Caitlin Johnstone ~ In this dystopia we party downstream from the abuses of the empire

In this dystopia we party downstream from the abuses of the empire like the ravers dancing by the concentration camp on October 7.

We have Jerry Springer-style shows where people who are upset about genocide shout back and forth with people who are enthusiastic about genocide.

We plug our ears into streaming services to drown out the screams and eat snacks to drown out the smell from the black smoke stacks.

We scroll on screens through alternating images of skeletal children and algorithmically boosted celebrity gossip and mutilated bodies and AI art.

We exchange meaningless inanities at social events and fight off the urge to clutch each other tightly and whisper about the terrifying things that are happening to our ecosystem.

We stare at western officials saying peace is preferable but both sides both sides both sides while masturbating furiously behind their podiums.

We stare at pundits saying sure children deserve to eat but Hamas Hamas do you condemn Hamas.

We go to demonstrations and take selfies and hold up signs which say “I oppose this so long as it doesn’t disrupt my lifestyle in any meaningful way”.

We watch the lights go out in Gaza and watch the light go out in ourselves.

We pray to gods we don’t believe in for a future we don’t deserve.

We dance by the concentration camp absolutely certain that this is entirely sustainable.

In this dystopia we drift along with the current and ignore the growing roar up ahead.

Reading by Tim Foley, painting by Caitlin Johnstone.