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 …
Chapter I – What are we even talking about right now?
Democrats seem to have set an upper limit for liberalism For the sake of discussion, I focus on the current issues and potential solutions within the realm of the political left, which is sometimes proxied by the Democratic Party. This isn’t to say that conservatives, and by proxy the Republican Party, has an easier time addressing its own issues, or that it doesn’t warrant discussion. But the evolution of the right can largely be traced to decisions made by a number of key figures; the …