The sixth republic is quite young still, and many things are still settling out. How to keep the scum happy and engaged, and on a path out of their scummy swamp is a major topic of concern and debate among the real world people. After they managed, almost accidentally, to dissolve the fourth republic, and the fifth failed quickly amidst anger, conflict, and hate, we realized that some of the basic ideals — never quite realized — from the fourth republic might be what are needed. It’s easy for real world people to imagine realistically; formulating an attainable goal from a purely mental state. But the scum do not have the necessary grounding between those states and reality.
It’s a matter for long research, probably, to discover whether that disconnection suffered by the scum might be induced, or is an innate deficiency; a peculiar variety of disability. Even knowing the progression of the problem, and it certainly exists in many degrees of intensity, the question will remain how to best address it. It is at least recognized now for what it is; that is one of the founding principles of the sixth republic. The solution, if there can even be one, is elusive. The most extreme end of the spectrum has been recognized for centuries, and maybe more, and in the past was dealt with cruelly and ineffectively by isolation. It was called, in those days, “institutionalization”, “hospitalization,” and the like, and in some eras was accomanied by overmedication of the worst kind. But those old attempts to address the problem grew out of the hierarchical thinking and reflexive resort to force and compulsion that were typical then.
It’s still a struggle, but the real world people of the sixth republic seem to have largely left those rubrics behind, finally. Or if not “finally,” we can hope that it will last a good long time.
Cypher and I were in the back yard last evening when, at dusk, visitors arrived. Dusk is their usual time. I think it’s because the world itself becomes misted and indistinct, and the nightward dark world has not yet fully formed to take its own crystallized shape. Cypher was aware well before I was, as always. When the porch chimes began to software ring I was already prepared. I had seen Cypher’s stance a moment before she came to prod me to alertness. She does not like visitors, and knows there are some that pose a danger. When she is with me outside at dusk it’s unusual for visitors to arrive, because she poses a certain danger to them as well, if they provoke her accidentally. Last evening Cypher was simply alert but calm, and I saw that was likely because d’Liesl had come. There were others with her, I think, but I can never quite make them out. d’Liesl was as clear to me as ever. The word “clear” is not quite right, but there are certainties about d’Liesl that are strangely entangled with the uncertainties. In the moment I recognize her voice and face and touch, and I have clarity in my mind about her identity and benign intentions, and her hope. But what I have in my mind, however clear, is never quite a picture. Her hair, if it is hair, is short and silver or gray…but how short I cannot conjure up, and her face, which I know absolutely to be her, does not seem to be something I can recall in any detail. It’s like something seen in peripheral vision, even though when she visits, she is front and center. It remains a mystery and I am content with that.
Last evening d’Liesl arrived to deliver a message, of sorts. This has been my experience with her visits thus far. Her messages are not delivered in words, but I can put words to them later. This was only the second time Cypher has been present during one of d’Liesl’s visits, but d’Liesl may somehow convey a message to Cypher as well. I can only judge by Cypher’s attitude and behavior, which was much like greeting a friend. Cypher does not offer her friendship easily, but d’Liesl received it immediately, and without any overt actions I could perceive. Another mystery. The message I received was about what I would describe as “rightness.” I can only guess about the subject, but I take it as agreement about the direction we are trying to pursue with the sixth republic. I would carry this message to my colleagues except that I have never spoken of d’Liesl to them. Or to anyone, in fact. That my back yard is a visited place, and that one of the visitors is d’Liesl, I have never shared. It is only for these private entries, which I do not intend to be read. What I can share is optimism and hope. Those can be in short supply after the terrible ends of the fourth and fifth republics, so those who still remain need as many such sentiments as can be found.
