Threads of Order / by Alexander Lyadov

When one's familiar life is scratched by the sandpaper side of Chaos, even though one is alive, nothing is the same anymore. Not immediately, but the experience of what has happened catches up, which is expressed in distracted attention, gloomy perception, and loss of strength. The last thing one wants to do is to do chores like farming, sports, or business tasks. One thinks: "Eh, maybe skip today." But that's exactly what you can't do.

When the amount of Chaos around, and therefore within, is increasing, the only defense against it is to preserve Order at all costs. I have heard that even in the most difficult circumstances it is important to take care of one’s body and appearance, and not to wave: “It doesn’t matter now. Down-to-earth rituals, besides their hygienic meaning, have a symbolic meaning. After all, what separates a man from an animal is the smallest thing-the ability to realize who he is and what kind of filth he is in. Even if he is immersed up to his ears, the very fact of being conscious of “me-in-itself” does not allow the dirt to stain his soul.

Otherwise, one can sink, get hurt, get infected, or go crazy pretty quickly. Chaos’ strike is like the fall of the first domino knuckle in a (supposedly) stable chain of being. One failure pulls another, and soon one finds oneself at the very bottom of the well. The Matthew effect is interpreted in terms of class inequality, but it also applies to the individual-environment relationship: “To those who have everything, more will be given; from those who have nothing, everything will be taken.” This effect works for good when rebalancing occurs so that the excess of chaos does not burn up the fuse and the excess of order does not suffocate.

But that’s for later. In the meantime, it is necessary to lean on something. Fortunately, there is something at hand. You just have to keep your habitual ritual from disintegrating, saving one “little thing”, another “trifle”, and a third “nonsense”.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander


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