I try to be an optimistic person, I really do. I try to remind myself that the sky isn't literally falling, and that the world is a more generally pleasant and peaceful place today than what it has been throughout much of history. But. Every time I see something like this, it just about drains my spirit to nothingness. I want to embrace nihilism and just quit giving a fuck about anything or anybody when I see stupidi…
I stepped out of public engagement for a while, then moved to Portland when I was ready to get back in. That was a whole new lesson: the lefty/progressive types are just as bad at governing. And the leftist/progressive voters are just as likely as the right to treat politics like a team sport. Portland is more dangerous for black people than Chicago now #BlackLivesMatter. Developers keep pulling out of affordable housing developments because of planning bullshit, and the city thinks its a good idea to mandate that contractors be women owned. Meanwhile, thousands are sleeping rough.
The politicians are awful, but in a democracy, the fault for that lies 100% with the people. Elected office, like next-door, doesn't make people bad; it simply reflects the rotten core of 21st century civil society.
Absolutely maddening is the lack of interest in concrete policy or actually using data to analyze changes and measure success.
I think I'm about ready to stop caring and have a nice life while my species hurtles towards the great filter. Life and the universe are meaningless anyway.