God, this really struck a chord. This crazy warped reality where we still have to fold the laundry and we still gather and laugh with friends, against this evil backdrop of “Oh yeah, and our democracy is becoming a fascist regime”. Truly dystopian. Thank you for capturing exactly what I’ve been feeling.
This is everything I feel right now. The minutiae of everyday life against a backdrop of authoritarianism that no one knows how to combat individually. So we focus on what we can control in the hope that somehow there will be accountability for this shit show without believing that’s actually going to happen. Paralyzed by our lack of imagination.
This perfectly captures so much of what I think about every day -- the feeling that everyone is paralyzed by the subversive mix of horror with the quotidian.
I am one of those people who counts down the days until Fall officially arrives every year (Summer has just always been too hot and too stifling for me . . . I know this probably means I’m a terrible human and shouldn’t be admitted openly, but you’ve built such a welcoming space for people in all our glorious variety here, I’m taking the risk) AND this is such a beautiful distillation of the particular cognitive and emotional dissonance of these past few months . . . I keep walking around thinking, “I see a rhinoceros!” . . . Thank you for creating the community to hold it all together.
This is the daily, nay, the moment-to-moment Seesaw ride of our days, isn’t it just. It just is, and so very unjust. Your prosaic post so resonates with all of us. Thanks, Anand.🥰✌️
It is just so surreal. We were going to be in DC/Baltimore for 4 days at the end of this month for what would have been an emotional trip to begin with, but now with armed troops walking the streets and museums, even the things we had planned that had the potential to be uplifting are in question, like visiting the National Zoo. I just don't want to have to drive through checkpoints, see armed people in full riot gear strolling around and see huge banners with a picture of Trump on them draped from who knows how many federal buildings. All he needs to do is come up with his own version of the Nazi flag to put on either side of these giant pictures of himself and the scene is complete. No thanks.
The old frog in the boiling water scenario again. So much is constantly thrown at us that we end up assimilating the horror into our everyday lives. That’s how we “get used to it” and become complacent. We see it, we know it, yet we gloss over last Friday’s nightmares for the new batch that arrives this morning. And on and on and on. They want to normalize it so we stop fighting against it. We can’t stop fighting!!!
God, this really struck a chord. This crazy warped reality where we still have to fold the laundry and we still gather and laugh with friends, against this evil backdrop of “Oh yeah, and our democracy is becoming a fascist regime”. Truly dystopian. Thank you for capturing exactly what I’ve been feeling.
This is everything I feel right now. The minutiae of everyday life against a backdrop of authoritarianism that no one knows how to combat individually. So we focus on what we can control in the hope that somehow there will be accountability for this shit show without believing that’s actually going to happen. Paralyzed by our lack of imagination.
Beautifully written. This is encapsulates my summer perfectly. It's a tough space to occupy.
This perfectly captures so much of what I think about every day -- the feeling that everyone is paralyzed by the subversive mix of horror with the quotidian.
I am one of those people who counts down the days until Fall officially arrives every year (Summer has just always been too hot and too stifling for me . . . I know this probably means I’m a terrible human and shouldn’t be admitted openly, but you’ve built such a welcoming space for people in all our glorious variety here, I’m taking the risk) AND this is such a beautiful distillation of the particular cognitive and emotional dissonance of these past few months . . . I keep walking around thinking, “I see a rhinoceros!” . . . Thank you for creating the community to hold it all together.
Exactly holding the last days of summer with a connection to nature & sweetness, as the world rages on 🌿🔥🍁
Wow. This really resonates. Sleepwalkers in America, summer blockbuster.
This is the daily, nay, the moment-to-moment Seesaw ride of our days, isn’t it just. It just is, and so very unjust. Your prosaic post so resonates with all of us. Thanks, Anand.🥰✌️
Equanimity is so out of my grasp these days.
It is just so surreal. We were going to be in DC/Baltimore for 4 days at the end of this month for what would have been an emotional trip to begin with, but now with armed troops walking the streets and museums, even the things we had planned that had the potential to be uplifting are in question, like visiting the National Zoo. I just don't want to have to drive through checkpoints, see armed people in full riot gear strolling around and see huge banners with a picture of Trump on them draped from who knows how many federal buildings. All he needs to do is come up with his own version of the Nazi flag to put on either side of these giant pictures of himself and the scene is complete. No thanks.
Yes! The cognitive dissonance is overwhelming. Feeling a lot of this and when someone asks how I’m doing up it all comes.
Brilliant....... Wondered.......happy
Powerful. How life goes on in the midst of terrible situations all around. I think we all have to stop and resist in the ways available.
The disconnect has been extraordinary. I feel like a schizo.
The old frog in the boiling water scenario again. So much is constantly thrown at us that we end up assimilating the horror into our everyday lives. That’s how we “get used to it” and become complacent. We see it, we know it, yet we gloss over last Friday’s nightmares for the new batch that arrives this morning. And on and on and on. They want to normalize it so we stop fighting against it. We can’t stop fighting!!!
Anand! Yes. This.... So. Much. This. Thank you. In solidarity, grief and joy.
The dissonance is a heavy burden, but an important one to keep fresh, lest we become insensitive to the very real threats looming.