Prepare for the ultimate gaslighting - "...take a deep breath, ignore the deafening noise, and think deeply about what you want to put back into your life"
A fairly long read, but one I found worthwhile. I don't agree with every point, but I'm increasingly interested in the idea that so much of our consumer culture is driven by exhaustion and the...
A fairly long read, but one I found worthwhile. I don't agree with every point, but I'm increasingly interested in the idea that so much of our consumer culture is driven by exhaustion and the need to counter that with convenience and indulgence (something I had a great discussion about here a couple of months ago). This piece does a very good job of exploring how the enforced pause we're all experiencing right now affects that, and how it could be a once-in-a-generation chance to examine which parts of life we actually want to resume.
I'm going to share this with family and friends and hopefully have some good conversations. I generally hate advertising and mindless consumerism, so this particularly resonates with me.
I'm going to share this with family and friends and hopefully have some good conversations. I generally hate advertising and mindless consumerism, so this particularly resonates with me.
At first I wondered if homeschooling might become popular, but the based on what I hear from people with families, nope, they're going to want their kids to go to school as soon as they can. And...
At first I wondered if homeschooling might become popular, but the based on what I hear from people with families, nope, they're going to want their kids to go to school as soon as they can. And the kids want it too.
Also, it seems like a privilege to be able to rethink your life. Most people need the work. Getting off the treadmill requires a financial basis.
Right now, for an individual to get off the treadmill is an enormous privilege; doing so is something most people dedicate their entire adult life to, with the hope of some comfortable years of...
Right now, for an individual to get off the treadmill is an enormous privilege; doing so is something most people dedicate their entire adult life to, with the hope of some comfortable years of retirement when they manage it.
That's something that we as society need to deeply, seriously think about and talk about. The treadmill just stopped. Do we just climb back on as if nothing happened, or do we take this as the opportunity to make systemic changes?
An individual probably can't choose to cut work from their life, but maybe we can change how it's placed within all of our lives. The same goes for cars, planes, the daily commute, the shopping spree, the fast food. That, to me, is the core of what the author is saying.
I wanted to illustrate with a quote, but it ended up being essentially the entire concluding paragraph...
We are a good people. And as a good people, we want to define — on our own terms — what this country looks like in five, ten, fifty years. This is our chance to do that, the biggest one we have ever gotten. And the best one we’ll ever get. We can do that on a personal scale in our homes, in how we choose to spend our family time on nights and weekends, what we watch, what we listen to, what we eat, and what we choose to spend our dollars on and where. We can do it locally in our communities, in what organizations we support, what truths we tell, and what events we attend. And we can do it nationally in our government, in which leaders we vote in and to whom we give power. If we want cleaner air, we can make it happen. If we want to protect our doctors and nurses from the next virus — and protect all Americans — we can make it happen. If we want our neighbors and friends to earn a dignified income, we can make that happen. If we want millions of kids to be able to eat if suddenly their school is closed, we can make that happen. And, yes, if we just want to live a simpler life, we can make that happen, too. But only if we resist the massive gaslighting that is about to come. It’s on its way. Look out.
A fairly long read, but one I found worthwhile. I don't agree with every point, but I'm increasingly interested in the idea that so much of our consumer culture is driven by exhaustion and the need to counter that with convenience and indulgence (something I had a great discussion about here a couple of months ago). This piece does a very good job of exploring how the enforced pause we're all experiencing right now affects that, and how it could be a once-in-a-generation chance to examine which parts of life we actually want to resume.
I'm going to share this with family and friends and hopefully have some good conversations. I generally hate advertising and mindless consumerism, so this particularly resonates with me.
At first I wondered if homeschooling might become popular, but the based on what I hear from people with families, nope, they're going to want their kids to go to school as soon as they can. And the kids want it too.
Also, it seems like a privilege to be able to rethink your life. Most people need the work. Getting off the treadmill requires a financial basis.
Right now, for an individual to get off the treadmill is an enormous privilege; doing so is something most people dedicate their entire adult life to, with the hope of some comfortable years of retirement when they manage it.
That's something that we as society need to deeply, seriously think about and talk about. The treadmill just stopped. Do we just climb back on as if nothing happened, or do we take this as the opportunity to make systemic changes?
An individual probably can't choose to cut work from their life, but maybe we can change how it's placed within all of our lives. The same goes for cars, planes, the daily commute, the shopping spree, the fast food. That, to me, is the core of what the author is saying.
I wanted to illustrate with a quote, but it ended up being essentially the entire concluding paragraph...