I have no social media accounts personally, Billy, so I don't face the same dilemma you do. I do track about 50 Substack sources, though, and I'm now in the process of scaling that back to a workable number. We can easily be overwhelmed by the current avalanche of words.
I agree we can empathize and demand justice at the same time. I have no idea why cruelty and insensibility are perceived as legitimate forms of governance. We will have to find a way to unravel this noose we now have draped around our necks. Or lose our souls as well as The Great American Experiment. Both would be tragic outcomes.
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts from time to time. You are not alone. Not by a long shot! Perhaps ironically, perhaps fortuitously, my sanity is somewhat shielded from the perversion we now read or view daily by being involved in seeking voting rights for independent minded voters. A long haul. Too little, too late? I have no idea. It is certainly so in the absence of trying.
So, let's stay in the ballgame no matter the communication channels we use. And yes, we have a lot of work to do. So did the nearly 1.2 million Americans whose lives have been sacrificed for us to get this far. I flew with some of them. They won't let me forget. And for that, I'm grateful.
Both Maria and Al made thoughtful and eloquent points. I don’t social media at all. Knowing me I would be online 24/7. Mental health and perspective keep me balanced along with love, kindness and compassion. I can let in bad actors, they can rent room in my head by just reading newspapers and substacks. Also by just listening to people like Donald Trump. I’ve stopped watching him, I do read what he says. Apparently his interview with ABC last night was, as expected, off the rails. When I ask friends why they believe his policy promises while giving my facts they say “we watch different channels.” We are divided by both social and broadcast media. Thats the problem with the first amendment. But where would we be without it. I don’t know.
Thank you for sharing the dilemma and your deep thought on this. I’ve always believed that it’s critical to be aware and knowledgeable of how political winds are blowing and to pay heed to them, i.e. pre-1939 Germany: some saw the handwriting on the wall and made plans to leave. Some didn’t. Perhaps those who stayed were, in part, unable to imagine the worst?
Watching these cold-hearted feeds on twitter/X helps us face reality, plan our protests, understand what we stand for and challenge US representatives to show up at townhalls. Perhaps these koolaiders will begin to be pressured by their constituents to stand up to their deranged leader.
If not, they are condoning the dismantling of 250 years of democratic freedoms and the rule of law that helped make the US the global envy. Now we are looking in the rear view mirror recalling how it felt so good to be a nation who shared its riches readily and empathically — the most benevolent nation in the world — lifting-up all humanity.
Cold, malevolent hearts are behind those twitter/X feeds. Keep watch my friend. We need you on it.
I have no social media accounts personally, Billy, so I don't face the same dilemma you do. I do track about 50 Substack sources, though, and I'm now in the process of scaling that back to a workable number. We can easily be overwhelmed by the current avalanche of words.
I agree we can empathize and demand justice at the same time. I have no idea why cruelty and insensibility are perceived as legitimate forms of governance. We will have to find a way to unravel this noose we now have draped around our necks. Or lose our souls as well as The Great American Experiment. Both would be tragic outcomes.
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts from time to time. You are not alone. Not by a long shot! Perhaps ironically, perhaps fortuitously, my sanity is somewhat shielded from the perversion we now read or view daily by being involved in seeking voting rights for independent minded voters. A long haul. Too little, too late? I have no idea. It is certainly so in the absence of trying.
So, let's stay in the ballgame no matter the communication channels we use. And yes, we have a lot of work to do. So did the nearly 1.2 million Americans whose lives have been sacrificed for us to get this far. I flew with some of them. They won't let me forget. And for that, I'm grateful.
Both Maria and Al made thoughtful and eloquent points. I don’t social media at all. Knowing me I would be online 24/7. Mental health and perspective keep me balanced along with love, kindness and compassion. I can let in bad actors, they can rent room in my head by just reading newspapers and substacks. Also by just listening to people like Donald Trump. I’ve stopped watching him, I do read what he says. Apparently his interview with ABC last night was, as expected, off the rails. When I ask friends why they believe his policy promises while giving my facts they say “we watch different channels.” We are divided by both social and broadcast media. Thats the problem with the first amendment. But where would we be without it. I don’t know.
Billy, 😉
Thank you for sharing the dilemma and your deep thought on this. I’ve always believed that it’s critical to be aware and knowledgeable of how political winds are blowing and to pay heed to them, i.e. pre-1939 Germany: some saw the handwriting on the wall and made plans to leave. Some didn’t. Perhaps those who stayed were, in part, unable to imagine the worst?
Watching these cold-hearted feeds on twitter/X helps us face reality, plan our protests, understand what we stand for and challenge US representatives to show up at townhalls. Perhaps these koolaiders will begin to be pressured by their constituents to stand up to their deranged leader.
If not, they are condoning the dismantling of 250 years of democratic freedoms and the rule of law that helped make the US the global envy. Now we are looking in the rear view mirror recalling how it felt so good to be a nation who shared its riches readily and empathically — the most benevolent nation in the world — lifting-up all humanity.
Cold, malevolent hearts are behind those twitter/X feeds. Keep watch my friend. We need you on it.