Halftime in the Year of the Plague

I’m down to recycling Facebook posts, and why not? It’s not the worst thing I’m doing here. I’m noticing stuff. You know the drill.

It’s the last day of June 2020, the halfway point of a spectacularly emotion-driven year. From “just wear the masks like the TV man told us to, you’re such a Kaaaaren, I’m telling on you! [whine, fuss, splutter, shriek, nag]” to “everything is racist, let’s mob up and tear down all the statues, set stuff on fire!” in one weekend. 

And for that extra comedic, ironic touch, the worst participants will pause spluttering just long enough to tell you their irrationality is based on SCIENCE! and “studies.” (Spoiler alert: they couldn’t name you one. “But the consensus is there, so there!”) 

On one hand, A.D 2020 feels like one of those fourth season hour-long Twilight Zone episodes that didn’t work because of the length. On the other, it’s a great study in mass hysteria, and how some of the smartest people you know can start talking about “numbers” from the same media that told us Hillary Clinton was going to win by 90% four years ago and Saddam Hussein would nuke everyone if we didn’t drop everything and invade in 2003. 

Those are just two examples, but people still believe whatever gets broadcast at them from a Big Name, however ridiculous, and despite a proven track record of mendacity in the service of someone’s agenda. If I could bring back two people to help me make sense of this, it would be Ambrose Bierce and George Carlin. Both were very tuned into how mobs are raised and manipulated and I pray to avoid their bitterness at the same. 

So, what’s next? I wind up this seething wall of text and get to work, that’s what. And good morning! Among other things, I’m loving this too-short summer while it lasts.