2689 In Praise Of Something.
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First of all, thank you for indulging me with the likely unnecessary post from Wednesday. In the grand scheme of things the extremely minimal level of ire I draw probably didn’t deserve an entire blog post, but I am in a constant state of frustration, which makes me tetchy. Even on a good day it is in my nature to fly off the handle, or respond with inappropriate levels of anger. I’ve never been a very balanced individual. When you combine that with a world that has taught me to expect vicious attacks at every turn it takes me off my hinges a bit. So much of my personality exists at polar odds with itself it’s a wonder I can function at all. In any event with the US election drawing ever closer I expect people to get more and more unhinged. Since it is difficult to escape the rhetoric in the modern era people get way more frantic than they did before social media. Not because people were more sane, but rather we can now see that most people are little more than strategically shaved apes in people clothes, and that is worrying. Civilization is easier to maintain when you can’t see how uncivil the world is so easily. Additionally as the elderly drop off we lose more and more calming voices who’ve seen it all before , and get new ones who’ve seen nothing and know every. fucking. thing. The battle between the old and young is more pointed than ever since the old can get much, much, older than before on a regular basis. At this point we are, in the US at least, regularly governed by ancient lunatics and scoundrels who would have been abandoned by the tribe in the long, long, ago. Of course we also have a big batch of young lunatics that we will have to suffer for decades now too. It’s east to understand why tension would spill into places like the comment sections of largely obscure webcomics.
In many ways I’m on the sidelines of this as I have no family of my own. I’m affected so much less than people who are responsible for more lives than their own. I can barely cope with looking out for me, I don’t understand how people manage having children at all. The responsibility is immense. I suppose that’s why so many people fail at it to degrees ranging from mild to abject horror. Existing is a trial even at the best of times and we aren’t in those currently. Shit’s fucked, as the youth say. More so than I’ve ever seen in my nearly half century. All I can offer is this little haven where I try not to remind you of reality more than I need to. This blog post is actually running very counter to my goals. We can’t always stick our heads in the sand though. Even I must face facts from time to time. The future is a grim, and lonely, proposition. For me at any rate. At this point ignoring the oncoming future is the only defense I have left. Otherwise I would simply slide, inexorably, into the abyss.
“What do you do when you can’t do nothin’, but there’s nothin’ you can do?”
“You do what you can.”
My father has told us our whole lives to “get out and do some good in the world”. I don’t think I’m capable of doing big good, so I try to do this small good in hopes that the ripples of it will spread out into the world. A little bit of good, even the smallest good you can do, builds over time. It holds back the tide of bad a little longer. You’ll never win, but sometimes things aren’t as simple as a simple win or loss.
16 Comments
it means the right people are at the right place, don’t change anything
Most of us can’t do very much, and generally, if you CAN do alot of something, it’s probably bad–one guy can blow up a large building but it requires teams of people to build one. Fact is, progress is a group effort, requiring a ton of us to all do our little bit. So that’s the best you can hope to accomplish, yet also, it’s all you really need to do.
And yeah, I’ve had to largely check out of politics–it’s just too damn depressing. None of us are obligated to be miserable, living in the day-to-day muck of political news and discourse, just to try and be “good citizens” or whatever. The US is caught in a death spiral anyway, and I don’t think any of us can stop it, just strap in and prepare for the crash.
Jackie, from my heart, thank you for the small, calm, joy you have given me for a long time. I look forward to your updates with more joy and anticipation then I do for my morning coffee.
You are right, it is a small thing. But so is a brand new daisy blooming in your yard,or the sound your dog makes when they know you are home.
All the truly valuable things are small. All the large things are not as valuable as they think they are.
I couldn’t agree more, very well said!
I’m already convinced that the dysfunction of the party over people mentality of Washington that’s being reinforced this election season will only serve to build a far greater powderkeg when we’re all going to realize that this isn’t helping to resolve national issues. At this point, I’m already expecting the U.S. to fall into another civil war.
Party over people all over Washington and government dysfunction?
Please don’t bothsides this. If there’s another civil war, it’s not coming from both sides.
Secession. Lets kick DC out and build a wall around it. And maybe fill it with water.
I’d vote for that.
Small good from lots of people is how we change the world Jackie. Stories show me things I should aspire to, even if I never make it there.
And then our shop’s crew says”Hooray!We’re saved!”
…No, we’re not…we don’t [know] what we’re doing!”
:)
For me, your blog posts are a selfish indulgence as I get to bask in reading something similar to what I would write. I’ve been taught how to get along in society, and that means trying my best to be “normal”, so free words written with emotion and thought and not just “LIKE OMG THIS IS SO CUTE” “OMG I THINK THEY LIKE ME” “OMG SPORTS” feels so super-good I’m guilty about it.
sometimes a small good is all it takes. ive been reading the comic for years and i look forward to it. thanks for taking the time to continue making it
I do not wish to diagnose you unprofessionally from a distance, Jackie, but you kinda sound a bit isolated. yeah I know, “YA THINK?!?”.
Seriously though. I once worked a job where I was by myself all day with about 300 computers in vertical racks. I was fine with it when there were people close by and I could hear them talking and occasionally laughing, just going about their workday as people do. But when they moved on and it was just me and the sound of about a thousand cooling fans I started to go nuts. I needed some kind of human-generated sound.
My solution was internet radio. I compiled pretty large playlists of songs from younger days and new stuff I didn’t know was out there. Also internet comments sections but I digress. :)
Music and being a yahoo on the web may not be what keeps you sane through, because you’re not me. But I think there’s a lack of…something…there. Figure out what it is and go get it. If you want my Pandora playlists, just ask.
@VorlonAgent:
I still miss the time when Pandora allowed you the option to REDIRECT a tune, rather than just ACCEPT/DELETE. I enjoyed sorting tunes into different folders(“stations”) as new tunes were suggested to me.
Relatively few people have the means to do A LOT of good. Making a huge difference usually requires a lot of money. However, ANYONE is capable of doing SOME good – often with very little money. But far too many people choose NOT to do what little good they can for their fellow man. You choose to do what you can, and for that, you have my appreciation and support.
I will say… This comic is one of the finest I’ve read. I enjoy re-reading it a lot! And there’s been some comics that I STILL die laughing at! You have compiled a charming, witty and adorable cast of characters!
Your art is simple without LOOKING simple! I personally think that overdoing it with details can look poor if not done JUST right. A little can go a long way! THAT fits your art to a tee. The outlines make everything pop, almost like a cel-shaded artstyle!
As for the characters… I CANNOT pick a favourite if my life depended on it. I can pick a few. Namely Carol, Nina and Mike. But they are for different reasons.
So don’t listen to those who want to tear you down. Listen to those who wish to help you rise up! You got something good here! Don’t end it unless YOU feel it’s ready to end.