Finding Joy
Most days, I look around, and I think, “Gee, this world sucks.” I lament about the decay of social norms, the excessive greed of corporations, the fandomization of politics, and failure of the arts. There are not many things that I think about and say, “Yea, that’s better than it was twenty-years or thirty-years ago” and that makes me sad. I’ve always felt the road to progress should be moving forward, not going back.
But with this generalized anxiety and disappointment about the world, I find myself seeking nuggets of joy. I appreciate a quiet few minutes so much more in my forties than I ever did before. I feel revitalized when I watch a great movie or a television show, even if it’s from twenty or thirty years ago. Experiencing a story that resonates with me and is told in a coherent way is what I appreciate the most about life.
Every day I look for small things. Maybe it’s a good blog post, or maybe an email from a friend. Maybe it’s a warm nuzzle from my cat or hearing my wife laugh. Or maybe it’s an easy drive into work where the idiots on the road aren’t quite so idiotic. It’s those small wins, those small moments that make life not suck so much, and in those moments, I forget about online outrage, the AI doom cycle, and all that lingers over me and creates this black cloud. I seek peace and calmness, and its those moments that provide it; not what I read online, nor see on TV.
I stand by the statement “This world sucks” and I don’t think it’s getting better. I really think the failure of our education system, our greed, and interfering with evolution has disrupted the equilibrium and we as a species are on our way out. That thought used to keep me up at night, but now, its almost comforting. There is nothing I can do about this world, I have no control, and whether we nuke ourselves into oblivion, or use up all the resources, the sun will continue to come up (at least for some time), and all we can do is try and make the best of things. Smile, be nice, enjoy yourself, and connect with others. Obsess over your favorite sports team, take lots of cute pictures of your pet. Seek peace in all that you do, because in the end, none of this matters.