We turn everything into a meme these days. I understand the whole you have to laugh or else you'll cry mentality. But, as social media helps take away the sting of reality, it also contributes to our failure to deal with it. You’ve seen the memes. For example—
These ongoing, progressively worsening issues are killing our country. Civility is all but gone. My wife and I at 76 yrs of age think twice or three times before going anywhere. We do to some extent live with a degree of apprehension. We remember and long for a kinder, gentler, thoughtful America but hold out little hope for that. We sometimes worry about being targeted due to our advanced age and inability to fight back if attacked. It should not be like this for anyone.
I’m a relatively new dad. My boy just turned 3. I have been amazed at how quickly the friendly glances due to having my baby with me wore off when out in public. They lasted up to almost a year, I’d say. And then my Midwestern Target co-shoppers became as cold as they think Parisians are. But go to Europe with your kids and you get to cut lines. I’m not saying that’s necessary, but it serves in place of a nice little friendly glance between strangers that we don’t have.
Every time I go overseas I’m reminded of how much calmer other people have it. Passing through Customs is good for my blood pressure. Being able to walk everywhere, almost no mindless aggression, and being around people who collectively have agreed to live at the speed of life.
The U.S. is in a flat spin, and I’m not sure how much longer I wanna stay, either.
As for sidewalks, if you want to see aggression, simply suggest putting them on any given street and watch the homeowners react. Madison also recently redid a bike path by us. It’s like 12 ft wide (replaced a traffic lane)… and it stopped right at the edge of our suburb.
I think the streets being cleaned makes a big difference. There’s pride of place and a desire to consciously or subconsciously emulate that behavior. I agree that it’s all the seemingly small aggressions in the aggregate that pile on to the feeling that something/everything is not working. It helps to hear it articulated this clearly. - Thanks!
Oh so well said. Things are better where I live in a small town, but the evidence of these micro- and not so micro-aggressions are all around us, and social media is full of it.
A friend of mine in another town is selling his dad's car and posted an add. He gets a text message with just a number, not even a dollar sign. Not a "would consider this offer". Nothing. Just a low number?? I know that is a tiny thing considering all the things you describe but simple decent communication isn't too much to ask.
And the ever escalating cost of food can only end badly, as in revolt badly. When a large part of society is hitting their financial breaking point, what happens next cannot be pretty. The speed at which society is fraying is definitely a major concern.
An opportunity to be compassionate; how does other peoples aggression make us feel? How can we be more compassionate towards them? What are our options? Can we forgive the small ones before they pile up and spiral into an avalanche?
There is a creeping malaise. It is not just an LA, or even mega cities thing.
Last night, my wife and I went to a gig in our capital city, Bern. Candy Dulfer, and Sheila E in Purple Jam, a tribute to Prince!
We went by train; that service does work. Still. Unlike across the border in Germany, where the terms reliability and depdendability will forever more no longer appear in the same sentence as Germany. In Bern we decided to walk the 10 minutes from the station to the club. It was not dark yet.
Within 500m of the station we passed a really run down, graffitied building, with lots of folk hanging around who looked like druggies or dealers. We both quickly realised we were taking the bus back to the station after the gig.
We also have a very general imported crime problem. Lots of immigrants trying to be taken in as asylum seekers. Crime is part of their life and nothing to lose - money, 3 square, colour TV and internet whether we put them in jail or not.
Which gets me to the things on Rocco's mind as the thinks Spain and has his Urban Planner hat on. Our cities need to work on making every neighbourhood so hospitable that you both want to walk around and can walk around, at any time of day, whatever age you are.
Most people have never lived overseas; they don't know what it feels like to live in a true wholesome community environment. I lived in San Diego for 20 years and I'm glad I got out.
These ongoing, progressively worsening issues are killing our country. Civility is all but gone. My wife and I at 76 yrs of age think twice or three times before going anywhere. We do to some extent live with a degree of apprehension. We remember and long for a kinder, gentler, thoughtful America but hold out little hope for that. We sometimes worry about being targeted due to our advanced age and inability to fight back if attacked. It should not be like this for anyone.
I’m a relatively new dad. My boy just turned 3. I have been amazed at how quickly the friendly glances due to having my baby with me wore off when out in public. They lasted up to almost a year, I’d say. And then my Midwestern Target co-shoppers became as cold as they think Parisians are. But go to Europe with your kids and you get to cut lines. I’m not saying that’s necessary, but it serves in place of a nice little friendly glance between strangers that we don’t have.
Every time I go overseas I’m reminded of how much calmer other people have it. Passing through Customs is good for my blood pressure. Being able to walk everywhere, almost no mindless aggression, and being around people who collectively have agreed to live at the speed of life.
The U.S. is in a flat spin, and I’m not sure how much longer I wanna stay, either.
As for sidewalks, if you want to see aggression, simply suggest putting them on any given street and watch the homeowners react. Madison also recently redid a bike path by us. It’s like 12 ft wide (replaced a traffic lane)… and it stopped right at the edge of our suburb.
I think the streets being cleaned makes a big difference. There’s pride of place and a desire to consciously or subconsciously emulate that behavior. I agree that it’s all the seemingly small aggressions in the aggregate that pile on to the feeling that something/everything is not working. It helps to hear it articulated this clearly. - Thanks!
Oh so well said. Things are better where I live in a small town, but the evidence of these micro- and not so micro-aggressions are all around us, and social media is full of it.
A friend of mine in another town is selling his dad's car and posted an add. He gets a text message with just a number, not even a dollar sign. Not a "would consider this offer". Nothing. Just a low number?? I know that is a tiny thing considering all the things you describe but simple decent communication isn't too much to ask.
And the ever escalating cost of food can only end badly, as in revolt badly. When a large part of society is hitting their financial breaking point, what happens next cannot be pretty. The speed at which society is fraying is definitely a major concern.
An opportunity to be compassionate; how does other peoples aggression make us feel? How can we be more compassionate towards them? What are our options? Can we forgive the small ones before they pile up and spiral into an avalanche?
There is a creeping malaise. It is not just an LA, or even mega cities thing.
Last night, my wife and I went to a gig in our capital city, Bern. Candy Dulfer, and Sheila E in Purple Jam, a tribute to Prince!
We went by train; that service does work. Still. Unlike across the border in Germany, where the terms reliability and depdendability will forever more no longer appear in the same sentence as Germany. In Bern we decided to walk the 10 minutes from the station to the club. It was not dark yet.
Within 500m of the station we passed a really run down, graffitied building, with lots of folk hanging around who looked like druggies or dealers. We both quickly realised we were taking the bus back to the station after the gig.
We also have a very general imported crime problem. Lots of immigrants trying to be taken in as asylum seekers. Crime is part of their life and nothing to lose - money, 3 square, colour TV and internet whether we put them in jail or not.
Which gets me to the things on Rocco's mind as the thinks Spain and has his Urban Planner hat on. Our cities need to work on making every neighbourhood so hospitable that you both want to walk around and can walk around, at any time of day, whatever age you are.
Spot on again! agreed on all the opportunities for spontaneous activity and enjoyment here but at what price?
Most people have never lived overseas; they don't know what it feels like to live in a true wholesome community environment. I lived in San Diego for 20 years and I'm glad I got out.