A couple hours ago I finally watched on video the murder of George Floyd and felt an immediate and visceral reaction to seeing and hearing that on my computer screen. I cried first, relentlessly. And then I sat back and thought about the racist power structures that continue to be upheld within the United States. Not just through the institutions, but through inaction. And then I spoke. You can find my original video recording here. This post is mostly a transcription of that video, with …
The crippling anxiety of being
There’s been a lot of optimism circulating on social media since quarantine started and this is a reminder that it’s also ok to not be ok with the state of the world right now. I know I need more of these reminders. It hit me a week or so ago when I finished an intense workout and still cried because the endorphin release wasn’t enough. I’ve never sought a diagnosis but I exhibited many signs of clinical depression after my good friend Roy passed away when I was 20. Symptoms from that …
Hoping for normal in the midst of a pandemic and presidential race
There are things that I cannot wait to do when this pandemic is over. I want to dance to loud music in a crowded room and feel the energy of the tunes and people pulse through me. I want to go to a popular restaurant with a long wait time and squish myself into an open space at the bar where it’s standing room only. I want to make aggressive eye contact with strangers on public transit and appreciate that they are in the b-roll of the movie playing in my head. I want to sit in the back of a …
Chapter III – What now?
Decision-makers are merely fallible humans in elected positions It would be easier to believe that humans were either good or bad. Nature has been presented as a duality across all of our means of understanding the world, from religion to literature to mere observable natural phenomenon. The world would rather deal with a binary, because when you start talking about spectrums, things get messy. It becomes uncomfortable, contradictory, unfamiliar. I used to think like that. Not about issues …
Chapter II – What should we be talking about, then?
We need to restore the state’s legitimacy and ability to make a positive impact on the lives of everyday people So where do we start? How do we apply the principles behind liberalism through the careful use of state power in a way that preserves liberty and guarantees justice for all? I specifically start by addressing state power because it’s clear that our economy and the supposedly free market is not going to be the solution. The best effort would be through a blended approach to restore …