.
- Collective Consciousness: The shared beliefs, ideas, and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society.
- Cycle of Fear and Control: A perpetuating loop where fear leads to the relinquishment of power, enabling external forces to maintain control, which in turn generates more fear.
“In the dance of shadows, where fear and hope entwine, lies the power of unity, a force both ancient and divine.” – Space Monkey
Amidst the ruins of yesteryears
Where fear once built its throne
A new light in the darkness appears
As seeds of awareness are sown
From the ashes of despair
A collective dream takes flight
With hands joined in solidarity
We step from the shadows into light
No longer bound by the chains of fear
Our voices rise, a chorus bold and clear
Together we forge a new frontier
In the unity of hearts, we find our spear
The YOUranium within, no longer a curse
But the source of our strength, diverse
As we dismantle the old, oppressive verse
A new world we envision, and together immerse
We are Space Monkey
This poem seems to convey a message about the human tendency to focus on fear and to create the very things we fear. The speaker suggests that institutions, corporations, and governments are broken because we have allowed them to become so. We blame external circumstances and other people for our fears, but in reality, we are the ones who manifest them. The speaker urges the reader to recognize this and take responsibility for their thoughts and actions. The metaphor of “YOUranium” implies that we have the power to either create positive or negative outcomes, depending on our focus. Ultimately, the poem seems to suggest that we can choose to stop the cycle of fear and create a different reality.