I decided that my mental health could do with a break from doom-scrolling the US election so this morning rather than fall into my usual routine of checking all the overnight updates and hot takes I deliberately set my Substack cut out that noise.
There are times I think I'm having some sort of serious health issue that is causing cognitive decline, then I read things like this and realize social media has just collectively rotted everyone's brains. I use to read a book a week, now I'm lucky to finish one a month. I struggle to read long articles without losing interest. As someone who has been a "reader" since they were a child it's pretty alarming.
I think the pandemic messed with people's heads too. I lost the ability to read fiction for about 18 months, just spent that time devouring the news. Admittedly this was the height of Scott Morrison's "leadership" and I was involved in an activist group putting together Lincoln Project style videos (without the budget) to convince the electorate to vote Morrison out, AND helping to run a political party trying to return to parliament, so my news obsession makes sense in hindsight.
These days I'm back on the fiction train (thank you Jason L and JB!) but I can't devour it the way I used to simply because by the time I get to bed to read I'll be lucky to get through a chapter before I read myself to sleep (which is not a reflection on the work I'm reading, just me being a sleep deprived idiot).
I just got ~18 hrs in the Muskhole for suggesting that Comrade Carrots need not "fight and die for my President", but simply die instead. As for the US, Gibbon's Decline and Fall might be more apropos; I called it on Sep. 11 for what it's worth.
Congrats on a worthy achievement - an Elmo slap on the wrist. The Marmalade Maggot is not looking too physically healthy though. If only we had more than 4 weeks for nature to take its obviously accelerated course. Hamberders ftw
The terrifying thing is if the Mango Mussolini is re-elected and then immediately drops off the perch we get Vance - who's a whole lot smarter and has a whole Handmaid's Tale vision of where he wants to take the US, which I wouldn't wish on anyone
Big fan of Tom! Domenic grates somewhat as he exactly like the self-satisfied conservatives I knew from school. But he's still far better to listen to than anything coming out of the USA or Middle East right now.
MAGA is growing eerily like the Nazi Party Mk.1 in exerting an increasingly irresistible attraction for the utter dregs of society. It's as though their candidates must fit a Depravity Profile before they'll be considered.
ive been suffering from this a bit lately as well. The ABC news site in Aus has been starting to do more long form articles (well, longer than the usual news bite) and i find myself losing interest about 3/4 of the way through. My attention span is shot.
Still prefer songs that are longer than 6min though. At least i still have that.
Have you listened to Tom with Domenic Sandbrook on “the rest is history” podcast? Brilliant stuff. Expertly researched and presented with class and good humour. I absolutely love it.
There are times I think I'm having some sort of serious health issue that is causing cognitive decline, then I read things like this and realize social media has just collectively rotted everyone's brains. I use to read a book a week, now I'm lucky to finish one a month. I struggle to read long articles without losing interest. As someone who has been a "reader" since they were a child it's pretty alarming.
Same. Formerly voracious reader, can barely bother now.
I think the pandemic messed with people's heads too. I lost the ability to read fiction for about 18 months, just spent that time devouring the news. Admittedly this was the height of Scott Morrison's "leadership" and I was involved in an activist group putting together Lincoln Project style videos (without the budget) to convince the electorate to vote Morrison out, AND helping to run a political party trying to return to parliament, so my news obsession makes sense in hindsight.
These days I'm back on the fiction train (thank you Jason L and JB!) but I can't devour it the way I used to simply because by the time I get to bed to read I'll be lucky to get through a chapter before I read myself to sleep (which is not a reflection on the work I'm reading, just me being a sleep deprived idiot).
I've recently discovered Annabel Abbs, whose "Sleepless" and "Windswept" have done much to offset the screen.
Oooh I'll have to look into her! Thanks for the rec 😍
Very much written for the female reader, exhaustively researched.
I just got ~18 hrs in the Muskhole for suggesting that Comrade Carrots need not "fight and die for my President", but simply die instead. As for the US, Gibbon's Decline and Fall might be more apropos; I called it on Sep. 11 for what it's worth.
Congrats on a worthy achievement - an Elmo slap on the wrist. The Marmalade Maggot is not looking too physically healthy though. If only we had more than 4 weeks for nature to take its obviously accelerated course. Hamberders ftw
The terrifying thing is if the Mango Mussolini is re-elected and then immediately drops off the perch we get Vance - who's a whole lot smarter and has a whole Handmaid's Tale vision of where he wants to take the US, which I wouldn't wish on anyone
Good luck, I'm interested, as always, in the outcomes of these n=1 studies you undertake.
This is a great idea.
Big fan of Tom! Domenic grates somewhat as he exactly like the self-satisfied conservatives I knew from school. But he's still far better to listen to than anything coming out of the USA or Middle East right now.
That's part of the magic though, the way he and Tom bounce off each other and Tom gently but ruthlessly mocks him.
I'd love to cut the noise and distractions. The theatre of US politics is enthralling, though, and I can't look away.
MAGA is growing eerily like the Nazi Party Mk.1 in exerting an increasingly irresistible attraction for the utter dregs of society. It's as though their candidates must fit a Depravity Profile before they'll be considered.
It's almost like they haven't learned from history, so are instead condemning us to repeat it.
It's an oddly compelling trainwreck in real time.
ive been suffering from this a bit lately as well. The ABC news site in Aus has been starting to do more long form articles (well, longer than the usual news bite) and i find myself losing interest about 3/4 of the way through. My attention span is shot.
Still prefer songs that are longer than 6min though. At least i still have that.
Have you listened to Tom with Domenic Sandbrook on “the rest is history” podcast? Brilliant stuff. Expertly researched and presented with class and good humour. I absolutely love it.
"Are you not entertained?"
Maximus Decimus Meridius...
Madness worsens with age, and he and DJT are worsening by the day.