Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival => Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board => Topic started by: Hopalong on January 08, 2026, 09:33:28 AM
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I'll commit as ever to not talking politics here, because we love this board and want to protect it from division.
Sometimes, though, it might be a comfort to talk about my internal reactions to what's going on in the world and the country. I don't want to analyse it or offer here my biased thoughts about or explanations for one thing or another. There are plenty of Substack spots for me.
I just wanna say that today I'm in a renewed state of shock and grief over it all. And there's a lot of "all" right now. So, maybe talking about coping with the world is all I'm referring to.
For me, escapism has been first, and isolation next. Neither very useful. I'm okay, just had to put it somewhere. Not even looking for any suggestions, just wanted to say "this is part of my energy field right now." Thatssit.
hugs
Hops
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You and me both, Hops.
There are several very important (geopolitically) news stories this week and it's definitely more than "normal". Some of them aren't even mentioned by the big news outlets. So, it feels like a tsunami of "news"... but when I look closer, the actual amount of "news" is just a fraction of what's online, in reference to that "news".
It's people's reactions and opinions mostly. I've been hard pressed to sift fine enough to find the actual news updates. I'm sure it's affirming for people to post all that stuff; but I have a deal with myself, even if I agree with someone, that I'll go away long enough to do my own thinking about it. My way. Sans "influence".
And I can and do limit the time I allot to reviewing all of this. (Yes, I often have the experience that "while I was away" even more new attention-getting stuff happened. So be it.) Sometimes, I return to a forum thread that has grown 5-10 pages while I was "otherwise occupied". Sigh. Most of it is "noise" to me, these days.
The stuff right in front of me, IRL, is WAY more important to me, than my curiosity or "need to stay informed". B and I have taken advantage of Hol not needing attention from me, to go do some "fun" things for us instead. And it helps clear my head. Yes, escapism helps me relax - my epic fantasy books (mostly multi-book series) and tv movies and series, too. B and I just revisited Lonesome Dove. That felt peaceful and more "normal" even with the usual wild west violence. Hol & I will have an afternoon to compare notes & debrief when she gets back today; maybe tomorrow. And I have things "to do" which pays me tangible, self-sufficiency dividends. In satisfaction.
Isolation for me, or hermiting, simply is a way to reduce the over-stimulation of too much sensory input - as long as I drag myself away from the computer. I have enough physical space around me, that I don't have to navigate the unsolicited "inputs" from other people. That helps.
Space and time for me to process all this big change in our world's "landscape" is how I cope. A lot of it isn't going to personally impact me anyway. Sure, I want to understand what's going on. But there is a lot I don't have to bother myself with - so I choose not to.
Like I started out saying - I feel it too Hops. You ain't alone. We'll get through this time to another, more stable, "plateau". I trust in that.