This feels like the silliest, smallest, first-worldiest gripe in our time of great hardship, suspicion, trauma, and sorrow, but...

Is it just me, or is anyone else seeing YouTube ads of two unskippable minutes pop up more frequently these days?

(Time to switch sites so I can have my writing jams on without routine interruption!)

As you might recall, my internet's been down a lot lately under Claro, one of Colombia's two major monopolies, so I'm always up for looking at other options (IF Medellín-specific Somos isn't using another company's infrastructure - I'll check).

However... I had to share their flyer for a chuckle. They've pulled a common move of putting English into the background to make the outfit seem more worldly...

Without anyone checking the meaning of the words and how they might affect the message! 🙃🚽

Then again, what *are* we ready for? 🙃

Good morning and good brew to you! ☕️

Something Adam Curtis described in one of his docs has stuck with me for years:

One way Putin's Russia solidified was through investment in political action groups across the spectrum. The key was to discourage citizens from feeling they could trust any initiative for change to be genuine. That's how you keep people in line: Believe me! Everyone else is lying to you!

It's been a good tactic for many operators (including Russia with other countries!) ever since. And we just aren't ready for it.

#News #Democracy

I was listening to an interview on protests in Georgia (the country) at the end of April.

This article skips over the full weight of this seemingly innocuous (heck, even seemingly valuable!) disclosure law for organizations with 20%+ foreign funding, but the key is that Russia in 2012 used a similar law as a wedge to disrupt civil society.

So locals know it's a dogwhistle. It invites *more*, not less sowing of disruption in favour of foreign interests.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/17/georgia-russia-how-dream-of-freedom-unravelled-foreign-agents-law

And... I clearly need to scale back on the size and scope of next week's posts. I've been pouring too much time into research for these as of late. Need to finish other writing, too! And get to bed earlier! And wake before the dawn! And run!

So, Part 2 will come next Thursday.

For now, I have a re-recording to do of my Asimov's review, and a story to finish and send out.

#FutureMeProblems

'Night, you beautiful stinkers!

Part 1 of 2 is up for Thorough Thursday.

This was a huge topic, and it got the best of me last Thursday, but I think I've found a more accessible "in" to talking about some problems with how we think about and seek to classify nature.

Today for paid subscribers, we look at the long, messy road to thinking about life through "species", while all readers can access an initial reflection on the theme as well.

(Next Thursday: the mess that is *our* species in particular!)
https://open.substack.com/pub/mlclark/p/the-trouble-with-classifying-nature

On my "list" today:

Older "gentlemen" who can't keep their hands to themselves, or their gobs clean in basic conversation in public.

I know that's none of you, and I know you don't have meetings to sort each other out, but whew. A lot of nonsense in the air today, and this meatsack was not having any of it.

Back home to finish this piece, then work on a story before my evening class. 👌🏻

There is now construction in my building, so it's off to the mall to try to work in the "peace" of a place without loud banging and drilling.

Good opportunity to shake off whatever sillies are still lurking in the corners of me like soot sprites in a Ghibli film, at least! 🤞

Loosely:

In Paris, Oxenford & Cambridge is there such manner of clerks that have the renown and fame to be called masters, to be praised and honoured. And have the name of master, that they should be good clerks without having the degree & name of master. But they be called masters wrongfully, for vanity ministers them in such ways that there can be little truth; because they have taken so soon the name of master, they leave the clergy & take them to the winning, as the merchants do, & brokers.

I'll probably write on Caxton's Mirror of the World for another Rewind Wednesday, but today, while checking an incidental fact, I had to chuckle at this reminder that humans never change.

This excerpt from the 15th-century text is complaining about a class of people that rushes through the education system to use its formal titles to get rich, not wise. 🙃

(Loosely modernized translation in the post below.)

We never, ever change.

#History #Literature #Humanism

Yesterday's post was difficult to pry from my fingers until late at night because it involved 19th-century history, a field where I can always find more to say on account of my academic background.

Today's posts(s) *should* be easier because I've been wrestling with the ideas in them for a week, but we shall see! 🤞🏻 May the rabbit holes be few and far between.

#AmWriting

Anyway--

Good morning, good brew to you ☕, and much gratitude *for* you all, too.

Hope your day goes as gently as it can.

There's a prominent person in my writing industry who's had my private ear & steady counsel for years... and using that ear, always vents about slights and not getting their way all the time, despite getting away with a lot that others couldn't.

Some wounds are genuine, but all reflect being so caught up in what the world has done *to* a person that there's not much room for anything else.

As much as I haven't gained their acclaim, I'm also thankful for not being caught in that mindset either.

Night all.

Take care of your hearts.

Watch your fool noggins.

And above all else, give yourself grace--and others too--for doing what seems right at the time to get by.

It might not look that great from the outside--and you or they might live to regret those actions later on--but for now? *Right* now?

It is what it is, and it'll have to be enough, until you or they get to the point where a brighter idea comes along. 🫂

One little empathy builder I do from time to time (& just did now, before bed):

Go to one of the hellsites and find an account for a person who fiercely holds a view that doesn't match yours.

Scroll through their content. Try not to get caught up in how much you disagree with it. Pay attention to reposts especially.

Think instead about what it must be like to be inundated by similar content all the time. How it might change a person.

Then look away.
Turn it off.
And be thankful that you can.