Maybe I'm risky

Scared people don't stand at the edge of cliffs cc-by-sa Laura Hilliger

The museums were supposed to open today, and I was going to go to one. The first time in the last year that I was going to do a thing I used to do on a regular basis. I like to get lost in music and museums and saturate my brain with the vibe of input. Instead, they didn't open because Germany is hitting a third wave.

On Xmas day I replied-all to a thread in which someone was inviting about 30 people to a new years party. In an apartment. I used some strong words. That person and several others have told me "everyone has a different risk perception" as rationalization for why they are having unnecessary social contact. I am pissed off. My militant stay-the-hell-at-home has led people to tell me that I am afraid of Covid. They think that's why I refuse to have contact. It's not my fear. I walked to Manchu Picchu and jumped out of a plane. I'm a rescue diver. I use power tools on the regular. I am not risk adverse.

This "you're afraid to live your life" thing is nonsense. Expanding your contact circle more than necessary is keeping the pandemic going. It is why I don't get to go to a museum today. It doesn't have anything to do with "perception", it's about the science. I have been thinking "It doesn't matter what I do". Individualism is everywhere and whatever sense of hope I've had about my ability to make a positive difference was absolutely hitting the drain this week.

So I reminded myself of this: I have free will.

I can choose a different way. I do choose a different way. I will continue to eliminate individualists from my life and look for the people who understand what collective action and cooperation means. I will look to them to keep me sane when it feels like the world has gone absolutely bonkers mad.

a measure of distance to normality > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negentropy
Late-Stage Pandemic Is Messing With Your Brain > https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/what-pandemic-doing-our-brains/618221/
‘Our biggest challenge? Lack of imagination’: the scientists turning the desert green > https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/20/our-biggest-challenge-lack-of-imagination-the-scientists-turning-the-desert-green
Extinction.fyi > https://extinction.fyi/
Medium Tells Journalists to Feel Free to Quit After Busting Union Drive > https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dp7y3/medium-tells-journalists-to-feel-free-to-quit-after-busting-union-drive

Maybe I need help?

Short newsletter this week because spring arrived and I need to be outside. Writing is taking a back seat at the moment. All my creative energy seems to be sucked up right now. Don't like.

Here's the 10 year anniversary episode to my favourite podcast > https://ohnopodcast.com/investigations/2021/3/13/ross-and-carrie-are-ten-anniversary-edition

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