Overcoming hostility in our culture and relationships should be our main societal goal, yes, above viruses, economy, or climate. The alternative is collapse, and a collapsed society can do nothing.
Oh God, yes, I'm concerned about society unraveling, about certain people being demonized, and the general atmosphere of lies and fearmongering going on!
James, I agree with everything you wrote in this piece. But reading it makes me feel despair and nausea. I'm the sole covid "unbeliever" in my family. They believe every last lie they've been fed, and have if anything become even more psychotically terrified over the past two-plus years than they were at the beginning of the "pandemic." They are fanatic, Kool-Aid-drinking, true believers of the Covid Cult. As I contemplate trying to communicate with them, all I can think of is how desperately sick they make me, and how much they hate me for not adopting their worldview. That's bad enough, but I also live in an area evidently dominated by people just like them: the San Francisco Bay Area. These people are not reachable for discussion or rational human interaction. I consider them my enemies, because they are my enemies.
Yep, I know what you mean. It has been a heartbreaking time, watching friends and family descend into media-induced madness and cultish slavery. And when they suddenly turn up aiming slogans at you that they were obviously taught on CNN, such as "denier" "conspiracy theorist" "antivaxxer", etc. It is hurtful. I imagine the SF area is a nightmare of such folk, hence the diaspora away from such places. If relocating to a more rural existence is not an option for you, I would encourage you to try to find like-minded folks there, perhaps in a Meetup group or something. There are probably more than you think, and they probably think they are alone and surrounded by nothing but fanatics, too. It's amazing what a single human connection can do for your spirit and courage.
My heart is broken right now by a traumatic, painful experience I had recently having to do with an old, sick, suffering dog who I helped to leave his body. I'm going to write about this agonizing experience, and post it on Substack as my first post. I'm sure it's not something many people will be interested in reading, but I don't care about that. It's what I need and want to write about. I've already been writing about it for the past several weeks, but not in the form of an essay. I've written several letters to my siblings and their spouses about it. I'll use some of what I wrote in those letters and add more.
Really sorry to hear that. I know the pain of losing a furry companion. The passing of my dog still stands as one of the most painful experiences of my life. Yes, write what your heart needs to say, regardless of audience.
Thank you. I will. This poor, wretched, pathetic, suffering creature wasn't technically my dog. (He was my dog in terms of his emotional attachment to me, though. He couldn't bear to be separated from me toward the end of his wretched life.) He was technically (legally) owned by my hateful, sadistic, cruel, psychotic, demented, narcissistic, arrogant, egocentric, ugly, hideous, disgusting father. I hope you'll read what I write about this horrific experience when I post it. It'll probably take me at least a week or so to write the essay and then publish it on Substack, despite the fact that I've been writing about it intermittently for several weeks already.
Oh God, yes, I'm concerned about society unraveling, about certain people being demonized, and the general atmosphere of lies and fearmongering going on!
James, I agree with everything you wrote in this piece. But reading it makes me feel despair and nausea. I'm the sole covid "unbeliever" in my family. They believe every last lie they've been fed, and have if anything become even more psychotically terrified over the past two-plus years than they were at the beginning of the "pandemic." They are fanatic, Kool-Aid-drinking, true believers of the Covid Cult. As I contemplate trying to communicate with them, all I can think of is how desperately sick they make me, and how much they hate me for not adopting their worldview. That's bad enough, but I also live in an area evidently dominated by people just like them: the San Francisco Bay Area. These people are not reachable for discussion or rational human interaction. I consider them my enemies, because they are my enemies.
Yep, I know what you mean. It has been a heartbreaking time, watching friends and family descend into media-induced madness and cultish slavery. And when they suddenly turn up aiming slogans at you that they were obviously taught on CNN, such as "denier" "conspiracy theorist" "antivaxxer", etc. It is hurtful. I imagine the SF area is a nightmare of such folk, hence the diaspora away from such places. If relocating to a more rural existence is not an option for you, I would encourage you to try to find like-minded folks there, perhaps in a Meetup group or something. There are probably more than you think, and they probably think they are alone and surrounded by nothing but fanatics, too. It's amazing what a single human connection can do for your spirit and courage.
I know you're right. Thank you.
My heart is broken right now by a traumatic, painful experience I had recently having to do with an old, sick, suffering dog who I helped to leave his body. I'm going to write about this agonizing experience, and post it on Substack as my first post. I'm sure it's not something many people will be interested in reading, but I don't care about that. It's what I need and want to write about. I've already been writing about it for the past several weeks, but not in the form of an essay. I've written several letters to my siblings and their spouses about it. I'll use some of what I wrote in those letters and add more.
Really sorry to hear that. I know the pain of losing a furry companion. The passing of my dog still stands as one of the most painful experiences of my life. Yes, write what your heart needs to say, regardless of audience.
Thank you. I will. This poor, wretched, pathetic, suffering creature wasn't technically my dog. (He was my dog in terms of his emotional attachment to me, though. He couldn't bear to be separated from me toward the end of his wretched life.) He was technically (legally) owned by my hateful, sadistic, cruel, psychotic, demented, narcissistic, arrogant, egocentric, ugly, hideous, disgusting father. I hope you'll read what I write about this horrific experience when I post it. It'll probably take me at least a week or so to write the essay and then publish it on Substack, despite the fact that I've been writing about it intermittently for several weeks already.
I will. Sounds like it will be a powerful piece!