Are We Thinking Too Much About Politics?
On Tuesday, I posted this photo of my two dog friends, Mousse and Cookie, in a TBR live chat, along with the least provocative comment imaginable:
“Good morning TBR community! No matter how your day is going so far, I thought this photo of Mousse and Cookie might improve it ❤️”
Then something odd happened.
After a bunch of comments praising the dogs, the chat quickly veered to such topics as Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, ICE raids, and even (eek!) Kash Patel.
This made we wonder: Are we thinking too much about politics?
That might sound hypocritical coming from someone who writes about politics every day. If we’re too obsessed with the Trump shitshow, then clearly I’m part of the problem.
But still.
We’re all faced with a tricky choice. If we bury our heads in the sand, the dictatorship wins. But if we’re in a constant state of panic, it also wins. It’s hard to mount an effective resistance if your hair’s on fire 24/7.
Maybe we should reframe the choice.
Well-informed concern and vigilance that lead to action? Good. Relentless doomscrolling and freakouts that induce catatonia? Bad.
Now, I’m not here to dispense New Age wisdom. (Full disclosure: I did live in California for 15 years.) But worrying nonstop about politics isn’t just bad for the resistance. It’s bad for your health.
When times are this dark, we need to find moments of light.
Last November, I interviewed my friend Susie Essman, the brilliant comedian many of you know from “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” She offered some advice that has stayed with me: focus on the small things in life that give you happiness.
Or, as she memorably put it, “The macro is fucked. We gotta go micro.”
Put that on a T-shirt.
Obviously, if you are in genuine crisis right now—you or someone close to you is in danger of being deported, for example, or you’ve lost your health insurance or federal job—none of this advice applies. It would be the height of insensitivity for me to tell you to chill.
But if your suffering is not at that acute level, try to take a little break from the macro. Take a walk. See a friend. Read a book. Listen to your favorite music.
It might improve your wellbeing. And it might refresh you for the fight.
As for pet photos, I’m not under the illusion that they will bring the Trump nightmare to an end. But they do no harm.
Love,
Andy
TBR Question of the Day: What small things bring you joy right now? Leave your answer below.
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Good morning! What’s helping you guys calm down these days?
I live with a wife who has dementia and disabilities. I give her pills 8 time per day. I remember when President Obama tossed a basketball up from quite a distance and it was all net. He walked off the court and said, "That's what I do." When I toss a pill cup into the ones stacked up, I say, "That's what I do," and I remember him and how he handled that impossible job with such grace, wisdom, and humor. Then I smile and think, "I can do this."