https://youtu.be/29Mg6Gfh9Co
If you really care about things, practise what you preach.
If you are a writer or an agent or a publishing professional, are you working with people whose ethics align with yours at every stage of the chain of ownership, production and distribution?
Take time today to do what we have to do in the echo chambers of social media.
But if we really care about things, we have to practise what we preach out there in the world too.
Tomorrow belongs to us.
I’m feeling very “What’s it all for” today, Andrew. Thanks for the reminder to get back to basics.
I guess it’s what’s it all for every day, Amy!
One thing that I’ve been thinking about is the whole idea of victory/defeat is much of the problem. It stops consensus from emerging, and problems always lurk within ‘defeat’.
From what I’m understanding by reading what friends and strangers are posting is that they are, more than anything, grieving the loss of an America in which they feel as equally safe and respected as each of their neighbors. What seems to have “won” is the idea that women and minorities are “less than” white males. Those who are marginalized are emotionally and mentally exhausted by their continually “losing.” There’s something to be said for the symbolic meanings within war language, for sure.
I hear ya! I see it, and it’s ugly. (Pumped-up victory is rarely pretty.)
One thing: allow a few days for grieving, then stop posting. Get off Facebook. I quit Facebook after Brexit and when the Corbyn wars started to get nasty. Social media creates pointless spirals of negative energy and victimhood. Social media can also be used in more engaged ways, of course, but my Facebook was becoming a timesuck of ranting and raging (some of it my own!). That is: insane.
I’ve yet to return to Facebook, and the longer I don’t use the less likely I feel the need. And I got SO much reading done this summer! Real reading – novels, short stories, essays, poems.
I also like this idea that I just read about: The Bliss Station.
PS I think this editorial is one of the best on the subject, btw: I’ve heard enough of the white male rage narrative.