Finding the Good in People
This year, I’ve spent a lot of time on the internet. This isn’t anything new since I’ve been an active internet user since adolescence. However, recently, I’ve felt that I’ve been spending an excessive amount of time on Twitter and other social media platforms, where I can read thousands of opinions of people from around the country (and sometimes the world). With the current political climate and the inflammatory nature of Twitter, I’ve grown so incredibly tired.
While the availability of the internet has enabled many to have a voice who may not have had one otherwise, it has also led to the creation of echo chambers for racism, sexism, transphobia, and other forms of bigotry and hate that just reinforce their beliefs. The American political system continues to become more polemic, year after year, as the most extreme politicians receive the most support and the two sides start to oppose each other just for the sake of opposing one another. I’ve always been a cynical person but seeing such hateful opinions gain power and ubiquity has made it feel like the world isn’t filled with good people like I believed in my more optimistic moments. I’m definitely looking in the wrong places, but the perceived commonness of such repugnant behavior sure puts a damper on my worldview.
On the flip side, I am hopeful when I see the massive success of the #MeToo campaign, where millions of people have felt empowered to talk about their experiences with sexual assault and violence. At the same time, I see those same people receive backlash from people who don’t believe them. I try to remind myself that they are people on the wrong side of history, but it’s still so disheartening to see.
Going forward, the only course of action in my mind is to focus on the good - those who are creating movements against the hate, who are fighting to improve the world. Maybe I can be one of them.
Drops of the Week
where I *drop* recommendations of cool things this week
Longread
“Millennials Are Screwed” by Michael Hobbes (and many others) - absolutely gorgeous look at the challenges facing the napkin-killing, avocado toast-eating generation that everyone loves to hate. Visually amazing piece, unlike anything else I’ve ever seen.
Playlist
feel it - a playlist I made this week of some soulful sounds that I wanted to listen to. This playlist is meant to be shuffled, not played all the way through.
Video
A Journey - pretty little video by one of my favorite creators showing how one type of coffee is made.
Thanks so much for reading! If you have any comments/concerns or fan/hate mail for me, you know how to reach me (links below). Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends too! :~)
Love,
Nikhil