Transmogrification of a Fickle Beast

Transmogrification huh? Big word. I know what you are thinking. But it is the appropriate word, it embodies the meaning of what this post is about – ‘to change or alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect.’ Thank you, Daniel Webster Dictionary, it is a word I use a lot but needed a little help getting the definition accurate. To me it’s a messy change, much of the time it takes a realization, an awakening so to speak. This makes it feel very scary, beastly, uncomfortable. I have been hearing a lot of things about speech, freedom, lies, and just plain old meanness on social media. This inspired me to rant a little. Let my fickle beast see the light of day.

We all have one, the fright factor of our personal beast, depends on how much we tend to it. How much we take the time to train it. The beast within all of us, transmogrifies frequently- its fur gets ruffled and it smashes its fists- reminding us of its presence. It stomps loudly as it paces, deciphering unkind words and harsh language. It tells a few jokes to satisfy our need for snarkiness and sarcasm. Yet, it for most of us, they do not react without a reason- sometimes unidentified, but it follows our lead. Sometimes we need it to rumble from within us, rattle its cage, profoundly to enter us into battle. 

But when we need it to abate, how can we calm it and keep it from destroying us from the inside? How can our voice amplify our opinion and point of view without shaking everyone around us into a frenzy? 

Maybe you want it to rumble and quake, sometimes it needs to, to protect us. But most of us, daily, want to speak our truth in productive conversations and avoid the hall of beasts. Can we transmogrify our beast- more importantly, spark transformation in the beasts of others?

It’s time to wake up from this- the over-crowded, the hall of beasts. Each, pushing out a little further on the wall of decency. It’s time to change from reactive to responsive. Mission me, to mission us. Is this type of alteration, rebirth a reality? Not just a mutation but morgrification, a big, frequent change that's so absurd it’s funny or so painful its monstrous, malformed, aberrant. This type of transfiguration will look contorted, misshaped and bazaar. It will take such a shift that it will not be smooth and natural. It will be brutal, fierce and bestial. It takes a lot of energy to tame a herd of barbarians. But we know from history, that indeed they can be conquered. The problem with the hall of beasts though, is it takes a defeat of hatred, prejudice, misogyny and so many other aspects that haunt human nature.

Changing from one form to another is growth, aging, maturity. But it can also be ‘crossing over to the dark side’ or losing ourselves in something that is not healthy for us. This transmogrification can be slow and methodical, undetectable. But, when it happens suddenly, the sheer force of it causes a rupture, tearing the flesh of decency, putting a fracture in the common sense and respect most people hang on to. Placing over the beast a sticky film, coating its fur with droplets of coarseness, crudity and offense. 

Whether the shift is positive or negative, it causes damage and unfortunately it is already happening. So combat it, a mindset must be altered, and this is often the most difficult of upheavals-a recognition and acceptance of personal transmogrification. It is not ‘them’ that need to change, but we ourselves. Negative speech is never going to go away. Cruelty and ‘superiority complexes’ are embedded in humanity. What we must do, is accept this and find out how to navigate through it.

Free speech, flow of information, independent thought, this is what makes America and so many other countries around the globe, great. But in those regions where it is stunted or absent, the hall of beasts is over-crowded, as ours is reaching its capacity. If we submerse ourselves in a bubble of opinion that only matches our own- we are allowing the beast to awaken without purpose, allowing it to get a foothold. We are creating a situation where we become ignorant. Not necessarily of truth or fact, science or opinion, but of the big picture. If we feel we have all the information sussed out, then we accept our reality without a voice or dissent. Is everything in the media unbiased? No. Is everything on the Internet, or social media accurate and truthful? No.

But both platforms are insightful. The beasts wants you to think that ‘them’, those people over there, are trying to trick you. The beast wants you to think they are telling lies and innuendo- so you ignore them or sometimes fight back with a negativity. The beasts wants to keep you in flux, keep you uncertain. Our beast is getting overtaken by the crowd. But, if we venture to the border at least, peek over the fence, maybe we will see and hear an alternate perspective. 

We will notice they many of 'them' are in the same place of confusion. Not all, some are cruel, some choose to use words as a weapon because it empowers them. But most people are in a constant state of overload.

This new information can help us understand their drive, reasons, motivation. Now don’t misunderstand me, I do not think society has delineated lines of us and them, they are flexible borders, often temporary depending on the discourse, but we as humans group based on similarity, thus their thoughts are similar and different from our own, so we sometimes harden these borders, without patience or clarity to guide us in a more fruitful way.

We see an opposition an opposite and this often is the stigma that causes the beasts to battle. So, it becomes us and them. If we take a moment to notice their ‘camp’ has tents and a campfire just like ours we see, we are not all that different after all. We have a central vision, a common idea, goal based on the opinions around us. When we plug our ears and hum over the deluge of negativity and dishonesty, we miss this comparison. We miss the positive, open-minded discourse that many in the other camp are shouting. They just often get snuffed out by the louder negative ones. When we fail to listen, we stay ignorant of the big picture.

Its like a sticky film covering our emotion and intuitive drive- it halts progress- it traps us in the quagmire in which those who want us blind, prefer us to stay. People are mean. You know every now and then your beast rears its ugly head. It can sometimes be unavoidable- outbursts expected. 

There are bullies, trolls, naysayers who actively seek to harm and undermine. It sucks but unless they threaten, they have the right to think and say their hateful speech. We have the privilege to ignore them. Violence spawn’s violence. Anger flames anger and resentment- and as humans we feel we need to retaliate verbally or physically. This usually happens because we are caught unaware- our beast hears the information and reacts before we have time to process it. But if we listen, really pay attention, we will be more in tune with the chaotic, influx of information. We will be able to understand why 'they' are so angry, why 'we' are so angry, so we can negate the negativity with a plan. A plan of personal responsibility because this is the only thing, we have control over.

Listening to multiple points of view, really listening, is the only way we can prepare ourselves so we can ignore or nudge the conversation. We are not all orators of destiny. Most of us try to stay on the bright side, stay optimistic, but also stay clear of the hall of beasts. We want to participate without spite or malice in return. If we understand the motivation of those who do not think the way we do, we can use language they can relate to, rather than add fuel to the fire. Hate runs deep, disgruntled rhetoric travels faster than mindful dialogue. To steer clear, we must look at the bullies head on- feel angry, even hurt and attacked, but we need to return a shot across the bow with conciseness, focus and maybe a little witty banter thrown in for good measure. This will throw them off guard and we in return won’t be shamed by our beast. Instead maybe even a bit respected by our restraint and candor.

It all starts with a transmogrification, a sharp, bitter truth. Staying mindful and open-minded keeps your beast aware, on up against a corner in the hall of beasts. It will keep your beast more focused. But for others gearing up their beast for battle is what comes naturally. We can not silence the hall of beasts- it is far too noisy, rambunctious and cantankerous. We must have ‘thick skin.’ Yes, I hate this turn of phrase too, it seems like a band-aid, it will not protect us for more than an afternoon on the playground. But, paying attention to our beast, transforming our reaction is what we have direct control over. 

This in effect will be like ‘thicker skin’ because we will survive getting pierced, bruised, and may even have multiple abrasions from the words of others, but our beast will be at the ready with some first aid. Our beast sometimes loud, often prickly and fickle- but in the end, is our frame of mind, our voice, our individuality and transmogrification hopefully, is inevitable. This transformation of sorts, will keep the conversation going even in the most troubling of times. It will keep us sane and focused in these troubling times.