I was so sure that today’s newsletter would be a “lighter” meditation, but there was just too much to say about the psychological damage of war, and the struggle to cope with global trauma and propaganda cycles while also trying to live with integrity much closer to home.
It is very difficult to live "at human scale" in the world right now.
Take good care of your grieving hearts, while doing the best you can, with all the compassion you can muster from where you are.
https://mlclark.substack.com/p/artificial-intimacy-and-everyday
Thank you, Lise. đź«‚
This was a very heavy one to write, but I had hoped it would be of use to others.
I was recently listening to Cory Doctorow talk about how everything he produces is free-to-read and reproduce elsewhere - and I would love to have the financial stability to be able to do likewise.
Right now, the use of a paywall for some posts is a necessary concession to the leanness of my industry in this season--but one day it will come down.
Thank you for sitting with the work.
May you one day have the financial freedom to do as Doctorow does. But few writers do, so those of us who read need to pitch in (if they can) to make it happen. I know that must have difficult to write, but I assure you, it did help. Your writing accompanies me on this strange journey we're on, helping me to make sense of what I see, or just making me feel less alone, which is huge. đź–¤
Thank you so much, Lise. đź«‚ It makes more of a difference than I can adequately put to words (ironically).
Still--
Your presence with the writing (and just in general) makes me feel less alone with the weight of this strange timeline, too.
We were never promised a rose garden, but the world is a lot thornier than it could be. Best never to travel in it entirely alone. 🕊️
@MLClark
This is excellent, M. L. I wish everyone could read it.