Enforced Reflection

Caught a mimi-interview with Nathan Lane.

He was talking about the weird world under a pandemic and the concept of enforced reflection. The idea that many people have been using this time to look at themselves, their lives, the world and, hopefully, recognize changes that need to be made and start moving in that direction. To get a bigger slice of happiness. Or to get any happiness at all.

At first I did not like the idea of enforced, because to me it wasn't. As soon as I was furloughed last year I voluntarily set about improving myself. I blew it on the first go around, but in 2021 I put together an approach that has reaped many benefits.

But I suppose for many people it was enforced. Like, what the hell am I going to do with all this time? Of course, you had to have the luxury of being able to say that. For millions of people it was more like how am I going to pay my fucking rent this month and where am I going to get food tomorrow?

I know I am lucky to have gotten through this evilness as easily as I have, and I appreciate it greatly.

I am proud, given my privileged position, to have put the time to good use. I could have sat around drinking whiskey and watching soap operas. Instead I committed to the heavy lift of transforming my brain from a self-flagellation command center to a fiercely determined agent of change.

It is a work in progress and a very positive pursuit.

I would like to think that millions of people committed to enforced reflection and that we will come out of this bullshit as a more empathetic, considerate population.

I know that that will never happen.

The only result of all this suffering is that more people will party harder.

A sad commentary on the mindlessness of Americans.