“Chaos paralysis”: like choice paralysis, except with added widespread misery and panic.

There’s been a noticeable gap in my updates here on Substack. This isn’t unusual on any social media space really. Some folks just don’t have much to say. And that’s ok.

But, for better or worse, I do have a lot to say. I have thoughts and ideas, perspectives, and in small narrow field, tangible knowledge and lived experience that I wish to share through this space. And yet for the last couple of weeks it’s been radio silence from me. So, what happened?

The strategy, the design of chaos that was so carefully crafted by the current administration, worked on me. It worked really well. Hour by hour, the constant hurricane of executive orders and legislative manoeuvres, the orchestrated chaos thrown at the Department of Education, at the National Science Foundation, at Homeland Security and so many more. The barrage is designed to confuse the opposition and silence dissent, to create a sense of hopelessness and passive acceptance. And it’s worked exceptionally well so far.

Rather than leap into action and formulate and build the necessary support systems and mechanism that my family, my staff, and my students need to navigate the next four years, instead I was paralysed, like millions of others across the US. How do I respond to *all this*…

And, honestly, I’m still kind of stuck. I don’t have a plan. All I can do right now is look to the most venerable people I can help, protect and advocate for, and do exactly that. One most frustrating elements of this paralysing chaos is the lack of cohesive resistance. We’re a month into this new direction for the United States, and only in the few days has there been any kind of organised legislative response from opposition lawmakers. This adds to the sense of hopelessness- right now the resistance is rudderless.

So, I’ll keep talking to my kids, my wife, colleagues and students - listening to the fears that paralyse them, and using whatever resources and influence I have to protect them from the storm.

Resistance isn’t futile, it’s just a little slow out of the gate.