I can't read and I can't write. That sums up where I'm at. I've not read and finished a book for about three years now, perhaps a little longer. I kind of hate myself for it. Have I become one of these internet halfwits that can only cope with brainless clips of no longer than about 15 seconds? This is what we will all become if we are not careful. This is the age of soundbites, doom-scrolling and fakery. My reaction has been to essentially stop using social media. I still spend too long on my phone (which I also hate myself for) but I no longer really contribute to the absolute ocean of garbage that is out there. And so as well as having offered the world just two tweets in the last two months, one of which contained zero words, I've also not written a word here for over a month.
Plus ca change. We are in well established territory and I have nothing to say. Well not nothing. I could launch into a diatribe about all that is wrong with the world, about the death of decency on both sides of the Atlantic, about how unbelievably stupid so many people genuinely are, about elections, farce, smiling racists completely comfortable in their own skin, and extraordinary levels of deceit everywhere. But then again why bother? It is so incredibly depressing. You switch on the radio and it's a wall of grift and trash talk, and so you turn it off again. I couldn't even tell you the last time I turned the television on. And then as if you weren't upset enough you hear that people you admire have died, young-ish people with young families, and that's when you know for sure that the downward spiral is out of of control. What have we done to deserve this? What have we not done?
A small ray of light beckons at the start of July of course. Can't wait. The thieves hiding behind a veneer of nice accents and influential networks are going to get swept away, but their legacy will remain for many years, well beyond a single Parliament. Anyone who thinks that come July 5th everything will be OK again needs their head examining. But it might mark the low point, the start of a gradual upwards trajectory. Very gradual, and in fact I'm not even sure its fixable by any politician of any persuasion. It's absolutely right that somebody else gets a chance, but good grief what a pillaged mess they're inheriting. But it's still a positive. My far bigger worry is what is happening in America as that has the possibility of being world-changing. The toxicity is just outrageous, the perfidity breathtaking, and my heart is in my mouth as I watch from afar.
Well that was nice. You now have an idea of where I'm at.
Birds? Well, it is June, and you all know what that means. I decamped briefly to another country recently (quelle surprise) and enjoyed it very much. I went to a place that treats its populace largely as three year old infants and curtails many freedoms, but seems to genuinely have the best interests of its citizens at the heart of everything it does. As a result the place functions seamlessly, at least to the outside eye. People are polite, happy, helpful, healthy and prosperous. No doubt there are dark corners but it's hard to compare it to here and not come away thinking how much better it is and what a total mess we're in. Oh, I'm off again, oops. Best stop here.
See you in July. Maybe.
