A Harsher World
This weekend has felt heavy. A three hour nap didn’t help.
We’re in a constant push of being on the verge of something terrible, temporarily avoiding the inevitable for only a moment. I call it the George Floyd Effect, where the country is being driven further and further into chaos until the dam breaks. If one crisis doesn’t take, simply wait for the next one.
I don’t care where you fall on the political spectrum or which party you think is furthering this trajectory into darkness. The end result is utter exhaustion. That’s by design.
Knowing that this is the status quo for the foreseeable future, how do we handle it? Do we adjust? Do we resist? How do we avoid constant anger or being engulfed by insanity?
It’s impossible to avoid, and the happy warrior ethos only takes you so far. The world has become harsher. Let’s not pretend this stays relegated to our screens.
Moving through life with a disability puts a sharp point on the shifts. Prior to lockdowns and social distancing, people held doors for me, smiled, and made eye contact. Now I avoid our local co-op. The looks of fear and disgust are unnecessary. My cane isn’t going to leap from my hand and infect them, but that’s certainly the impression they have.
The local shops with the most intense virtue signaling paraphernalia are the ones with the worst handicap parking. If you’re going to claim to advocate for minorities and the most vulnerable in our society, start with what’s easily within reach.
Lack of awareness isn’t an excuse. It’s a lie anyway. These folks are fully cognizant of their actions.
