redux

I think it goes a lot deeper and manifests on every level of interaction. Honestly, I left a whole friend group that was late millennial/ early gen z, and so much of the interactions Ive had, the ability for them to connect with anything deeper than surface level, all seem disingenuous and shallow. Pair that with the hypocritical moral grandstanding (opportunistic amorality), the way people are treated disposably, mocking people behind their back, and it really feels like we’re all in for a world of hurt. It was all very highschool lunchroom for me, but these people are 24-28 now, a full decade past HS, and they’re still as unserious and immature as ever. They also fiercely gatekeep artists and genres, and constantly mock and belittle anything that sits outside of their bubble of “cool”. They jab each other all the time with mild insults and claim its in good humor, but its really just prodding for weakspots. And when they find one (or if youre foolish enough to open up), they exploit it and use ever ounce of information against one another to dunk on and humiliate. Alliances are tenuous at best, and relationships are disposable (“grass is always greener” mentality). Apologies are weaponized, weakness is exploited, if you dare speak up, they play the “wounded bird” victim, limping around and shittalking when they are blatantly biased or guilty of the same thing.

Theres no grace, theres no respect, theres no accountability. And this is a reflection of our culture, our leaders, and our society

"

When I look inside, there is an expansive garden. Inside the garden grows the fruits of hopes and dreams.

With a primrose touch, I cultivate with curiosity and cherish all that blooms within.

It's a wild garden, growing freely without hesitation or agenda. Unencumbered, it reaches up and out.

No marked paths cut through it. Only its inhabitants know the way to traverse its delicate dance.

I do not know my garden in its entirety, so I can always explore it and find something new to tend to!

What grows there comes from the seeds of love and kindness I recieve through the seasons.

It is my duty to give freely from what bears fruit here, because I own nothing.

Part of my duty is to rip out the weeds and dead bush of what grew there before I entered the garden.

I let all manner of life into my garden, so long as it does not interfere with what grows there.

But people at large are cautiously restricted from entering, because I fear them.

They're unpredictable and careless. They come with their greed and their fire and their inundations.

To protect this garden Ive assembled a stone wall around it. Piece by piece I build higher.

Every scar i recieve and every mistake I make is a brick that I add, growing the wall taller until it becomes a hollow tower.

But if the tower grows too tall, I fear it will block the sun from getting into the garden.

It can become unstable and with a strong wind, completely collapse into itself and destroy the garden.

So the duty remains to take the wall down to size, brick by boring brick.

"