Far too many Americans would find this disgusting instead of essential to our culture. What poison has soaked in to the bones of many.
Far too many Americans would find this disgusting instead of essential to our culture. What poison has soaked in to the bones of many.
Imagine seeing a meme like this and feeling the need to append vitriol to the end of it. Just enjoy what’s out there, you don’t need to say “I just hate the way modern americans just want to hate everything”.
You say vitriol, I say sadness.
From one human to another, I’m going to recommend trying to look for the good, rather than the bad. Nothing kills motivation for action as much as pessimism.
I get that there is pain and suffering all over the damn world, but dwelling on it doesn’t really provide wisdom. It just makes it harder to find reasons to get out of bed in the morning. I don’t think I should have to defend taking care of one’s mental health on a post about Anthony Bourdain.
I looked for the good. The meme is the good. I also looked for the bad - and commented. To recognize the good without the bad is to create a false image of reality that will inevitably come crashing down; to recognize the bad without the good is also a false image, but a miserable one, and not one that will necessarily come crashing down.
I express disappointment because I believe we can be better. I express disappointment because I see a value worth loving in the meme. I express disappointment because I recognize the great capacity for good that is here. I express disappointment because I still have hope, and will continue to have hope.
I harbor no illusions about there being toxicity on the internet and beyond. You can acknowledge its existence without letting it taint your daily life.
The human brain is a sponge, that soaks in every experience and interaction one has. I’m encouraging you to allow it to have these positive moments and hope without clouding them with disappointment for what could be.
You know what, I’ll practice what I preach. I worked with a guy who reminded me of Anthony Bourdain. By 30, the guy had traveled all over the world, supped from springs in Taiwan and bunked with strangers in Germany. Then went back to the US to settle down and do odd jobs. I wish I had the chance to coax more stories out of him but we stayed busy during working hours.