Okay, I was well on my way to becoming one until the pandemic hit and I decided to simply stop utilizing Facebook. Not having constant reminders of the insanity of life thrown in my face has helped me a lot, particularly with my ability to control my blood pressure.
Right about now, if this were posted on Facebook or Elon's Playground or another form of social media, I'd get at least one person commenting that because of who I am I can afford to ignore what is happening around me. And you know, they're not wrong; I acknowledge that I am on the default difficulty setting in the US. However, if I'm always angry or upset, that does me no good either. It may be great for advertisers or companies or people who want to use those emotions to make money off of me, but it isn't great for myself as a person.
There is a big difference between pretending what happens in the world doesn't exist and acknowledging that it does exist but realizing I can't affect most of it.
Even before social media --back in the 80s and 90s-- I spent a lot of time watching the news and keeping up with politics and being angry about it.* And you know what came out of that? From my viewpoint, I had absolutely no impact whatsoever on things.
Sure, I voted, but beyond that did I affect change? No.
Did I get people to come together to do things? No.
The reality is that very few people have the drive and charisma --and the money/influence-- to make things happen. If you don't have that, all you end up doing is being angry for... what, exactly? Being impotent in the face of current events? Having things not go your way?**
Are there other currents going on in my life that I won't talk about on the blog? Of course there are; I'm not the person to air my dirty laundry in public, and after a certain point I've come to the realization that said certain things aren't going to change. Are those things worth further disruptions in my life? Probably not.
***
I think the biggest realization that I've made of the past 4-5 years is that I should focus more on what I can change --myself and my relationship with other people-- more than what I can't. I can acknowledge events but I have learned only recently to finally just let it go.
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| What, you wanted Elsa? From Memedroid. |
It is still not easy.
If I sound like a curmudgeon when expressing my displeasure about something, I apologize for that. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
*The Microsoft antitrust trial alone generated a ton of heat among my acquaintances at work.
**I cheer on Cincinnati sports teams --and the University of Dayton-- so you'd think that I'm used to things not going my way.
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