AN EDGY CULTURE

            Teresa and I just spent last week in Montana at Music Ranch Montana where I gave the first ever non-music performance at this remarkable venue.  Country music celebrities Paul Overstreeet, Jimmy Fortune, and Rory Feek surrounded us with music all week and it was wonderful.

            But we flew . . . there and back.  And we returned to stories from our farm's urban neighborhood drops of fights and short tempers among some food patrons.  I haven't even gotten to what's on the news.

             I find myself being edgy and that's a shame.  I'm a happy, optimistic, jovial person who enjoys a great laugh, smiling at people, giving compliments to flight attendants and helping someone stow their luggage in the overhead bins.  But without facial expression, it's hard to read people.  If I offer to help, they move away like I'm a pariah. I can't understand them through their mask and they can't understand me. 

            I can't read facial clues.  Are they happy?  Fearful?  We had two patrons at one of our urban outside drop pickup points practically go to blows over mask wearing outside.   The front page headlines in our newspaper today proclaim area sees third third death from coronavirus.   Do you know how many people have died from heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and suicide in the last 6 months in our area?

             This daily, constant immersion in negativity takes a toll on us.  The cumulative effect of coronavirus, cities burning, urban looting, unemployment, devalued money, Trump's twitter, Biden's basement, the election, China, mandatory masks, loss of freedom, loss of social opportunities, loss of entertainment and recreation opportunities, school closures . . .  Wow, I don't ever remember a time of such ubiquitous negatives. 

             Even the Viet Nam riots and the Watts Riots don't compare--people could still assemble and grandmas still wanted to see their grandchildren.  Even the most basic human interaction is now suspect and often suspended. 

             All of this creates an edginess in the culture.  We don't know how to interact.  We can't read each other.  The public space is a space of uneasiness.  Arguments that 6 months ago would have been little disagreements now escalate disproportionately into a war.   I find it all just sad.  Sad that we've collectively let things bother us to such a degree.  Sad that some folks now see it as their mission to spy and tattle, even to reprimand for an extended hand.  To assume ill intent.

             I think people generally are scared to death.  They're walking around terrified to live, afraid they're going to die.  This is not healthy.  So what's the remedy?  Here's a short recipe, and I don't claim it works; I'm just offering what I'm doing.

             1.  Associate with people like you.  Tribalism is the historic basis of social structure.  Be careful about spending time with people who judge you or possess a self-righteous spirit.

             2.  Turn off the news.  Take a break.  It'll still be there when you peak at it after your news fast.

             3.  Laugh.  Long and loud and hard.  Read a joke book; watch some comedy acts.  A half hour a day of good belly laughs will insulate you from a lot of things.

             4.  Get outside in nature.  Visit a farm.  Go sit under a tree.  Jog through the woods.  Plant a garden.  Fortunately, plants and animals don't watch the news.

             Are you feeling edgy, and if so, what's your sanity trick?