I haven’t written in a while. Part of this is due to the real/perceived constraints of a new role but much of it is a sense of ennui - a what’s the point wave which crashes over and washes away any urge to write and state a point of view. Globally, across the board, there’s a palpable sense of intellectual degradation.
The individuals manning leadership positions in various institutions (formal and informal) seem like climbers instead of leaders, moulding themselves to fit the diminished descriptions of their roles instead of holding the line on some non-negotiable values/ methods. Politicians are provocateurs and sycophants, journalists are propagandists or baiters, corporate heads are checked out or currying favour, and “influencers” are empty-heads. In this environment, the desire to be collaborative - a pre-requisite for anything social - can seem like a non-starter.
However, this view is incredibly self-indulgent and glosses over one’s own compromises and blinkers. More importantly, this sort of cynicism if allowed to fester can only lead to nihilism and either a retreat from the world or hedonism. So I’ve been wanting to get back into the habit of writing but it’s been difficult without some clear deadline or metric of accountability. Hence, this uncharacteristically personal post - to publicly resolve that I will write and post at least twice a month. Most of them are likely to be in this “quick takes” section simply to get back in the discipline of writing. You can selectively unsubscribe from this section in case you find these posts too meandering.
Next post by Oct 2!