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Change is in the air
Dec. 20th, 2019 11:55 amLooking at making some changes to my life. Over the last several months I have become more convinced than ever that late stage capitalism is a psychic toxin. Engaging with it is like playing a game of Russian Roulette with an opponent who insists on putting the bullet in themselves and doesn’t so much spin the barrel as carefully rotate it to ensure the right outcome. In short, I feel like modernity is killing me.
I’m going to make an effort to say no to the most destructive aspects of the world. Part of this involves resisting the demands of a connected society to be constantly swimming in a dizzying torrent of information, most of it negative. I’m not going to change this society in any serious way to make it healthier so the only other option is to try and withdraw from it. That means fostering a deliberate sense of ignorance about world and national affairs. The world is doomed, our nation is doomed. There’s nothing to be gained from repeatedly exposing myself to that truth when I am fundamentally powerless. This means significantly, or entirely, cutting back on my use of social and traditional media.
Beyond that I want to free myself from the demands of the now, the poisonous newness of it all. The wearisome parade of must see movies, TV shows, and video games all leveraging the same handful of brands. I am done with Marvel, I am done with Star Wars, I am done with the twenty first century as a cultural endeavour. I don’t want to look forward to the future, or even around me at the present. I want to look backwards and devote my energies to the art that existed before the millenium. I feel out of step with the zeitgeist of our society and so I’m going to try and turn away from it as much as I can.
I’m not intending this to be an absolutist mindset, these are generally unhealthy mindsets to maintain. I think my husband would likely find it frustrating if I refused point blank to watch anything made after the year 2000. Equally I need to stay reasonably on top of horror news for podcast related reasons. But I can and I will make every effort to cut myself adrift from the popular culture of the moment because only in the past is there order and sanity.
The practical upshot of this is that I’ll be on facebook much less. I won’t be deleting my account and should anyone still want to contact me through facebook messenger I’ll still get it. I’m going to make a concerted effort to quit twitter which is a maelstrom of rage and stupidity. I’m going to try and switch to using Dreamwidth more since it feels much more like the good old days. I’m vaguely planning to write a few more reviews and things of books, films, video games, and comics, particularly those that are in the public domain or available for very low prices.
I’m going to make an effort to say no to the most destructive aspects of the world. Part of this involves resisting the demands of a connected society to be constantly swimming in a dizzying torrent of information, most of it negative. I’m not going to change this society in any serious way to make it healthier so the only other option is to try and withdraw from it. That means fostering a deliberate sense of ignorance about world and national affairs. The world is doomed, our nation is doomed. There’s nothing to be gained from repeatedly exposing myself to that truth when I am fundamentally powerless. This means significantly, or entirely, cutting back on my use of social and traditional media.
Beyond that I want to free myself from the demands of the now, the poisonous newness of it all. The wearisome parade of must see movies, TV shows, and video games all leveraging the same handful of brands. I am done with Marvel, I am done with Star Wars, I am done with the twenty first century as a cultural endeavour. I don’t want to look forward to the future, or even around me at the present. I want to look backwards and devote my energies to the art that existed before the millenium. I feel out of step with the zeitgeist of our society and so I’m going to try and turn away from it as much as I can.
I’m not intending this to be an absolutist mindset, these are generally unhealthy mindsets to maintain. I think my husband would likely find it frustrating if I refused point blank to watch anything made after the year 2000. Equally I need to stay reasonably on top of horror news for podcast related reasons. But I can and I will make every effort to cut myself adrift from the popular culture of the moment because only in the past is there order and sanity.
The practical upshot of this is that I’ll be on facebook much less. I won’t be deleting my account and should anyone still want to contact me through facebook messenger I’ll still get it. I’m going to make a concerted effort to quit twitter which is a maelstrom of rage and stupidity. I’m going to try and switch to using Dreamwidth more since it feels much more like the good old days. I’m vaguely planning to write a few more reviews and things of books, films, video games, and comics, particularly those that are in the public domain or available for very low prices.
