How old were you when you found out the truth about Santa? Maybe you can’t recall. But, perhaps you remember… how it felt.
As children, we believe in a fairy that exchanges cash for our teeth and a bunny that hides chocolate eggs for us to find. And best of all, that jolly old man who arrives once a year to deliver everything we asked for. (No, not Bezos. The other guy!)
We encourage children to believe in miracles and wonder. Then poof! The truth is revealed and all that’s left is a feeling of disappointment, with a slight aftertaste of mistrust at the discovery of adult trickery. We grow up and think we’re more sophisticated than we were as children. But do we ever really stop believing?
We’re certainly able to suspend our disbelief. We can choose to temporarily ignore our critical thinking in exchange for enjoyment. Making a silent deal with creators – an unwritten agreement where I’ll turn a blind eye to the gaping plot-holes for as long as you keep me entertained. It’s a temporary transaction. At a certain point, our brain rebels and starts picking holes you can’t ignore forever. A pair of glasses as a “disguise”? Really, Clark?
Eventually, reality bursts through the door and wrests back control.
But it seems we’ve taken that exact same willingness to be fooled and applied it to the real world. Eagerly swallowing the comforting fictions told by politicians. Looking past corporate greed and accepting systemic corruption.
And frankly, I’m finding it harder to suspend my disbelief. I can’t help but see the glaring plot-holes in this current season of Earth. It’s all feeling a bit too scripted and, honestly, it’s getting a little ridiculous.
Take the current news cycle, for example. Between the deafening beat of war drums and the creeping feeling that The Terminator was actually a documentary, it feels like I’ve finally lost the plot.
So, as of today, I’m officially cancelling my subscription!
No more sitting in the audience booing the villains and waiting for a hero to show up and save the day. Because, *spoiler alert* just like Santa, he doesn’t exist.
But what if we don’t need a hero in a cape or a guy in a red velvet suit who only works one night a year? Because, the magic was never in the bearded guy or the flying reindeer anyway. It was always us.
We were the ones staying up until 2 a.m. wrapping gifts. We were the ones hiding the chocolate eggs in the garden. Humans are actually incredibly good at manufacturing wonder out of thin air.
And frankly, looking at the global stage right now, we’re going to need to start manufacturing a hell of a lot more of it! Because, let’s face it, it feels like something big is about to go down. The writers of this current reality show are clearly setting up a massive season finale and I doubt it involves a happy ending.
But here’s the optimistic twist from your favourite cynical Scot: we don’t need to follow their script.
If the systems around us are fracturing, it just means we have to rely on the micro-wonders. The local communities. The real, tangible things we can control. Gen X spent our childhoods wandering the hills and streets without a mobile phone, a parental tracker, or a care in the world. We figured things out as we went. We’re practically built for navigating a bit of chaos!
So what’s the new survival plan if SkyNet or the politicians do push the big red button? Let’s make a start:
- 📚 Dust off the physical print: Start hoarding paperbacks, reference books and local road maps. When the internet evaporates, whoever owns an actual physical copy of an encyclopedia, a map of the region, or a decent thriller rules the street.
- 📻 Keep an analogue stash: Invest in a wind-up clockwork radio, a proper mechanical torch (no batteries required), a deck of cards, and some real-world tools.
- 🍅 Learn a basic offline trade: Figure out how to patch a pair of wellies, fix a bicycle tyre, grow some actual tomatoes, or barter a skill that doesn’t require a Wi-Fi connection.
Instead of waiting for a hero, let’s be the ones who keep the lights on. Turn off the doom-loop on the screen, hoard a few tins of tuna 🐟 and remember that we hold the real power when we refuse to buy into their fear.
And look, if the worst does happen, at least we can take comfort in one massive plot hole closure: after all those decades of terrifying “declassified” government file releases and threat-mongering, the aliens didn’t even bother to show up. 👽📡 Honestly, I’m a little insulted!
Citizen Jane x ✌️☮️
Over to you…
Leave a comment below 👇: If the system crashes tomorrow, what random, non-digital life skill are you bringing to the post-apocalyptic table?
Personally, my plan involves finding an old-school kettle and building a campfire. 🔥☕ Then, trying to explain to our three cats why their beloved electric water fountain has stopped bubbling and they now have to drink from a regular bowl, like peasants! 🚫⛲😾😾😾
What’s your strategy?
Now it’s your turn! Join me here and let’s keep talking…👇🗣📣