A kind of gaslighting ...

You may have heard of Gaslighting. Even experienced it.
It happens at all levels, though mostly known in abusive relationships between two humans.
Cults practise it. The Once True Faith, for example.
The method is to start in a consensual version of reality. Please note, these vary widely.
We are far from Ultimate Reality. ..whatever that is.

In Covid 19 reality the consensus was consistent, more or less, across the uberconnected world.
WHO maybe holding the centre in health terms.
Best to speak of UK version, since that's the one experienced here.
After a brief flirtation with Natural Immunity, Community Immunity or, crucially, Herd Immunity, the PM and his Svengali, were forced to retrench.
Herd is the technical term, but sounds cold and clinical. People don't want to be called a herd.
Tories not well known for compassion, public schoolboys tend to have it beaten out of them.

The media love a controversy. No editor wants a fluffy bunny story. Or only for a little balance anyway.

Draconian measures were required. Martial Law. Lord Sumption warned of slide to a Police State.

The gaslight went very dim in one go ...

PM and advisor retreated to near martyrdom, long enough to escape the mayhem, as hapless ministers floundered. Handcock, Raab, Patel ... only the Chancellor sounding on his brief, maybe. Others authoritarian, compromised, deferring to compromised scientific advisors, notably Ferguson, now shifted offstage.

PM returned, recently. Bringer of freedom. Hooray! VE Day!

Gaslight goes up a touch. We are grateful, though many fearful ones resist. "We scared them shitless" in the immortal words of unnamed Tory MP.

PM and subliminal messengers plan a gradual return to normality by October.
Will we remember how that looked in March?
Could we instead move outdoors beyond the gaslight?
Climb to the sunlight uplands?
Higher, deeper, clearer still?

Outdoor exercise is unrestricted now, thanks to our gracious leader.
We are grateful. Doubtless another warm spell will arrive before Autumn returns.
Freedom is not conditional.
Resistance is the duty of a free person.

Stanhope continues to exhibit the very best of humanity.

Also, sometimes, the worst. Scrawled signs go up advising "Visitors Not Welcome", Resistance turns them round. Nobody is shot. Some peaceful country folk seem to forget that they go to the City for emergency treatment, and not only that virus. That's where the Visitors live. Where the Covid threat is greater. That's why they come here for respite. Let's hope they don't reciprocate.

Nature flourishes despite the drought. It's not the Sahara here.

VE Day went well. Popped in to a street party in a village back street. Some bunting, tea, scones, wine, convivial chat ... at 2 metres, more or less.

Risky haircut before that, on Wesak, proper Buddhist look.

Stay alert. Question everything. Be kind.