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Chatting with Jupiter

star24

00:00 / 05:00

HOLES: CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE VICES OF MERCY

Tyranny

Once I had a dream that I had stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and was chatting with Jupiter. Both of us were dressed as court jesters.
"Each Emanation on the Tree of Life represented by a planet contains both a virtue and at least one vice. Tyranny, bigotry, gluttony, and hypocrisy are the vices associated with the fourth Emanation on the Tree of Life known as Mercy," Jupiter proclaimed. "Tyrants love to indulge in all of these vices--so occasionally they overlap."

Tyranny: Massacre

Jupiter continued, "Many tyrants pretend that they want to make their realm great again. But they usually fail to mention the time when the realm was once great. Some might believe that the realm was only really great when white immigrants were massacring Native peoples and stealing their lands.

Tyranny, Bigotry and Slavery

"Some bigots might think that the realm was once great when people were treated as property and abused as slaves--simply because of their DNA. Nowadays, paramilitary forces kidnap people of color and without due process send them to concentration camps to labor as slaves for the private prison industry and for corporations that contract cheap prison labor. Soon, they will round up white dissidents, homeless people, gays, and transgender people and anyone else they consider a 'threat'-- to become members of that private slave force.

Tyranny and Bigotry: Concentration Camp

"Some might think a realm was once great because a tyrant threw people into concentration camps and starved them and worked them to death or simply murdered them in gas chambers--to rob them of their property and their life. Other wannabe dictators will then come along and try to show that they can be just as powerful and cruel by echoing the words of tyrants and mass murderers.

Bodies Left to Rot in the Forest

"Some might believe that a realm was once great when a mass murderer attempted to wipe out a whole religion, subculture, or ethnicity. Of course, the tyrant who builds concentration camps and commits mass murder often claims that he is working to make the realm great again."

Tyranny and Bigotry (Part 2): People Starving on the Street

Jupiter continued, "Nine million people on this planet die from causes related to hunger every year, a third of whom are children. No one should die of starvation. Bigotry often plays a part in this type of tyranny and mass murder.

Tyranny and Bigotry (Part 3): People Dying from Disease and Hunger

"A few families control most of the wealth in this world due to their gluttony and greed and their need for power. The poorest people often suffer from disease and hunger, which results in chronic misery and death, yet the elite strive only to accumulate more wealth despite the horrors of the 'starvation holocaust.'

Tyranny: The Plague

"Tyrants often sadistically refuse to help people even during a crisis--such as a pandemic. Instead of paying taxes that allow for effective programs such as testing, contact-tracing and quarantining, the rich instead find ways to increase their wealth even as huge numbers of people die horribly from a disease that the government could have effectively controlled.

Tyranny and Gluttony: Obscene Wealth

"Tyrants are addicted to the accumulation of money and power and remain blind to the misery of other people.

Gluttony

"Tyrants are gluttons. They must always have more than others--and always at the expense of others.

Hypocrisy: Adultery

"Tyrants want to control people--especially women. A hypocritical tyrant will often assault both women and men while pretending to be pious and God-loving.

Hypocrisy: Murder

"A hypocritical tyrant pretends to be pious and God-loving even while exploiting people or committing mass murder or genocide.

Tyranny and Hypocrisy: Good Works

"Hypocrites will often pretend to do good works even while they are actually causing a problem to get worse. They might, for instance, support the destruction of an ethnicity or a culture by providing weapons to another tyrant. Then the hypocrites show everyone how they are providing humanitarian aid for the victims who somehow managed to survive.

Tyranny and Hypocrisy (Part 2): Killing the Planet through Climate Change

"Tyrannical hypocrites might pretend to back environmental protections but then eliminate regulations or provide tax cuts for ruthless corporations that are destroying the planet for future generations--because the hypocrites desire to gain more power or profit in some way.

Tyranny and Hypocrisy (Part 3): Killing the Planet through War

"A tyrannical hypocrite might pretend to be pious and God-loving but also support the increase of an already huge arsenal of weapons of mass destruction even though that might result in a war that destroys the entire planet."

Jupiter

Then I dreamed of Jupiter as a great emperor sitting on a throne. "Tyranny, bigotry, gluttony, and hypocrisy are the vices associated with the Emanation of Mercy on the Tree of Life, but love and the recognition of the magnificence, harmony, and abundance of the spirit through obedience to the divine will are the virtues of this Emanation. Reverence and obedience to the divine will stems from the recognition of the divinity of all people and all life, the holiness of all energy."

Mars

Suddenly the God Mars appeared. "The Emanation of Power, across from the Emanation of Mercy, is one corner of the 'ethical triangle' on the Tree of Life. Through the energies of the ethical triangle, people develop moral intelligence so that they strive for ideals through the virtues of courage and discipline and strength."

The Sun

Then a figure representing The Sun appeared in the dream. "The Emanation of Beauty is an essential point of the ethical triangle, combining the justice and power of Mars and the magnificence and harmony of Jupiter with the light and forgiveness and harmonizing love and the mysteries of sacrifice associated with The Sun."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

The Lord of Misrule: "Every Day Will Be Like Christmas"

1sweet

00:00 / 04:04

HOLES: CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MEETING THE LORD OF MISRULE

The Lord of Misrule on His Golden Throne

After I had returned to my homeland, I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and discovered that a conventional democratic process could end up having a perfectly medieval outcome. Every four years, the people elected a Lord of Misrule. One popular candidate appealed to the masses by vowing to make the economy so good that every day would seem like Christmas--for all the adults and children in the realm.
The candidate claimed that he was extremely wealthy, and he would sit on his golden throne until the wee hours of the morning, cooking up lies and misinformation that agitated his followers.

Fat and Happy

The candidate knew that he needed to make promises to the rich and powerful. He promised billionaires and corporations that he would cut their taxes and eliminate regulations--if they gave him a billion dollars in campaign contributions. He hinted that he would support the creation of a theocracy in the realm--and his religious base of followers proclaimed that he was an imperfect vessel fulfilling God's perfect plan. He included dog-whistles in his speeches to appeal to racists and fascists.

Shooting a Gun on a Crowded Street

The candidate became so popular and so confident that he boasted that he could shoot someone on a crowded street--and people would still vote for him.

Signing Legislation

Through the support of the rich and powerful and fascists and white supremacists and evangelicals and authoritarians in his realm (and other realms), the people elected him Lord of Misrule. He had to fulfill a few of his campaign promises, so he signed legislation that gave a huge tax cut to the oligarchs and kleptocrats, the richest people in the country, and he weakened or eliminated many regulations so that corporations could pollute and degrade the environment even more than usual. He also ended up totally shredding the social safety net, which had provided nutritional assistance programs and health care insurance and had protected people in his realm for many decades--just so he could give a tax break to the billionaires.

Throwing Money at the Rich

The Lord of Misrule knew that to remain in power he had to keep throwing money at the super-rich instead of creating a half-decent health-care system or nutritional assistance programs or protecting the environment. He had his minions fire numerous government workers (including many veterans) who provided essential services for the public--which ended up shredding the social safety net. He cut or dismantled many public services so that his billionaire buddies could receive their tax breaks.

Water Levels Rising

Unfortunately sea levels kept rising due to warming caused by climate disruption. Some scientists presented proof that climate change caused by human activities was 100 times more rapid than any other warming event in the history of the planet, but the Lord of Misrule only rolled back more environmental regulations.

Wildfires Raging

The planet was becoming so hot that wildfires raged everywhere, turning huge stretches of forest into deserts of dirt and ash.

The Plague

The Lord of Misrule found out that a plague would soon ravage the realm. He found out the realm would be dealing with an air-borne virus, but he remained silent, and instead of creating an effective program of testing, contact-tracing, and quarantining, as other sane realms were doing, he told people that they had to go back to work to keep the economy strong. Many people who went back to work got sick and died a horrible death. He honored them as "heroic essential workers."

Trophies

The Lord of Misrule proclaimed that people in the realm had to develop herd immunity, which he at first referred to as "herd mentality," and that building a wall to keep immigrants out of the realm should remain the country's top priority because immigrants were actually the cause of all the realm's problems--even though just about everyone in the realm was a descendent of immigrants. He organized a huge military force to kidnap people off the streets and disappear them without due process to concentration camps in his own realm as well as in other realms throughout the world. A rumor started circulating that the Lord of Misrule secretly kept skulls of people who died from the plague or in concentration camps as trophies to remind himself and others of his power. A lot of people, who were suffering from mass psychosis caused by the behavior of the Lord of Misrule, thought that was "pretty cool."

The Cure

After a million people died from the plague, the Lord of Misrule proclaimed that the people should have cured themselves of the disease by drinking a toxic cleanser. Some doctors informed him that drinking poison was probably not a good idea, so he found other doctors who supported his theories.

Dropping Bombs on Other Realms

Congress, not the Lord of Misrule, still had the power of the purse--the power to pass legislation and determine how the taxpayer's money would be spent, but the Lord of Misrule totally ignored the Congress. The people began to realize that the Lord of Misrule lied with every breath and didn't care at all about the people or the constitution or the rule of law. He had made numerous promises to the people that he had never attempted to implement. Inflation raged and people found out that the Lord of Misrule had been buddies with a pedophile who had run a sex trafficking ring for years. Many wondered if the Lord of Misrule was also a pedophile who had participated in the sex trafficking ring in some way. The Lord of Misrule ordered the military to drop bombs on other realms to cause wars that would distract the masses from domestic and political problems. His advisors, of course, had informed him that dropping bombs on other sovereign realms without the approval of Congress would be a violation of the constitution. He got rid of those advisors and found more loyal advisors who encouraged him to start a war--a conflict that could have potentially ended up as a devastating world war.

Gallows

The Lord of Misrule lost the next election and insisted over and over that the election had been stolen from him--even though no one anywhere could provide any evidence--so he incited an insurrection and tried to spur the mob into hanging the politicians who had refused to do what he had commanded them to do.

Not His Type

At one point, the Lord of Misrule claimed that if you are a star, you can grab women anytime and anywhere you wanted. Many women came forward to testify that the Lord of Misrule had assaulted them. He claimed that those women were not his type and that he didn't know any of them. All of it was just "fake news." He threatened to deport anyone who told the truth about him to a concentration camp--without due process.

Boxes of Secret Information

When the Lord of Misrule left office, he took many boxes of secret information with him and showed the secrets to other people. He knew that he could make money by selling confidential information to powerful people in other realms--which of course was treasonous. He hid the boxes in his mansion and moved them around so that investigators could not find them.

The Swamp

When he was running for the position of the Lord of Misrule, he had promised that he would drain the swamp, but by the time he left office the swamp was much bigger and deeper and more full of alligators than ever--he had even built a concentration camp in the middle of a swamp. The Lord of Misrule had inherited a booming economy, which had soon collapsed under his rule. The media, owned by the oligarchs, blamed all the other rulers for the problems caused by the Lord of Misrule's incompetence and corruption.

The Dictator

He decided to run again for the position of the Lord of Misrule. Rich, powerful people backed him again because they wanted more tax breaks and more deregulation. Fascist think tanks had developed a plan--which he followed--that would enable him to remain a dictator for life. After he was elected again, he neutered the Congress and ignored judicial orders. He broke the law and violated the constitution every day, which didn't matter because the Lord of Misrule and his minions had set up a Supreme Court that had provided full immunity to him so that he would be a king. He quickly removed all people in the government who were not absolutely loyal to him and soon declared a state of emergency (even though no emergency existed) to establish martial law so that the militia and the military could arrest protestors and send them to concentration camps or prisons or shoot them. The military soon quelled all protests throughout the realm.

The Defendant

He soon became an iron-fisted dictator propped up by oligarchs and plutocrats and kleptocrats and fascists. The police and the military and the Congress and the Supreme Court would do nothing to stop him. Finally, his lawlessness caught up with him. The people rose up in a civil war against him and his minions and the military and the paramilitary forces, and he was captured and indicted on multiple charges of treason. He bleated over and over that the trial was rigged. He had many chances to defend himself in court, but he never did.

The Prisoner

Finally, he ended up in a dank cell in the bowels of a prison. (Just kidding.) Before he was convicted, he ran in the next election to become the Lord of Misrule again so that he could pardon himself and his minions and remain a dictator for life. The billionaires supported him again because they wanted more tax cuts and more deregulation, and a large brainwashed segment of the populace suffering from mass psychosis again voted him into office. This time the military maintained martial law throughout the realm from the beginning of his term. The Lord of Misrule set up many concentration camps and finally realized his dream of remaining above the law and becoming a dictator for life.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Underground Treasure

ormrch

00:00 / 04:48

HOLES: CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE MONARCH OF THE GOLDEN AGES

Moon Goddess

One night, I dreamed that I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and found a cave under my apartment. As I explored the cave, I found a treasure chest filled with gold.
Suddenly the Moon Goddess appeared, golden coins raining all around her. "We are in a new age, my friend, but the problems of this realm must become clear to everyone before anyone else can see this treasure." Then the Moon Goddess disappeared.

Mars

Suddenly the God Mars appeared.
"But what must become clear?" I asked him.
"So many things," the God answered.

The Burners

"People in this realm must recognize the unbalanced energies within them. Some people, for instance, want to burn everything down to the ground. Some want to break everything to pieces. Some are greedy or full of pride. Some are deceitful or salacious. Some are idle or apathetic. Most refuse to see that the current economic and political system cannot deal effectively with crises such as a pandemic, climate change, environmental degradation, inequality, and economic collapse. We are on the verge of a new age, but people must clearly understand the unbalanced energies within them and effectively address social and environmental problems before the golden age can manifest in this realm."

Mars in the Golden Age

Suddenly golden coins rained down around Mars. "People must purify their hearts and minds before they can experience the incorruptible gold of the spirit," the God proclaimed.

Golden Cups and Plates in the Cave

I continued following a path and discovered golden cups and plates on a brilliant white tablecloth. Suddenly a voice echoed through the cave. "White is a symbol of unity and purity. Combining the light of the primary colors creates pure, unified white light. When negativity is cleared away, the mind manifests pure, unified white light. Once the mind is purified, it can perceive the unity within all of creation and the incorruptible gold of spirit."

Aries the Ram

Suddenly I came upon a ram. "Once you have purified your heart and mind, you can feel the potency of the life forces," the ram proclaimed. "I am Aries the Ram, and I am the monarch of the golden age."

Aries the Emperor

Within the cave, I came upon the Emperor on a golden throne. "Throughout time, I have experienced many golden ages," the Emperor stated. "I am Aries, who signals the coming of spring, but I must remain in this cave until the people are ready to experience rebirth."

The Star: Aquarius

"We have already entered the Age of Aquarius, a new golden age, but the people are not yet ready to experience the golden star of higher awareness. They are filled with far too much negativity.

Saturn Emerging

"The people must return to the beginning. They must experience the energies of the God Saturn, who rules Aquarius. Saturn is the God of primordial form, the God of the birth of creation, the God of the harvest, the God of abundance. Once the people have purified and disciplined their minds, they can begin again and know abundance, but many crises no doubt will occur before that happens.

Saturn in the Golden Age

"The Age of Aquarius at first will burn the hearts and minds of many people. Mars, the God of Fire, rules Aries. Saturn, Mars on a higher arc, rules Aquarius. Through those two Gods, all will eventually become clear.

The Golden Age of Nature

"In the Age of Aquarius, people will come to know the incorruptible gold of the spirit within the natural world and within themselves.

Singing in the Rain

"People will hear the songs of the heart and come to know the incorruptible gold of spirit within each other.

The Golden Age of Work

"In the Age of Aquarius, people will manifest the incorruptible gold of spirit in their work.

Singing in the Golden Age

"People will finally understand that music and art and other forms of creativity manifest the incorruptible gold of spirit.

Incorruptible Gold

"Until the Age of Aquarius manifests, only a few will be able to see the incorruptible gold of spirit all around them."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Chatting about Mars

lude24

00:00 / 04:07

HOLES: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE VICES OF POWER (MARS)

The Burners

One night, I dreamed that I had stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and was speaking to a man who was manifesting the energies of the God Mars.
"The ideal energies of Mars include strength and courage and discipline and the righteous use of power. The unbalanced energies associated with Mars are cruelty and destructiveness," the man proclaimed. "Those who manifest the vices can be extremely dangerous."

A Burner

Then in my dream I saw myself as one of 'The Burners." I was a little surprised because I had never thought of myself as particularly cruel or destructive.

The Tower: Mars

The man continued, "The lightning bolt of Mars can strike at any moment, especially if your ego dominates your personal and professional life. Mars can knock a fake crown off of your head when you least expect it.

Burning Down a Village

"Humanity has been cruel and destructive throughout its history. The black seeds of violence often sprout during war, and it spreads like weeds. Many have turned cruel and destructive as they plunder other realms. Some warriors consider cruelty and destructiveness a display of strength, but it often ends up destroying the destroyers.

Invasion

"Often the rich and powerful convince young men and women that fighting a war is their patriotic duty even though soldiers might end up harming their own family members or killing people in realms thousands of miles away--destroying the lives of innocent victims who have never harmed anyone.

Children in Cages

"Cruelty can manifest in so many ways," the man confessed. "It can manifest in government policies, such as the separation of families at the border of the realm--as well as in personal relationships and in feuds and warfare. Once the cruelty begins, the bitterness is difficult to forget, and hatred can resurface and manifest many years later.

Destroying a Forest

"People in corporations can end up destroying the environment, ruining and polluting the resources of communities or entire regions if they work only for profit, but the leaders of corporations find that they must continually strive for greater profits despite the consequences, which can end up being an incentive for cruelty and destructiveness that affects generations."

Chopping Up the Lungs of the Earth

The man continued, "Even on large continents, People can end up destroying ecosystems that are known as 'the lungs of the earth.' The powerful, always battling for more wealth, can end up causing genocide and ecocide and placing the the entire planet and all of humanity at risk. The rich and powerful through legalized bribery can buy off key leaders in the political and judicial systems in different realms so that no one will stop the cruelty and destructiveness.

Killing Marine Life

"One corporation can destroy most of the marine life along a coastline in a short time--even a single day. A handful of corporations can cause an increase in global warming as well as extinction events that are far more rapid than any others in the planet's history.

A Weaponized Drone

"The military-industrial complex has developed technologies that can kill just about anyone--anywhere--and unfortunately innocent men, women, and children often die in the process. The insane need for money and power often ends up in horrific acts of cruelty and destructiveness."

Unjustifiable Wars, Covert Wars, Proxy Wars

The man continued, "Sometimes people must fight for a righteous cause, but often the rich and powerful only want more wealth and power and start unjustifiable wars and covert wars and end up supporting proxy wars. They control other governments and maintain their business interests through perpetual warfare.

Wars that Destroy Civilizations

"Hundreds of millions of people have died in recent wars that have nearly destroyed civilizations on entire continents. This is not an ideal, balanced use of power.

Planet Killers

"Scientists have developed weapons that are planet killers, yet the masses nevertheless elect sociopathic narcissists to handle the nuclear football that determines whether the planet lives or dies. A golden age is beginning now, but it cannot occur until a large number of people wake up and develop the kind of moral intelligence that reveals an understanding of the need for reverence and respect for all life--for everything is connected.

Planet on Fire

"Humanity and the planet are inextricably linked in a web of life, but the planet can go up in flames. Now is the time to choose the balanced energies of Mars. Humanity has reached a tipping point."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

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