Mafia State Survival: Your Questions Answered

Thank you, subscribers, for your thoughtful questions! I answered most of them and tried to address the main points of the rest. For more, check out this interview I did on the Mark Thompson Show. Mark has many of the same concerns that you do.

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Elizabeth L: I have two wonderful, thoughtful, intelligent grown sons (31 and 29) and an equally wonderful daughter in law. I am struggling with how to manage the enormous waves of grief, rage, and terror that wash over me when I think of what the future holds for them — even what the present world is like for them —without making their lives worse as a result. I will not lie to them, but I also don't want them to be crushed by my anger, despair, and fear. Do you have any suggestions from your own experience as a mother, about how to be honest without making them bear the weight of everything I am feeling?

SK: This question got upvoted more than any other. Several commenters expressed similar concerns. There is no set answer because everyone is different. But there are a few universals. Tell your children you love them and that you have their back. We live in an era marked by profound abandonment and betrayal from institutions: government, media, technology. It is a predatory society. Young people — all people — need unconditional love and support. It matters a great deal, much more than material things. You can provide that. When all else is stolen, this stays in your control. No one can take it away.

As my children get older, it’s harder to talk with them about the future. When they were small, I felt protective. As my oldest prepares to leave home, I feel afraid. I’ve tried to make sure they have a strong sense of self and activities they enjoy no matter what. My daughter wants to be a professional musician, which is hard even in normal times. Once I asked her ...