We had to have a meeting

A short story by K. Samways

The greatest of my minds got together and held a panel. At this panel, it was determined which opinions would be put forth since none could be agreed upon in singularity.

From Chairman Peninski, Community Care Division, statement:
These new mandates will be the perfect method for exterminating the last 10% of visible homelessness.

From Clarissa, Compassionate Care Division, statement:
These mandates are perfect for generating universal compassion — for those that suffer by them and for those that create suffering (as their own is just beginning).

From Jack of the Anarchists’ Alliance, statement:
The only way to solve any of our problems is to dismantle the current government as we know it, to remove all politicians from office (who we well know work to their own benefit while we wholeheartedly support it), and to elect anew local members who have demonstrated appropriate sacrifices for their community and seek to oversee through service. We must renounce the hypocrisy of those with wealth and power! 

After shooting a disarming expression at Jack for overrunning his allotted time as usual, Janet of the Enough is Enough committee, which began as a branch project of the We Should Give a Damn Taskforce, states:
Perhaps we should shed light on the widespread doublethink, triplethink and even newly emerging quadruplethink. People must have awareness they are being conned.

From Margaret of the Traditions and Values Council, who couldn’t help but smile, delivering her words, as she had caught a glimpse of a ragged Animal Farm peeking out of Janet’s purse, statement:
We have concluded that it is of utmost importance that historical accuracy to this situation be preserved, and that we retain our recent history so as not to exist solely in a single moment of time. We must see humanity in a continuum that is a succession of moments wherein this moment is preceded and succeeded by events that can be scientifically predicted based on behavioural patterns. To exist in an economic present without ethics and morals of restraint, we are destined to become angry and temperamental with uncontrolled minds geared toward violence instead of peace and wisdom. We should always remember, patience is a virtue. 

No one was upset that Margaret exceeded her time limit for she was old and easy to tune out. It was expected that she would run over and then wrap up her version of current events with a cliché proverb. Yet, it was still typically Margaret with whom most everyone agreed for seldom could one argue her words.

From Jonah, Ethics and Autonomy Division, statement:
It must be agreed that if this is a free country, then we have autonomy over our bodies to the smallest healthcare procedure while still retaining our basic human rights and freedoms. If we do not, then it should be acknowledged that we no longer have the freedoms we were once admitted, and we should acknowledge that indeed certain privileges associated with freedom are being taken away. These rights are not revoked by the foreigner, as we are led to believe, but by the authoritarian powers that have bent the knee to corporate desire. Profit and Power. 

Emma, always teaming with emotion and struggling for a voice within the committee despite her depth of perception, squeaked out between tears:
It is only with compassion for all living beings can we move forward. This compassion should lead every action. The suffering here is too great. How can we add more through anger and division? No, we must come together to make our situation better through small decisively good actions – picking up garbage, smiling at one another…

She could not go on for the overwhelm of tears that arose and strange noises overtook the words of her emotionally compelling argument. She had been especially tilted by being placed continuously after Jonah in order of their statement reading; for whenever this mind arose she would always remember the hardships he endured over any other mind at the table. The fact he braved these wars with a patience and stoicism that made even Margaret second-rate only made Emma cry harder. She knew that this was the mind put most at risk by current affairs.

Indeed, as Emma conjured such superstitions, a group of Small Minds that had been intentionally uninvited to any panel thus far were planning an interception of events. They were hoping to create such a violent disruption that the panel would fear gathering ever after! Their perspective was that it was wasteful to have these kinds of meetings at all. These Small Minds were bred at a young age, and never developed beyond their youth. They had a spirit that desired hard work and a harder master. They hated minds that thought for themselves or fought for autonomy, for these small minds coveted their own slavery. Though they were stupid, they proved nearly impossible to eradicate as each one, simple though it was, had an elder that was even more ignorant and more deeply rooted than it. They hooked together for support, and breathed life back into once dead thoughts, these ghosts a poison to the wisdom of the great minds.

Yet the meeting continued on with all engrossed minds unaware of the dealings behind their backs, so to speak. Next up was Irk who always came after Emma as it appeared he had no qualms with speaking over her muffled sobs as she stemmed the last bit of habitual breakdown.

From Irk of the Obviouslies, a group compiled completely of factoids picked up by reputable sources rather than the random tidbits picked up and scattered by Seriouslies who conjured confusion with their misleading name and therefore had no present representative, statement:
It is obvious after reading just four years ago about pharmaceutics’ need for an epidemic in order to be able to justify the cheaply reproducible and yet-to-be-proven effective mRNA vaccines – that just couldn’t quite make it to market before now – that there is something more to this “pandemic” than meets the eye. The fact is not the conspiracy – the ‘why?’ is the conspiracy. And you can talk to the Seriouslies on that arguable point.

From Pam, of Prophecies and Forebodings, the usual statement:
I told you this was coming.

She then refused to reveal her next prediction (“Because,” she said, “everyone should already know that one mandate leads to two”) and wouldn’t say another word for the rest of the evening, not even after the panel was over and everyone gathered for snacks near the bar. Rumours had it that the mind Prophesy Pam and the mind Downer Debbie were actually the same mind, but no one dared say this to Pam’s face and Debbie was never invited to the meetings. 

From Cam, of the Actual Conspiracies Division – differentiated after the original Conspiracies Division was hijacked by Small Minds and is now known somewhat sardonically as the Seriouslies division – who was still staring with frustration at Irk after he spoke, statement:
We have concluded that while no one true conspiracy can be known, the fact remains that these mandates and pandemic guidelines are in no way warranted by the actual risk that this temporary virus yields. In addition, we would like to direct attention back to the atrocities of pollution, crop poisoning, control measures and deception tactics that are being practiced now more than ever. We say no more.

Since the Seriouslies entered disrepute with all other Minds, internal and external, Cam had become one of the only public-speaking representatives of the Actual Conspiracy Division. Since the last squad went sour, his taste for advocating his conspiratorial campaigns had vanished without trace. Although Emma didn’t cry for him, he was also at risk of assassination this very evening. Though he was given his seat due to his brilliance, his proposed realities created instability not easily accepted by the other minds – great or small.

“COMFORT OVER CRAZY!” yelled a Small Mind hiding in the wings, suddenly unable to restrain himself after having had to listen quietly to more than three statements he disagreed with. Their cover blown and their plan now having to wait for the next meeting, the Small Minds all let up a hullabaloo before being kicked out of the council once again. They left only reluctantly while screaming slyly: “WHAT’S WRONG WITH ALL YOU?” “YOU’RE ALL EVIL!” “YOU’RE HURTING THE CHILDREN!” “HAVE YOU NO GRATITUDE FOR THE SACRIFICES THE COMMUNITY HAS MADE FOR YOU?” “THINK OF THE POLITICIANS!”

“Who let them in here?” the Chairman briskly scolded security. But since the security minds were unemotional, rigid and inflexible, they offered no answer and simply retook their posts outside the meeting room wall. 

“Reactionary S.O.B.s…” grumbled the Chairman. He and several other minds needed to be reeled back in before the statements could continue and this took several minutes. Eventually, Marta the breathing instructor appeared and helped bring the minds back to a place of clarity and peace. After a few minutes, the meeting was able to return to its due course of action with Marta permitted to stay in the room meditating and dedicating for the peace of all minds.

“She’s more protection than security,” grumbled the Chairman, his normal self a bit distrusting at all times although here he was correct. Now only a small number of minds still had statements left to read.

From Eldra of the Higher Powers, statement:
Inflexible controlling mandates based on illusion of safety and temporary economic benefit while offering no actual advantage to health and longevity of all beings will lead to great moral downfall and unrest. Remember, anger is a poison and all minds arising from it corrupted. We can blame no one but ourself. We can change no one but ourself.

Suddenly, Fredricka the Fearful popped up as if from under the table, though she too had been uninvited. “I’m scared!” she cried.

“We know you are, child,” replied Eldra, reaching out to comfort Fredricka. 

“No, this is serious!” Fredricka pulled away. “Now must be the time for action, because if we remain where we are, we will be crushed by the Small Minds! Do you not see they are coming for you? For us all? They wish us to be one! One mind! Yet not of the continuum we now serve, but of THEIRS! So we can be CONTROLLED! We should flee! Run! Get out of here!”

Once more, security slowly removed the disruption with ease once they became aware of it. The hardness of their armor prevented any feeling from arising. 

Once more, the panel had been interrupted and small conversations briefly dominated by worry had broken out amongst the minds. The minds that had already given their statements with wisdom considered overturning them when they felt the cold blanket of fear drape over the room. Some minds remained sad and silent, because they had worked so hard to get Fredricka out of their heads before the panel discussion had started. A few who hadn’t had a chance to speak looked like they were considering editing their statement on the spot without discussion. Fredricka the Fearful had spying minds everywhere that collected information for the sole purpose of creating fear based motivations. Her words cut deeply and were difficult to heal hence her being left out, but still she managed to make herself heard and felt.

BANG. BANG. BANG. The Chairman had procured a gavel and was hammering the table in front of him. The reverberations rippled through all the other minds even startling Marta out of meditation. Some were surprised because they thought the gavel had been confiscated several meetings ago, and they were not aware that the Chairman had means to get it back. 

“May I remind everyone that our job is simply to read the statements as they have been agreed upon and as they sit written in front of us now. Let us continue.”

From Jesus (the J pronounced like an H), Greater Good committee, statement:
While we may be convinced that the greatest good is to swallow prescribed medicine unflinchingly while encouraging others to do the same, it has been found that even greater good comes from seeing wisdom and truth. It is found by this committee that swallowing narratives that have been easy to consume due to consistent repetitive messages on levels personal, professional and global is in fact the cause of a great sickness of the mind, now rampant. Although the common narrative proposes the greatest threat is a sickness of the body, it should be noted that the greatest threat is the submissive mind sickness arising – which has occurred on a large scale in the past with only devastating outcomes. 

At this statement, Pam let out a chilling cackle and then broke down in tears. She had absorbed a lot of energy during the two interruptions and was now vibrating with visions of an unpleasant future. Still, she refused to share them, advising that it is better to ask “What if the future is bright?” and “What would that look like?” instead of hearing further unsettling ideas. This strain of optimism seemed new for Pam and actually further unsettled the other minds.

Hilda the Hilarious, understanding why she was left near last (as everyone needed a bit of a laugh by now), settled for: 
If you’re unsure about any decision, just talk to a politician! 

At this everyone did laugh, except Emma who was still quietly crying, for they all remembered the article they recently read commanding people unsure about taking this medicine to talk to a doctor or their local politician. A phrase most good-tempered citizens would have all laughed at heartily a couple decades ago was now “wise” and widely propagated advice. 

From Prudence, of the Preservation of Facts and Memories Division, a simple update:
Yes, we have all witnessed the increasing perversity of wisdom and logic over the course of several years, yet expedited in recent months. I have maintained a record of many articles, testimony, and once popular media that dispute and debunk today’s common political advocacy. Although today, this rhetoric is being altered or removed from public access, I have saved some originals which will be available for all minds to consume at leisure. One may feel compelled to revisit these documents as external minds continue adapting and warping narratives to serve whatever purpose they see presently fit, pretending they held such minds, unchanging and of their own accord, all along. 

Finally, Olivia the Optimist was permitted to speak. She had always refused to join any particular faction but enjoyed being present at most minds’ meetings. She was typically welcomed by other minds who were often in need of the energy boost she shared warmly. Usually left until last, her statement was always delivered with patience and offered similar wisdom though her words today were particularly realistic and chilling:

In closing, we must remain optimistic. We may not be optimistic in people, but we must remain optimistic in the resilience of our minds. We are minds that refuse to be corrupted. We are minds of virtue that refuse to give up. We are minds that grow and change, but we refuse to be killed. It is in our optimism and our imagining of a better future that we will survive, appear to abandon those that need the appearance of abandonment, and lead those that need leadership. 
Now is not the time to open our doors to hopelessness, for the flail of despair has been extinguished! Though we do not agree as one voice, we can hold acceptance of this disagreement by refusing to submit ourselves to one mind to our detriment and erasure! We are true minds, and even if we are removed now, we will return! Have faith, my comrades! For with optimism, we can keep our sense of selves and build a future that includes all the minds of wisdom – so that even Small Minds may be enslaved if that be their wish, granting for them a master, but offering only the kindest hand without whip or torture. 
In closing, may we imagine that there is no scenario where we give up the autonomy of our multiple minds and instead, may we awaken the consciousness of others so that they too may imagine a future free of their own enslavement, being happy for this new future though it is difficult to achieve and requires the release of many attachments. 

With that statement, which in all its sober truth demanded much hope and optimism from the great minds, they wrapped up the meeting and departed to the bar for a much needed social hour.