I feel as though I owe an apology for yesterday’s post. Maybe a couple of apologies. After reading a few comments and after re-reading what I wrote, there is (at least) one part in particular that came out all wrong. It’s this:
…I sometimes feel like the man in Europe, wanting to ask questions like “what are we doing??” and “why aren’t we doing more???” I sometimes feel like many of the people whose accounts I’m shown on Facebook and Instagram think that by posting memes and outrage and articles and essays, they are somehow part of the resistance, they are somehow actively participating in the protests, when they are really just sitting there like the toddler in chief and the toddler’s supporters, clicking and clicking, ramping up the anger and doing little to bring down the heat.
Ugh. Just ugh. It doesn’t matter what I meant or intended. What matters is that it was judgmental and hurtful. I can do better and will try to do better. As I wrote in the next part of the post, I understand that we’re all doing the best we can. Some bodies/minds/spirits cannot be out there on the front lines. I understand that completely since I am currently in no condition to put myself out there. There are so many, many ways we can be of use right now.
Which brings me to another part of that which has been nagging at me after talking with friends and reading some other posts.
I was, and am, wrong. We should be sharing, especially the videos witnessing what is happening when masked people who think they have immunity come into neighborhoods, commit violence, and kidnap/disappear people. We should be sharing truth to counter the propaganda and misdirection. We should be posting memes demanding the release of the Epstein files (which I just typed as “viles” and I think that is an interesting slip of the fingers). Maybe we should be posting copies of the Constitution on a daily basis, just as a reminder of the rights that are being trampled on.
One of the things that helped to change my mind was seeing a video from a family member (someone who I usually snooze but he continues to pop up every now and then) that was total and complete bullshit. I will never convince him of that. He will never convince me it’s real. However, maybe it’s possible that if more of reality invades the world of AI slop and propaganda, maybe it will be harder for people who believe the slop and propaganda to continue to believe it.
Or maybe it won’t. I can’t change that.
The fact is, I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to my uses and abuses of social media. If I spend too much time scrolling and the algorithm has decided it’s a good day for anger and outrage, I start reposting the anger and outrage as an outlet for my own anger and outrage. That doesn’t feel healthy, for anyone. I can do better. And I will do better with my time remaining on social media.
One other apology: I’m sorry if my posts are too long. I write long-form, not in social media bites. Because I don’t post often, a lot gets crammed into one post. I write for family and friends. I write for myself. I know a lot of people come here for the photos so I will give you a heads up that there might not be as many of those going forward. My current urge/desire/wish is to write. If that’s not for you, that’s okay. I just want you to know that there will be long posts and more writing.
breezes at dawn 