San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood is known for its eclectic nature. Interesting old (mostly small) homes here have collected interesting folks. Several years ago my wife and I mounted an old fruit crate on stakes as a “Book Box”. Then we added a “Pooch Water” station (complete with a dogbone welcome sign.) And last year we added a small cork billboard. And those bits have made all the difference. Every day a dozen or more neighbors, singly or in small groups stop to peruse, refresh, and chat. The books are largely donations. The water is kept cool and clean. The board holds messages of hope, reminders (to vote, etc), and occasionally outright politics. Even the local crow gang and squirrel get a daily handful of peanuts. Community blossoms.
Thank you. As a woman deeply concerned about our democracy and the state of public education in this country, I have been quite concerned about where I should put my energy. I have even questioned whether the validity of voting in this red state where bitter animosity reigns. This writing has not answered the question but has helped me to envision that I am part of a thoughtful surge of those looking for where their action is most needed.
This is a beautiful piece, and much needed - thank you, Jared. To be honest, I'm 61 years of age and only recently - thanks in great part to your books and essays - have I had my perception of the world in which we live so tremendously shaken and stirred. I hope I see things more for what they are and not as much for how I wish them to be, and that I am not blindly accepting what I read and consume in my comfortable, cozy bubble. Thanks again for inspiring me - and so many others who participate in these discussions - and for vigilantly sounding the alarm. We need you. We appreciate you. Have a nice weekend, sir.
Thank you for this reminder. I have doing social justice work much of my life and I am going to save this and reread it when I become exhausted. The important thing to remember is to always stand up for what you believe in in some way. The way doesn’t have to be big, it can be small, like supporting other change agents.
Thank you for this. The emotional mental stress of this political situation is so overwhelming at times. I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone. I do take breaks. That helps a lot. Travel, go to the beach, spend time with family and friends. Recharge the batteries and return to the fight
Here's a question: Do people who vote for Trump not know he's a malignant narcissist, or is it that they know he's a malignant narcissist, but they think "malignant narcissist" is exactly what we need?
Thank you for writing this, even as a Canadian I care about what happens to our neighbours to the South. It affects us Canadians tremendously. I can help locally, here, but I feel very powerless when things happen in the US, I can't help change by voting. Recharging with my degus outside in the sun is one of my favorite things to do. They always seem to have the right idea, Eat a lot of grass, then pass out in the sun!
Whoh! What a timely conversation to have. Thank you for articulating the process and reminding us of the intrinsic value of the struggle itself! . I often turned to gratitude as a means of rejuvenation, and very often that gratitude is for the people i've met along the way =]
I've found I need to make a deliberate effort to spend a little time everyday "unconnected" from the social media, political podcast, news media blitz. We all need to recharge our batteries to keep up the sustained energy that these fights take.
I started forcing myself to pick a fiction audiobook to consume while doing chores around the house and yard. Now I'm thinking of joining one of the book clubs at the local library. I need some adult social outlet that doesn't always devolve into "did you see the news?"
Good for you. My mom watches a ton of MSNBC, and I can see their business model clearly: Keep people in a state of anxiety (often well-justified anxiety, true) and they'll keep tuning in. Every day there's some new thing we need to worry about, often if fails to materialize, but never a pause to try to understand why it didn't happen so that we might learn, instead it's just on to the next new thing to worry about.
A very timely and important piece, thank you. I remember and sympathize with the Iraq War protest fatigue!
It is an extremely dangerous moment, imo. With the Trump gang facing justice finally, we have either an end to this dark chapter…or…the continued unravelling of our constitutional system in order to free Trump, continuing the march towards autocracy.
Welp, for those of us on pro-democracy side of things, the time has come to be the adults in the room, imo. As Trump and gang get taken down, the best thing we can do to help stabilize things is to chill out, and push for stability in the local communities and networks we can affect, and hopefully, this fascist temper tantrum passes and justice is served. Now is not the time to berate your Trump supporting uncle for supporting Trump. It is rather a time to throw a Labor Day party and invite him (assuming he is not a violent extremist), with a wink to keep any divisive politics at the door. Focus on positivity and community building in stark contrast to destructive impulses coming from the other side of the aisle. The violent extremist crowd would like to bring everyday Trumpers with them - don’t give them the ammo.
You might criticize this as a call to moderation, and to a certain extent it is, but it dovetails nicely with a need to rest and the need to not give these goons ammunition to further undermine our governance with.
Thank you Jared. A very helpful article. I have to say the demise of twitter has helped. Your message reminds me that instead of sharing on a platform (any platform) online, it would be better to find connections within my own community.
This is excellent, I'm glad I'm a subscriber. As for community, I really like People's Response Network. Lately I've been sitting in on some of their video calls, they're talking about public health issues like keeping people safe from Covid, a "Project N-95" to get high-quality masks out to the community when simply breathing the air became dangerous for many people due to the Canadian wildfire smoke, pressing the city of Chicago to open more cooling centers during the recent heat wave. It's inspiring to see people working on the practical needs of the community and things that are REAL.
It’s been a long, long time, and we have to face longer still, I can’t help but hope that the election in 2024 will be the end of it (if it is not the end of us)
I hope you're right. I think the people who are attracted to an authoritarian (hell, let's just say fascist) leader like Trump are drawn to someone they want to see as a "winner." How long will they stick with a movement that consistently doesn't win?
Contrast that with social-justice movements that can sustain themselves through a string of defeats, sometimes over decades, because they actually have a positive vision to sustain them. Knowing what you are FOR, and not just what you are against makes for a more resilient movement. I don't see the right wing having any of that. If you're just in it to "own the libs", how long do you stay in it if the libs keep failing to be owned?
I have to admit, I've tuned out of the political stuff over the last several months because I don't see how changing it is possible outside of bloody revolution. My focus and energy has switched to figuring out how to deal with the very real existential threat of accelerating climate collapse and the inevitable collapse of global industrial civilization. Red Team/Blue Team discourse seems trivial at this point, especially considering Blue Team will be just as fascistic when society begins to break down and well-heel libs will be as "all in" on Law & Order as MAGA.
San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood is known for its eclectic nature. Interesting old (mostly small) homes here have collected interesting folks. Several years ago my wife and I mounted an old fruit crate on stakes as a “Book Box”. Then we added a “Pooch Water” station (complete with a dogbone welcome sign.) And last year we added a small cork billboard. And those bits have made all the difference. Every day a dozen or more neighbors, singly or in small groups stop to peruse, refresh, and chat. The books are largely donations. The water is kept cool and clean. The board holds messages of hope, reminders (to vote, etc), and occasionally outright politics. Even the local crow gang and squirrel get a daily handful of peanuts. Community blossoms.
Thank you. As a woman deeply concerned about our democracy and the state of public education in this country, I have been quite concerned about where I should put my energy. I have even questioned whether the validity of voting in this red state where bitter animosity reigns. This writing has not answered the question but has helped me to envision that I am part of a thoughtful surge of those looking for where their action is most needed.
This is a beautiful piece, and much needed - thank you, Jared. To be honest, I'm 61 years of age and only recently - thanks in great part to your books and essays - have I had my perception of the world in which we live so tremendously shaken and stirred. I hope I see things more for what they are and not as much for how I wish them to be, and that I am not blindly accepting what I read and consume in my comfortable, cozy bubble. Thanks again for inspiring me - and so many others who participate in these discussions - and for vigilantly sounding the alarm. We need you. We appreciate you. Have a nice weekend, sir.
Thank you for this reminder. I have doing social justice work much of my life and I am going to save this and reread it when I become exhausted. The important thing to remember is to always stand up for what you believe in in some way. The way doesn’t have to be big, it can be small, like supporting other change agents.
Thank you for this. The emotional mental stress of this political situation is so overwhelming at times. I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone. I do take breaks. That helps a lot. Travel, go to the beach, spend time with family and friends. Recharge the batteries and return to the fight
A default behavior or narcissists, sociopaths & psychopaths is to exhaust us so we give up.
So true. Some people thrive on interpersonal conflict, they love the attention, it gives them purpose in life. Most of us hate it, and they know that.
Yep. Just did a podcast on malignant narcissists that included them being psychic vampires who want to feed off pain, so cause it. https://samray.substack.com/p/malignant-narcissist-review-and-political#details
Here's a question: Do people who vote for Trump not know he's a malignant narcissist, or is it that they know he's a malignant narcissist, but they think "malignant narcissist" is exactly what we need?
I may need to do a pod on that question. Thanks.
Both and much more. If you really want to understand the dynamics of trump... https://samray.substack.com/p/trumpism-is-narcissism
Thank you for writing this, even as a Canadian I care about what happens to our neighbours to the South. It affects us Canadians tremendously. I can help locally, here, but I feel very powerless when things happen in the US, I can't help change by voting. Recharging with my degus outside in the sun is one of my favorite things to do. They always seem to have the right idea, Eat a lot of grass, then pass out in the sun!
It’s nice to have like-minded company. I live in a retirement community in a red state and it really helps me to not feel so isolated.
Whoh! What a timely conversation to have. Thank you for articulating the process and reminding us of the intrinsic value of the struggle itself! . I often turned to gratitude as a means of rejuvenation, and very often that gratitude is for the people i've met along the way =]
I've found I need to make a deliberate effort to spend a little time everyday "unconnected" from the social media, political podcast, news media blitz. We all need to recharge our batteries to keep up the sustained energy that these fights take.
I started forcing myself to pick a fiction audiobook to consume while doing chores around the house and yard. Now I'm thinking of joining one of the book clubs at the local library. I need some adult social outlet that doesn't always devolve into "did you see the news?"
Good for you. My mom watches a ton of MSNBC, and I can see their business model clearly: Keep people in a state of anxiety (often well-justified anxiety, true) and they'll keep tuning in. Every day there's some new thing we need to worry about, often if fails to materialize, but never a pause to try to understand why it didn't happen so that we might learn, instead it's just on to the next new thing to worry about.
A very timely and important piece, thank you. I remember and sympathize with the Iraq War protest fatigue!
It is an extremely dangerous moment, imo. With the Trump gang facing justice finally, we have either an end to this dark chapter…or…the continued unravelling of our constitutional system in order to free Trump, continuing the march towards autocracy.
Welp, for those of us on pro-democracy side of things, the time has come to be the adults in the room, imo. As Trump and gang get taken down, the best thing we can do to help stabilize things is to chill out, and push for stability in the local communities and networks we can affect, and hopefully, this fascist temper tantrum passes and justice is served. Now is not the time to berate your Trump supporting uncle for supporting Trump. It is rather a time to throw a Labor Day party and invite him (assuming he is not a violent extremist), with a wink to keep any divisive politics at the door. Focus on positivity and community building in stark contrast to destructive impulses coming from the other side of the aisle. The violent extremist crowd would like to bring everyday Trumpers with them - don’t give them the ammo.
You might criticize this as a call to moderation, and to a certain extent it is, but it dovetails nicely with a need to rest and the need to not give these goons ammunition to further undermine our governance with.
Cheers
Aloha Jared, Here in Hawai'i, I'm told to 'keep one foot in sand.'
Thanks for keeping the written 'sand' soft and warm.
Thank you Jared. A very helpful article. I have to say the demise of twitter has helped. Your message reminds me that instead of sharing on a platform (any platform) online, it would be better to find connections within my own community.
This is excellent, I'm glad I'm a subscriber. As for community, I really like People's Response Network. Lately I've been sitting in on some of their video calls, they're talking about public health issues like keeping people safe from Covid, a "Project N-95" to get high-quality masks out to the community when simply breathing the air became dangerous for many people due to the Canadian wildfire smoke, pressing the city of Chicago to open more cooling centers during the recent heat wave. It's inspiring to see people working on the practical needs of the community and things that are REAL.
It’s been a long, long time, and we have to face longer still, I can’t help but hope that the election in 2024 will be the end of it (if it is not the end of us)
I hope you're right. I think the people who are attracted to an authoritarian (hell, let's just say fascist) leader like Trump are drawn to someone they want to see as a "winner." How long will they stick with a movement that consistently doesn't win?
Contrast that with social-justice movements that can sustain themselves through a string of defeats, sometimes over decades, because they actually have a positive vision to sustain them. Knowing what you are FOR, and not just what you are against makes for a more resilient movement. I don't see the right wing having any of that. If you're just in it to "own the libs", how long do you stay in it if the libs keep failing to be owned?
I have to admit, I've tuned out of the political stuff over the last several months because I don't see how changing it is possible outside of bloody revolution. My focus and energy has switched to figuring out how to deal with the very real existential threat of accelerating climate collapse and the inevitable collapse of global industrial civilization. Red Team/Blue Team discourse seems trivial at this point, especially considering Blue Team will be just as fascistic when society begins to break down and well-heel libs will be as "all in" on Law & Order as MAGA.