I agree with you. I feel like I'm hiding in the corner while the inmates tear up the rec room. I guess I could just ignore the news and watch the Hallmark channel but I really don't want to be stupid, either. There's just no winning, is there? "Sigh" Maybe I need to start a homestead. I'll be so busy trying to grow food and find water that I won't have time to worry about politics and culture wars.
I guess it's all the neo-paganism, but I see so much "Krampus" this and "Grinch" that which leaves me wondering where all the Santa went? The third decade of the 21st century is kinda hot garbage.
We have all these cool technical gadgets but as a society, we are just horrible to each other if we don't say the right things and show the correct symbols.
Merry Christmas, my virtual friend. Let me give you some good news. I live in flyover country, in a suburb of a large, Democrat controlled city. I see none of this craziness in the physical world. Yeah, there are homeless people and panhandlers out there, but not a lot more than there were 20 years ago. I work in a specialized area of retail, so I visit a lot of stores all over the region, including the Hood. There is some new lockdown of specific products in specific stores in specific neighborhoods, but they were always sketchy locations. Business as usual. I have an openly gay granddaughter. I have met many of her friends, including at least one trans, and they all seem normal relative to how 20-something year old people have always acted in my past experience.
The danger of social media is that it has no context and is not representative of reality. Loud people with varying agendas dominate the channels. Treat it like fiction - a dystopian horror movie with a message - but realize that you can shut it off whenever you choose and return to reality. Unless, of course, your job requires you to wallow in that muck, stoking the star maker machinery behind it.
BTW, did anyone click on the Do Not Click This Button button?
We're living in Heinlein's Crazy Years, more-or-less. Not much fun.
But thanks for all the fun you gave us this year. Many times you were the bright moment of my day. And I'm glad you got a job, even if it did mean a bit less content here.
And Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.
idk if you were familiar with the SF/horror writer David Drake, who died weekend before last. He was famous for writing some of the most violent and bloody stories ever, but IRL he was a courtly fellow and true gentleman. He used to end his newsletters by asking his readers to be kind to each other, and after the last couple of months, it seems we could use a lot more kindness, especially on the internets. Merry Christmas to you, and may the new year be less crazy, at least in some part of your life.
Sorry you are feeling down. The world HAS entered a phase where chaos is on high octane. I haven't figured out any mathematical formula but it seems as tho long stretches of time go along quite nicely and then people/events/ideas seem to all go askew. The last 5 - 8 years - as far as I can tell - have plunged us into tumult. If you're young and make it through this time, you'll be stronger for it. If you're old, you're most likely just glad that your time on this planet is almost at an end.
My Christmas present to you is to tell you how much I appreciate that you can articulate on paper most of the things I am thinking or have thought. It is affirming to see that another person sees the most bizarre things in the same bizarre way. That is when I KNOW that I am not crazy. It IS everything else going on around me. And I breathe a little bit deeper with satisfaction that my mind is working perfectly well.
Hey dude, don't let the crazies get you down. View it as research for your job, hold it at arm's length, and write about other stuff here if you want, unless it's just overflowing from work. I'm glad you're clean and sober - well, sober anyway. I've been reading your stuff since before the State Dept mowed you down, before the Daily Caller, before twitter, before PJ media? - were you on usenet? Whatever; a long time. In sum, don't live online, which is advice I give myself & you can have it also, for free. There's a whole lot of normal out there once you walk away from the screen. Cheers (in a not-a-drop way) and buckle up for 2024!
What color dragon do you want?
Merry Christmas
I agree with you. I feel like I'm hiding in the corner while the inmates tear up the rec room. I guess I could just ignore the news and watch the Hallmark channel but I really don't want to be stupid, either. There's just no winning, is there? "Sigh" Maybe I need to start a homestead. I'll be so busy trying to grow food and find water that I won't have time to worry about politics and culture wars.
I guess it's all the neo-paganism, but I see so much "Krampus" this and "Grinch" that which leaves me wondering where all the Santa went? The third decade of the 21st century is kinda hot garbage.
We have all these cool technical gadgets but as a society, we are just horrible to each other if we don't say the right things and show the correct symbols.
Merry Christmas, my virtual friend. Let me give you some good news. I live in flyover country, in a suburb of a large, Democrat controlled city. I see none of this craziness in the physical world. Yeah, there are homeless people and panhandlers out there, but not a lot more than there were 20 years ago. I work in a specialized area of retail, so I visit a lot of stores all over the region, including the Hood. There is some new lockdown of specific products in specific stores in specific neighborhoods, but they were always sketchy locations. Business as usual. I have an openly gay granddaughter. I have met many of her friends, including at least one trans, and they all seem normal relative to how 20-something year old people have always acted in my past experience.
The danger of social media is that it has no context and is not representative of reality. Loud people with varying agendas dominate the channels. Treat it like fiction - a dystopian horror movie with a message - but realize that you can shut it off whenever you choose and return to reality. Unless, of course, your job requires you to wallow in that muck, stoking the star maker machinery behind it.
BTW, did anyone click on the Do Not Click This Button button?
DO NOT CLICK! I beg of you, DO NOT CLIIIII....
More than a polite smattering; a slap on the back and a hearty "Way to go!"
Happy Christmas.
We're living in Heinlein's Crazy Years, more-or-less. Not much fun.
But thanks for all the fun you gave us this year. Many times you were the bright moment of my day. And I'm glad you got a job, even if it did mean a bit less content here.
And Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.
Remember that what comes after the Crazy Years is worse...for a while.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and keep up the good work. You're the Mike Rowe of politics.
idk if you were familiar with the SF/horror writer David Drake, who died weekend before last. He was famous for writing some of the most violent and bloody stories ever, but IRL he was a courtly fellow and true gentleman. He used to end his newsletters by asking his readers to be kind to each other, and after the last couple of months, it seems we could use a lot more kindness, especially on the internets. Merry Christmas to you, and may the new year be less crazy, at least in some part of your life.
Sorry you are feeling down. The world HAS entered a phase where chaos is on high octane. I haven't figured out any mathematical formula but it seems as tho long stretches of time go along quite nicely and then people/events/ideas seem to all go askew. The last 5 - 8 years - as far as I can tell - have plunged us into tumult. If you're young and make it through this time, you'll be stronger for it. If you're old, you're most likely just glad that your time on this planet is almost at an end.
My Christmas present to you is to tell you how much I appreciate that you can articulate on paper most of the things I am thinking or have thought. It is affirming to see that another person sees the most bizarre things in the same bizarre way. That is when I KNOW that I am not crazy. It IS everything else going on around me. And I breathe a little bit deeper with satisfaction that my mind is working perfectly well.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year, Treach.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And please stay sane for all our sakes if not for your own.
Hey dude, don't let the crazies get you down. View it as research for your job, hold it at arm's length, and write about other stuff here if you want, unless it's just overflowing from work. I'm glad you're clean and sober - well, sober anyway. I've been reading your stuff since before the State Dept mowed you down, before the Daily Caller, before twitter, before PJ media? - were you on usenet? Whatever; a long time. In sum, don't live online, which is advice I give myself & you can have it also, for free. There's a whole lot of normal out there once you walk away from the screen. Cheers (in a not-a-drop way) and buckle up for 2024!