Navigating Our Modern Oz: The Quest for Heart, Mind, and Courage

Amidst the chaos of our modern Oz, a look through the lens of authenticity reveals the inherent power to find our way home.

Jun 20, 2025

Emerald City, A Modern Oz with Golden Road - Image AI Generated (You cannot critique what you have not exlored.)

Today’s world continues to whirl with and without our permission. One week we're witnessing joyous parades and fervent protests, the next we're reeling from violent shootings involving infants, and suddenly the specter of international conflict looms (or doesn't). If you're feeling tired, exhausted, and utterly out of sorts, know that you are not alone, and frankly, no one should be surprised. This sense of being bewildered and overwhelmed, of feeling "thrown" into a world not of our making, is perhaps a fundamental experience of our human existence, our Dasein (Heidegger), today.

As I’ve tried to work my mind around this relentless onslaught, I keep coming back to a striking, almost haunting, analogy: we’re all in Oz. And the parallels to our current societal and political reality are, frankly, chillingly precise.

Think about it. We have the guiding figures and those who cast long shadows. On one side, those genuinely striving for societal betterment, advocating for justice, progress, and compassion, attempting to guide us with earnest intentions. On the other hand, those whose actions sow division, exploit anxieties, or prioritize narrow interests over collective well-being create environments of tension and despair, each with its domain of influence and challenging tactics. You’ll recognize the witches in both of these - though which is the good one is a matter less clear than in novels and movies.

Then there's the figure, once a towering, booming voice of authority and wisdom, who is now increasingly exposed as something less than advertised. Whether it's the opaque machinations of political or corporate machines, the obscured influences of powerful special interests, or the carefully constructed facades of charismatic figures, there's a growing sense that the real power dynamics are not always as they appear. We're left squinting at the screen, trying to discern the reality behind the carefully curated image, wondering if the answers we seek are truly just a powerful entity pulling levers. This "curtain" isn't a theoretical "veil of ignorance" designed to foster impartiality, but rather a practical veil of obfuscation, hiding the true nature of power and decision-making. This constant struggle to peel back the layers of concealment, to seek out the genuine unconcealment of truth (what the Greeks called Aletheia), feels like a defining task of our time. The "curtain" could be the algorithms that shape our news feeds, the complex financial flows, or simply the sheer complexity that makes genuine understanding feel perpetually out of reach. Here, our "Wizard" stands as a symbol of concealed power.

And the flying monkeys? Oh, they are everywhere. These aren't inherently malevolent creatures, as the Oz lore tells us, but rather powerful forces bound to the will of their current master. In our current landscape, these are the highly organized, fiercely loyal, and often unthinking cadres of advocates, online echo chambers, and influence groups. When commanded by a self-serving agenda, they swoop in to dismantle, disrupt, and overwhelm dissent, whether through online harassment, aggressive political tactics, or the rapid spread of information and misinformation. They are the instruments of a leader's or ideology's will, capable of great impact when serving any commanding force. The chilling part is realizing that, depending on who is "the keeper of the cap" — the figure or ideology currently holding influence — these same forces could theoretically be redirected. These are our "flying monkeys."

The vast populace, the everyday citizens, often feel helpless and voiceless amidst the grand battles waged by others. They are the ones navigating the daily impact of policies and societal shifts, yearning for simple peace and stability, and often easily swayed or momentarily thrilled by the perceived vanquishing of an opposing force, only to realize new challenges emerge. Their collective experience, living largely in the realm of "idle talk", “protest and walk away”, or passively accepting "how one does things," reflects what Heidegger termed "fallenness" – where individual authenticity is superceded by a "they-self" (das Man) or collective we. This is the experience of the "munchkins."

And, of course, some are the celebratory, perhaps overly optimistic, segments of the population. These are the fervent supporters, the true believers who celebrate every small victory, every perceived advancement of their cause (whichever cause), often with unbridled joy.

Their enthusiasm is genuine, but sometimes their perspective remains localized, perhaps missing the broader, more complex landscape of Oz. They are our modern "Lollipop [Tech/Political Party/Other] Guild."

It really feels like we are on our own bizarre, unpredictable journey down a winding yellow brick road paved with gold, with each turn bringing a new and terrible challenge. But we are also navigating it without our heart, our mind, and our courage broadly engaged. It’s a lonely road with companions equally incomplete. We are not Dorothy, since we are bereft of what we most need from ourselves and others. Or as Glinda puts it, “You've always had the power, my dear." And what is the power - the power to determine outcomes and make choices, to act, even within the culture of chaos.

Our challenge, then, is the same as Dorothy's: we don’t have to leave Oz to find our way back to a stable, understandable "Kansas” we recognize. Instead, we must individually and collectively find our heart, tap into our critical mind, and summon our courage in these moments, no longer relying on wizards and witches, or even the Guild, and be willing to step into our own power.

This is our path towards authenticity, towards truly "owning" our existence rather than being swept along by those seeking harm. It is, in essence, the pursuit of human flourishing and living a life well-lived, grounded in virtuous action and purpose (in philosophy, eudaimonia).

Heart: To reconnect with empathy, to remember our shared humanity, and to feel the suffering of others beyond our immediate echo chambers. To genuinely care about the outcomes for all, not just our preferred group. To listen to opposing thoughts and views to understand first.
Mind: To engage in critical thinking, to seek truth beyond partisan narratives, to understand complexity, and to resist the easy answers offered by the "wizard" behind the curtain. To use reason to navigate the bewildering landscape of information and misinformation.
Courage: To speak truth to power, to stand up for what is right even when it's unpopular, to persist in civic engagement despite exhaustion, and to face down the flying monkeys, no matter who commands them. To be brave enough to demand accountability and to work towards a better reality, even when the path is uncertain and terrifying.

Until we, the collective Dorothy, cultivate these essential qualities, we risk remaining trapped in this bewildering, overwhelming Oz, forever seeking a way home that only we can only find together, as we walk arm in arm along the yellow brick road to our strength and purpose — dodging witches, flying monkeys, and Guilds (parties, Big Tech, and others), refusing to put our faith in whatever (or whoever) lies beyond the curtain.

Dorothy's ruby slippers - Image AI Generated (You cannot critique what you have not explored.)

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Navigating Our Modern Oz: The Quest for Heart, Mind, and Courage

Amidst the chaos of our modern Oz, a look through the lens of authenticity reveals the inherent power to find our way home.

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