Once upon a time, people in the United States of America valued individualism alongside congeniality. Somewhere along the path, within recent years, Americans have veered away from friendliness to isolationism. I guess it was always a matter of time before this nation’s people began to reflect its long held (claimed anyway) foreign policy. Antisocial behavior, and/or tribalism, has won rank as the seminal characteristic of American strength, and the ideal American male. With this comes excessive greed and anger.
But, what has made American’s so cold?
The corruption of rugged individualism into savage bullying has been underway, I’d wager, for as long as the United States has existed. There has always been an element among the citizenry that prides its independence, freedom, and cloistered way of life. Think of the folks stories of the Hatfields and McCoys.
That story has something else in common with the current state of affairs in America: male violence. Certainly everyone in those two families got involved regardless of what gender with which they identified. But, that is the way of toxic masculinity. It is patriarchal and it lies as king over families or groups (you may think of Waco, or other religious communal groups that have become infamous). This form of masculinity demands unyielding loyalty and obedience from the deemed lesser members of the group. It is hard and arrogantly focused. One might notice the similarities this has with Domestic Violence perpetrators.
Not ironically, victims of domestic violence often grow up to become abusers. This is how the problem perpetuates itself. The survival of such a system relies on convincing the victim that they deserve the treatment, as well as understanding it as a necessary thing. The abuser manipulates the mind of the victim to simultaneously think they are the greatest thing that has ever happened to the abuser, and that they are a terrible person who needs to be closely kept by the abuser. Do you see the average American here in the shadow of their abusive overlords?
Part of that manipulation relies on allies to back up the stories the abuser tells. So if those who believe they should be the ruling class in America want to maintain power over the sovereign citizens of America, they must convince them to abdicate their power unto them. They will need to be convinced they require protection from the would be ruling class, because they are too weak to defend themselves. In the middle of this, they will be told they cannot trust one another, because we can’t have victims speaking to victims about what they’ve been told. And the manipulations spiral on from there until the people are divided. That division is a long existing trench put in place prior to the close of the revolution that birthed the nation (slavery being the millstone on which that grain was ground).
Rugged individualism was a value that was employed to leverage the emotions of Americans. It has been wielded for generations, plucking the heartstrings with nostalgia of a time that exists only in stories. For, Americans never did anything without relying upon each other. Even when conquering the west, settlers leaned upon their groups, towns, and larger legions. Yet, it is spun that each family was headed by a tall silent patriarch who single-handedly carved out the ranch and defended against intruders (usually a person of color painted as a blood-thirsty savage, hell-bent on taking the rancher’s women). Why not just talk about cavemen bopping women over the head and dragging them back to a cave?
in·di·vid·u·al·ism (noun) : individualism
Regardless, the point is, that true individualism in the United States has been corrupted into men vying for power over one another. In each heart is held a deep suspicion that his neighbor will steal him blind if he lets his guard down but a moment. A cycle of abuse thus embeds itself into practically every niche of the culture.
Underlying this is the ideology of mammon, or the gaining of wealth for the sake of wealth. The United States has been here before, in the 1800s when robber barons ruled the day, and the train system was erected. It came after the turn of the century, too. Sectors of the populace believed it was a god given right to abuse the less fortunate and build wealth upon their backs, because that is a manly thing to do, both manly and aristocratic.
Boys don’t cry, you’re incapable of amassing wealth because you are weak, and other tall tales are tools of abusers. When such abuse is prolonged and as exhaustive as it has been in the United States, you are left with anger. This year has seen a devastating rise in the expression of that anger, especially among the white males of the nation, school shootings being the most visible locus. Yet, school shootings are not the prime materialization.
If one has spent any time at all on the internet, for instance, on Facebook or similar social media, then one would see the incessant abuse of strangers. The easiest place in which to see this flood of vitriol is in the comments section of any celebrity’s post. Another popular place is in the comments of feminist posts, as feminism is seen as threatening to the way of masculinity (although it seeks to simply put genders on equal footing with one another). These men claim they are preserving freedom (of action?). In truth, they are clawing at the power they wield over others instead of the freedom to choose for themselves. No longer is the desire to cooperate in an effort to achieve greatness together, as it has been replaced with repressive and angry compulsions to control.
Is it any wonder that with the rise of technology, when we are at our most connected state ever, it is being manipulated by those in power to keep us divided?
Thus, conservative elites, who pretend to emulate the greatest of American values, and the supposed liberals working beside them, exploit the people of this nation through savage bullying, and have broken the very meaning of republic.
Today on the blog I’ll be interviewing a very dark character from The Trailokya series: the Baron Morgentus. The baron is a danava of Jahannam, who rules over the Pit of Acheron in the province of Acheron. In his manifested form, he still resembles the engel he once was before burning down. However, his wings of sable have turned to leather and his alabaster skin has become cadaverous. The pale blue of his eyes pierce your mind, while you pray for the darkness within him to remain at bay. The scent of sulfur tinges the air. The baron seems put out to be with us today, the leather of his gloves rasping as he flexes. 
The takeaway of reading a novel has so many dimensions, of which, I think, we’re barely even aware of more than one or two. Most readers do so for entertainment. Beyond that is the gift of escape into a world different form one’s own. But, beyond that comes experiences that are unique to each reader. Certainly there will be commonalities, such as those who enjoy literary theory. Rarely does one think that reading fiction will give them insight into their own lives, or the world in which they live. Yet, literature does just that. 
As for my books, I hope that readers take away historical learning as well as new perspectives. Yes, I write historical fiction, but I take the time to ensure that the details are as correct as possible for the periods, and circumstances. The public relations officer at West Point was quite shocked that I had bothered to call to inquire about such specific things as times of year that students were in session, vacations, types of classes, living conditions and other factors that affected students in the late 1850s. I’m sure young women don’t call about these things much. He was extremely helpful, and I am appreciative to him for that. Those facts help make Blue Honor a richer and more historically accurate book.
Domestic Violence and other abuses can leave victims traumatized for life. The PTSD that affects assault survivors can show up immediately or years down the road—when something triggers their memory. That’s why my site carries a warning on the books. If you’re not ready to read the material, please wait for when you are. Writing the series was not easy, and reading such scenes could pose a difficult task for those unprepared.
A: Dominic adjusts his body in the chair and for a moment there is a recognizable apprehension. He flashes that sideways, boyish grin I’m sure charms the pants off his wife. That’s uh-a loaded question. He laughs. Mai is a fantastic mom and she’s a dedicated guardian. We don’t always have as much time as I’d like, but when we do, it’s quality time. She likes to watch me paint and we cool out at the spring. It’s nice. Quiet. Real homey.
A: He becomes pensive, and sadness fringes his eyes. A lack of surety creates a false start. He snickers it off and finally responds. His jade eyes are a bit hard, and I’m sure I’ve stumbled on a contentious topic. I’ll be back with the guys, but I don’t have to give up painting. Unfortunately part of up-cycling is becoming a kid again. That’s gonna be weird, being the same age as my boys for a bit, and wanting to be with my wife. At least, I’ll have parents again and I hope this time they don’t leave me. Growing up at the barracks wasn’t exactly a dream. The guys in the order can be cold despite what—all that sun shit. Yeah, I’m gonna miss my wife, and I think that’s probably the bigger thing.
Q: You and your wife are both quite sure of yourselves. Maiel replied to one of my questions, and I quote: My contributions are on record, and I have been ordered a penance for my disobedience to rank by General Mikhael himself. One must also consider that I was able to return a fallen member of my order, something that was not accomplished in the two-thousand years he roamed Earth. I’d have expected a contingent to be deployed to Samsara sooner. My life is getting back on track and any doubts I once harbored in my commanders or the king are all resolved. When I pressed her, she simply nodded that everything is great again. Does it bother you that she went through this, and do you trust her efforts anymore on your behalf?
Q: The conflict?
