How A Famous World War II Slogan Infected Us With Apathy
"The child is grown, The dream is gone, I have become comfortably numb" - Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb⭐
In 1939, the British government commissioned the production of three posters in the event of war that "would reassure the public by stressing the certainty of ultimate victory and emphasizing that the whole community was committed to the war effort".
Back then, people responsible for coining the slogans knew how vital it was to choose the correct wording that would inspire the British public to keep going during difficult times.
And they decided that Keep Calm and Carry On was unsuitable and therefore never published during the war.
The reasoning behind that decision isn't entirely clear, but perhaps the idea of keeping calm while facing annihilation wasn't helpful advice to ignite the nation's resistance and fighting spirit.
Fast forward to the 21st century, one of the old sample copies of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster re-emerged and morphed into a worldwide British icon cult slogan that has influenced our collective psyche more than we realize.
After all, a slogan is meant to skilfully manipulate our hearts and minds for a certain purpose without us noticing.
While Keep Calm and Carry On was deemed too lame to win a war, we are today finding ourselves in a world where we fight several wars on all kinds of levels - climate change, cost of living crisis, misinformation that is mostly benefitting fascist psycho movements around the world, and real wars on battlefields, too, that will determine our world order for decades to come.
With Keep Calm and Carry On floating around in our subconscious, are we going to win?
When that slogan reappeared again around 2009, we were navigating the financial crisis that was caused by greedy bankers.
The British nation kept calm and carried on while those bankers ultimately got away with it.
Remember Covid? The majority of the British people while supporting their bumbling clown PM just kept calm and carried on creating a mental health crisis and excess cancer deaths.
And today, people continue to keep calm and carry on
Scrolling mindlessly through their social media feeds
falling so easily for lies and misinformation
Just doing their own thing
Living in denial
Being selfish
Avoid putting in some effort to improve their lives
Opting for easy, automatic and effortless
Perhaps that sounds a bit harsh, but it's worthwhile thinking about it. How have people become so docile?
There is no such thing as Keep Calm and Carry On in France, which may explain the protests erupting about the pension reform.
Meanwhile in Britain, raising the pension age will be a doddle for any government.
Or will it?
Perhaps it's time to change the narrative.
Let me tell you, which slogans actually helped Britain win the war:
Freedom is in Peril; Defend it with all Your Might
A timely reminder from the past that this is still the case today and will always be. We must never be complacent. Defend it with all your Might - there’s a powerful energy in these six words.
Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory
We all need more courage and resolution to dare, be bold and get out of our comfort zones while not losing hope and optimism.
How can we all incorporate these two slogans in our lives to wake up from our apathy?
What small steps can you take that will improve your life and over time contribute towards healing the world?
Shifting attitudes and beliefs in a new direction won't happen overnight, but awareness is a good start.
How has my mind shifted over the last two years?
I'm in the process of cutting my possessions by half, giving most of it to charity. In return, I'm feeling lighter and more free every day.
I've totally overhauled my diet, ditching red meat, sugar, alcohol and processed foods for good. I cook with fresh simple ingredients mostly vegetarian and vegan. I feel less depressed and anxious but fitter, happier and more energetic.
I've said goodbye to social media, only occasionally posting on Instagram. I'm mostly on Substack and Medium. No more FOMO and overwhelm.
I no longer buy stuff without thinking carefully about it. Do I really need it? 99% the answer is NO. That has saved me tons of money.
This has also helped me eliminate my debt. I'm no longer depending on the mercy of interest rates that make greedy bankers rich.
I've decided to work for a company again four days a week after many years of freelance work, and I'm loving it. If you love your 9 - 5 job, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Chasing that "six-figure income being your own boss" is just overrated hustle BS.
Now that I'm getting older (haha), I find myself exercising every day to maintain muscle and cardio strength. There's a care crisis in the UK, and I don't want to depend on it if I manage to get to old age. I've seen a lot of suffering as a care worker. While we don't know what the future holds in terms of our health, there is plenty we can do to reduce risks.
I've discovered barefoot shoes and now can't stop walking😂🤩
My curiosity in recent months has been drifting towards exploring science, technology, social capitalism, humanity, and sustainable living alternatives as represented by the solarpunk movement. My current deep dive read on substack: The Elysian🥰
My spirituality, including my tarot work, has always been grounded in reality, but after having spent the last 18 years amongst “psychics, pseudo and angel healers” I have turned my back on the “spiritual community” that has managed to be so gullible to fake news, scams, lies, and malicious misinformation. I don’t know why, but perhaps a deep belief in anything religious, superstitious, and dodgy new age fads - especially during uncertain and worrying times - seems to make people fall for anything.
Tell me, how are you changing your narrative to transform your life? What are the slogans that you live by? Post a comment below, I'd love to hear from you💚
✨NEWS & INSPO✨
Check out new additions to my pre-loved tarot deck selection in my UK shop. Buying second-hand is not only cheaper but also more sustainable🌼
Follow me on Medium, where I write about my minimalist journey, if this is a topic that interests you🙏
On YouTube, I enjoy Austin's wisdom, whose channel is all about money, freedom, and the simple life🌈
Now that summer is on its way, I love listening to the Bossa Chill Playlist on Spotify🌞
Last but not least, living the Tarot can be fun and insightful🦄
Until next time,