“Indifference is a paralysis of the soul, a premature death.”
-Anton Chekhov
It’s such a strange, confusing and frankly, frightful time to be an American. What troubles me most about the current set of circumstances is that we’ve created it ourselves.
In most places on earth, people either have no choice but to be political – where it may even be a question of their very survival, or they have no right to be political – lest they suffer a similar fate to that of Alexei Navalny.
But, in the cold war, and post-cold war United States, more and more of us have chosen to enjoy the luxury of avoiding political life altogether. We have exercised the freedom to be passive, or even indifferent. It has led to us becoming an increasingly ignorant electorate.
Neglecting to pay attention to the news in the United States is a lifestyle choice that no longer exists, because there is very little news being reported. We have the PBS NewsHour and the Associated Press. That’s about it. The rest pretend to provide a public service while carrying out their true mission, which is to turn a profit.
In this bizarre age in American life, the word patriot is thrown around freely. On January 6, 2021, people interfered with the peaceful transfer of power on behalf of a would-be tyrant, calling themselves and one another patriots all the while. But, being a patriot is like being an alpha male. If you’re calling yourself one, you’re probably not one.
On Friday, we lost a real leader – a real patriot. Alexei Navalny was a patriot.
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
Glossary of Feelings entry VII
Indifferent (adjective)
marked by a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for something : APATHETIC
marked by no special liking for or dislike of something
marked by impartiality : UNBIASED
This Week in History
February 18, 1885 - Mark Twain published the "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the United States.
February 19, 1878 - Thomas Edison was granted a patent for his cylinder phonograph.
February 20, 2003 - American actress and singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo was born in Temecula, California.
February 21, 1848 - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish "The Communist Manifesto" in London
February 22, 1973 – United States and China agree to establish liaison offices in Beijing & Washington, D.C.
February 23, 1455 - Johannes Gutenberg prints his first Bible.
February 24, 1991 - Webb Pierce, American honky-tonk country singer-songwriter, and guitarist ("There Stands the Glass"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 64.
What I’m Reading
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002, by David Sedaris
Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, by Dan Kindlon & Michael G. Thompson
What I’m Watching
Rome on HBO
What I’m Listening To
Moon Beams, The Bill Evans Trio
Folk Singer, Muddy Waters
Journaling Prompt for the Week #8 of 2024
Write about an area of your life characterized by apathy. What is something you know you should care about, but you don’t? Was there a time in your life when you noticed yourself becoming indifferent about certain things? Why?
In episode 93 of The Path to Authenticity, originally released on November 3, 2020, I interview author and media literacy expert Julie Smith. Please check it out.
Have a great week. Thanks for reading.