If you are a news or political junkie, like me, you are at your wit’s end with current events. But maybe the approach needs adjusting, rather than the talking points? Let’s dig.
Contrary to information mavens, political thought and news are not a major part of most people’s lives. Concerns? Sure—and deservedly so. As my last article, https://globallibertymedia.com/talk-me-down-from-the-ledge/, lists, there are many points of worry. But most people are too busy managing their own lives—work, family, bill-paying, house maintaining, etc. dominates day-to-day efforts. Yes, poor governmental decisions can impact them directly: energy prices, inflation, job prospects via open immigration, etc. But individuals have no choice in these matters—they just press on. They sometimes have to realign priorities, as expenses rise in one area (like gas and food prices), forcing them to reduce in another (usually discretionary spending, like vacation and leisure plans). As much as individuals may complain, they have zero recourse to change anything. Our representatives continue to do what they do, regardless of those complaints. Consumers will nurse an old vehicle back to operational, putting off buying new to the future (if a new vehicle was ever in their plans). They may change food options, avoiding the foods that have escalated in price, in favor of more staples. They may stop eating in restaurants or fast-food joints entirely, until they can afford to do so. Such is the nature of microeconomics anyway, just more so in an inflationary time period. So, Joe on the street keeps on keeping on. The bromide of ‘keeping food on the table, lights on, and a roof overhead’ isn’t a bromide at all. It is LIFE, for many people.
So, the good side of things—generally speaking, is the non-political side. As terrible as the COVID-19 virus and the governmental responses to it have been to many lifestyles—many severely ill, many deaths, many more jobs-impacted, there is a faint silver lining: many families have gotten closer together. Whether it is due to inability to travel, or just appreciating the living after losing others, many people are recognizing their immediate family, and their value, more than ever. That it took a pandemic, and the government’s reactions to it, to reveal the importance of family, is a bit sad, but noteworthy.
Even with inflation on the rise, the standard of living in the US is still amazing. No, it’s not where it was several months ago, but it is still quite good. If your largest complaint is that Starbucks is only offering its products via drive-thru, or that your streaming service is too slow, or the price of bottled water has risen, you truly do not have catastrophic beefs—you have food, water, and entertainment choices that simply did not exist a few years ago! The Internet, source of so much of our information discord, is also an entertainment vehicle that can provide free or nearly free options without leaving your sofa! Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and the like, can keep things rolling where in-person options are limited. Granted, Amazon shopping may be scrutinized a bit more as budgets tighten, but that option is also still there.
Our food and water supply systems are still operational, if at higher prices. With very few exceptions, we have clean water and available food—maybe not at the quantity, variety, and price that we’d like, but we can still maintain health at very reasonable prices. Starvation and thirst are not part of our dynamic, at least for the vast majority of our population (I’ll leave the fact that some of our most ‘needy’ are obese alone). Heck, current economic conditions may cause a few at-home chefs to surface, as people tend toward less expensive food options. Our charity food pantries still have supplies for the very needy, although they may need an assist from the rest of us now more than ever. But they are still there.
Even thru the pandemic, we still have an amazing health care system. Sure, individual practices may have been adversely affected, but the system as a whole is still outstanding. Yes, we have the whole virus and vaccine dilemmas to work through, but especially emergency care is still quite available. Maladies that were life-threatening or lifestyle-threatening in the very near past are simply inconveniences today.
So, even though our political and news arenas make a dumpster fire look organized and controlled in comparison, the other facets of our world are still operational. I empathize with those that have lost health, loved ones, or jobs in the last couple of years—I do not ever intend to downplay or gloss over their troubles. In fact, it’s a better idea now more than ever to reach out to friends and family, just to see if you can brighten their day a bit, given their adversities. Help where you can, if you can. Because outside of politics and the news, we are still a country that is quite self-reliant—with a little boost from friends and family.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article! Feel free to add comments (good or bad) in the box below. In addition, there is a link at the bottom of the article to view other items I’ve written at Global Liberty Media. Enjoy!
