I am not Bible bashing here as much as showing someone whose life blew up on him and how he is trying to cope. He is also has some other issues. Religion is an anchor. Belief in God is what has helped many people, including myself, survive times of loss that were devastating.
What does that has to do with a post apocalypse/financial meltdown/Era change is that need can be used by stronger types/charismatic types to manipulate people into doing things they would never have considered. These types are beginning to sprout. I believe we haven't seen anything yet. Will they all be sociopaths? No. I don't think so. Most of them will be of the shattered class of people who genuinely feel they have been shown the WAY.
As far as Chosen goes and the people around him? I don't see them as evil. I see them as people who are tired of being powerless and screwed around. That for one reason or another have ended up with nothing left to lose and a lot of anger over it. They, like most people, are a mix of good and bad, With a functioning economy they would have gone about their lives. Now they have no lives -- they just have survival. Survival and the desire to payback those who put them in this position through no fault of their own, as they see it.
I am curious about how you see it? Does the story and characters work?
Soundtrack continues with James Brown "The Payback"...
ReplyDeleteRegular cubicle people are a few paychecks away from being highly educated, highly motivated, mad-as-hell, kidnappers, bank robbers, stealth farmers, improvised construction workers, or whatever, as needed. There will always be some who (in retrospect) had everything: comfort-food-family-prospects of a good future-hope-a little spending money-running older car with good insurance and a few paid-off gas cards, all lost because of no fault of their own, with no reasonable chance of ever coming back. Sometimes, "no one" did it, it just happened. What then?
Join a group like Freya's, Burners, Chosin's? Why not get some payback, along with a mission?
Cheers.
nova,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, and putting on 'paper' what many of us are thinking. The old saying, only those who have lost everything, have nothing left to lose.
Bankers are the scum of the earth, the Lord himself only lost his temper at who? So there is your justification. I believe we are in the time to "sell your coat, and buy a sword", He never said who the sword was for, you have shown, a real SWORD, could be a handy tool to have around in times trouble that are coming on planet Earth.
God Bless, pick up the pace of blood and guts, and everything will be fine.
I myself would like to know the answer to the age old question;
"Do bankers taste like chicken?"
;-)
The Piper
Yes they do! Well, actually more like Gator, and Gator tastes like Frogs Legs which taste like Quail which sorta' taste like Chicken.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see you pick up on Gardner again -- though I understand the Freya thing could become a bit difficult. She can always decide to leave when she is no longer needed -- at the same time I like the idea of her getting stronger as the insanity of some so-called "Christians" is exposed.
I get the feeling that "Chosen" has to die after some initial success, along with Roy and Sharon.
Followers, corruption, and ultimate failure.
The only way to rebuild society is by forming one that is free, just, and equal.
This brings to mind the movie, The Book of Eli - Gary Oldman's character knows the power of religion as a tool - and wanted to use it for personal gain -power, wealth, influence.
ReplyDelete"IT'S NOT A FUCKIN' BOOK! IT'S A WEAPON. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them. If we want to rule more than one small, fuckin' town, we have to have it. People will come from all over, they'll do exactly what I tell 'em if the words are from the book. It's happened before and it'll happen again. All we need is that book. "
I have to agree with most of what has been said above. It appears like our world is just a couple paychecks (pink slips?)away from anarchy. It appears you are on target.
ReplyDeleteJust take a look at all the recent shootings and office attacks lately. What appear to be normal people can become flipping nuts in a heartbeat.
What goes around, comes around. Lock and load.
Jim in MO.
Got to work in that "the point of no return is that place were it is easier to get to the end than to go back to the beginning".
ReplyDeleteAs another comment said, freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. But to lose your humanity is the ultimate insult.
@pdrx13.
ReplyDeleteSir, nothing ever 'just happens'. If it happens it was intended. What is the main problem on planet Earth? Money. Who controls the Money? So, Thomas Jefferson was right, we gave you the money, and so 'first by inflation, then by deflation' you are depriving people of their property....
You sound like a banker or a shill?
I plan on going hunting one of these days.
Come around NC...
Banker=Gator=Frogs legs? Love Frogs legs, Yum.
The Piper
nova,
ReplyDeleteThe story is working, powerfully at times... I could see a potential endpoint as a monster novel with three main threads running through it that culminates in some kind of grand confrontation (Gardener, Chosen, Gip).
Maybe the real Old Ones show up for the final sh!tstorm - are you an Opener or a Closer?
Some of the Main Events are planned, but many of the "side effects" that cause regular people to lose their situation are unplanned and to the puppet masters, inconsequential. Viewed from the ground, this shight jus' happens to folks deserving of it or not. Personal savings, no debt, and low-low expenses can help, but that's not how Americans live.
ReplyDeleteJohn Ross has a fine novel called "Unintended Consequences". Some of data coming out of the St. Louis Fed reminds me of that scenario.
Banker tastes like young hog raised packed tightly in pens. No thanks, I know where that's been. Even pressure cooking can't sterilize it well enough for me. Only incineration stops prions.
Piper- I disagree. Money is a technology that has been abused to steal real wealth from the makers/owners of that wealth. Used correctly, good-money facilitates trade/savings/capital investment (real investment in productive assets, not paper speculation) better than anything else.
It's not just my opinion that the nation is borrowing from one credit card to pay another, writ large, and it can't last. The doctor is out on how long the patient will take to clear up or die. The US Gov. will default or inflate her way out of this corner, and I'm betting on inflation. It's gonna hurt.
Cheers.
NOVA, this is a terrific story, thank you so much for sharing it with us. I'm amazed at how much you put out, and how fast. This definitely has an Old Testament feel - moving in and slaughtering everyone from the old tribe 'cause they're worse sinners than you.
ReplyDeleteI do see this converging in a "battle royalle", somewhere on the plains.
I do wonder, as I read this, what is going on in the rest of the world.
Thank you all for your comments. I needed a "reality check" for the direction of this story.
ReplyDeleteThis story is awesome. I have a feeling tho that Chosen's own little safety net is his hatred of modern technology.
ReplyDeleteTime and again we've seen that small crimes mean little to the powers that be, but taking one of their own is going to cause a REAL upset. They can hope for copy-cats to draw attention away, but this is going to create a lot of waves
-TheDreamer
i love your writting this chosen is close to the same league as the "gardner" keep it comming
ReplyDeleteThanks anon and TheDreamer
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have not figured out how to play the fall out from this
Been gone for a week to a conference on stars. Glad to be reading again. What bankers have done to the mass of humanity with pens and mortgages will be eventually done back to them with blunter and more horrific instruments. They have writ their end large upon the beast they created to enslave.
ReplyDeleteFSHB
ReplyDeleteAnd they won't understand why either...