We all have got a lot of work to do. Rebuilding. Reworking. Rethinking. This past year has been insane, scary, freakish, eternal, revelatory in ways sometimes joyous and other times dismaying. Our world has changed. My world, your world, their world, our world. It is a small world, after all, and it is full of mischief, madness, and magic. As I begin to consider the world post Covid, I am thrilled and a bit terrified. What will be the same? What will be different? How have I changed? As a writer, I am more than a little curious to see how all of this past year will inform our literature, our art, our films and tv series and plays and musicals. How it will affect our relationships with each other. Our sense of mortality. Of science. Of politics. Of what is truly worthwhile and what is just a waste of our very limited time on this great spinning orb flying through space at great velocity.
I think our whole financial system, healthcare system, news industry, the arts- all of the systems we have had in place- have been held up to the sun for further inspection. And I think we need to fix a lot of it. I think the shortcomings of American capitalism were made pretty clear. I think Andrew Yang's idea of universal income, which came off as quaint and a bit nutty, now seems like a good idea. I think universal healthcare is something we have to have, right now and forever. I think a system that had so very many billionaires get richer during a global pandemic is a system that needs to be thrown out or reconfigured.
Maybe it's time for our whole economic way of thinking to go the way of the DoDo. I've said it before, but I always loved how in the Star Trek Universe, they figured out that money was not a good thing, hindered us as a species, and had to go.
As for the politics of this last year, I think a lot of people let their uglier, more selfish side come out, like a army of Mister and Mrs. Hydes, running amok, acting like spoiled violent children with no regard for anyone or anything. I don't know how that will all turn out, but I have several friends who I now think of differently. Sad but true. Some of the stupid and cruel shit that's been done this past year will be hard to get over and to forgive. Especially when most of those folks are still acting out. I had hoped after the sacking of the Capitol that there would be a moment of self reflection. A moment where everyone woke up and put aside their childish ways.
Then again, that's sort of like hoping after the Tate-LaBianca murders that the Manson Family woke up an said "Charlie was wrong! We shouldn't do this kind of thing".
So yeah, the world got a bit more messed up.
But while some chose a dark path, others stood up to the challenge, and wowed us all with kindness and courage and determination. Some friends became heroes.
In a way, it was like this past year required everyone to take a stand, make a choice on how they interact with the world.
As for me, I think the main change is a lack of ability to put up with bullshit. Or as much as I used to. I think we all need to be tolerant, kind, and open to other people's ideas. I still think that. But some ideas are just fucked up and stupid. Pretty much any idea that is cool with endangering others is out. Same with any idea that endorses political violence. Or denial of science..
Also, I need to write more. And keep on doing this blog. And spend more time with friends and family.
I really appreciate time with people more.
I can't go to a concert. And a movie. And a play. To teach a class without having to wear a mask.
But before that can happen, there is work to be done, on a global, national, state, city, and personal level.
Wow. Sort of pontificating today. Ah well.
Here's a song. It's My Back Pages with an all star band.
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