I wanted to thank my readers for the emails, comments, well-wishes, encouragement and support while I took a break. They meant a great deal and inspired me to continue.
I took a complete social media break for a couple of weeks. I spent time walking, reading, and watching movies. In the beginning it was difficult to concentrate, but it got better.
I was so burned out by all the information and bad news pummelling my head and heart, seemingly every few minutes. The words ‘influencer’ and ‘TikTok’ made me want to scream. People doing stupid things and our world collapsing around us with wars, riots, ‘internet sleuths’, ‘experts’ and ‘influencers’ everywhere.
I am not sure about you but it feels as though if the past 8 years were a movie, people would lambast it for being unbelievable. Kurt Vonnegut said that the difference between writing non-fiction and fiction was that fiction had to make sense. Reality has no obligation to make sense. It is exhausting living through a time that will fill several chapters in history books. The Trump shooting showed that 6mm could have completely changed history, and made me obsess about how often we have cheated death by seconds in our lives. I was saved by minutes during the terror attack in 2017. I stopped to buy something and if I had not, I would have been directly in the path of the truck.
I wonder if things really are as bad as they feel, or if the instant news cycle, and rumours and misinformation on social media has made it all seem very dramatic? In previous crises, news was contained more locally and usually with only one or two channels of information. You heard something on the radio or read it in the local news the day after.
Humans have not evolved to deal with the nonstop bombardment of information that is part of life now. I have to be careful of sensory overload. Everyone should be cautious. It is possible to break your brain.
So much to unpack and comment on … Thank you for the Vonnegut quote!!! Kudos for the well-deserved break. You’re allowed xo
I believe things are that bad. I am afraid to go anywhere. I’m 61 and had to get trained to be able to carry (and use if needed). My mother is no doubt rolling in her grave. I am a 24/7 caregiver to my son – I feel the need to protect at all costs. I live close to Philadelphia….. I’m glad you took a social media break as the world seems to tumble down all around. 💔
Big hugs to you, and thank you.
The past few years have shown me that not everything in the press can be believed and that not everything is objective. I have to say that I fear for the future. I thought things were going to be so much better but we seem to be sliding back into some really bad situation. And you are so right about the Trump assassination attempt, the whole world would be completely different were it not for those 6 mm… Taking a break from social media is really the best thing to do. I should have done one myself!…
💜💜 The world has gone mad. 😢