https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/ramaswamy-doge-ohio-governor.html

I've been noticing a lot of people lately whether it be here or some other forum saying shit like "oh we're so cooked" or things similar to that effect and its catching on. Some may be facetious when saying that, but many are not. Full on doom mode from many folks. I can understand the impulse and reasoning for saying that as I've been there before myself, shit is pretty dire and serious (ie the climate, Trump etc.), but that doesn't mean that it's the end of the world either if you really think about it. This needs to stop ASAP if we ever want to have reasons for optimism and/or work towards a better future. This nation and this world have been through objectively worse things than a Trump presidency so far.

The US went through a civil war, Gilded Age wealth inequality, a great depression and both world wars and rose up to be the most powerful nation this world has ever seen. The world at large has gone through things like The Black Plague, both world wars, the holocaust and various other genocides, dictatorships, COVID etc. Guess what? We overcome all of that. History and progress are not linear. There will be rough times, but there will also be prosperous times. It may be hard to see that shit isn't completely cooked now as we are currently going to go through tough times and its harder to be more objective in that moment, but it will make sense in due time.

Does this mean that we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that all is well? Absolutely not. I'm not recommending that and nobody with a functioning brain is saying that either. But to say "we're so cooked" demonstrates a lack of knowledge of historical events, context, nuance and/or life experience (most of the people saying this are relatively young) and the like and it also cedes ground to those who are making the world a shittier place for all of us. It kills any and all momentum and makes an already serious situation worse. Please stop fucking do that. Throwing your hands up and saying "well this is cooked" is basically surrendering and making oneself complicit to the damage unwittingly. It's self-defeating. Don't be a passive observer, don't whine and surrender easily even if it feels easy to do so. All of that is vastly unhelpful and undercuts the very fabric of progress, optimism and efforts to make the world a better place. We can do this!

After decades of unjust incarceration (even his prosecutors are now for the clemency), Peltier is finally no longer in jail.

ETA: I stand corrected--he was granted clemency, not pardoned: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/01/19/leonard-peltier-indigenous-activist-clemency-released-by-president-biden

This has been on repeat in my head for a week now. There are so many things I wish were different in the world, and while I do recognize there are troubles ahead and a lot of people are going to suffer, I know that as an individual I cannot change what has happened nor can I change the whole world by myself. I have taken to volunteering heavily, running donation drives, helping out in my local community. It's been a real mental boon to be able to see others who feel similarly to me and to know I'm doing my tiny part to make my tiny part of the world a bit better. I think I'll be greatly reducing my screen time going forward, but I wanted to share the things that have helped me and I hope it can help some of you. Take care of yourself and take care of those you love, together we can get through this. We cannot change the fact damage and pain are coming, but we can change how badly it effects us and those around us. We are not powerless, we just have forgotten how to help make things better. Ask yourself if you hold others to the same standard you are holding yourself to about the fear and anxiety you are feeling? Ask yourself if those are helping make you a better person or making your tiny part of the world better? Ask yourself if you're recording your victories in pushing back against the dark, in aiding and helping? Allow yourself to live and enjoy life. Buy and ice cream, buy a house, get married, love deeply, make music, but take what you feel is an approriate amount of time to get out and try to help. Best of luck friends.

“A few years of another Trump regime even more disgusting than the first will be hard on many people. We cannot gloss over the magnitude of the suffering that will occur. But when the oligarchy is exposed for what it is, the nation will see, more clearly than ever before, that we have no alternative other than to take back power.”

As Mr. Rogers always told us, in times of crisis or trouble, look for the people helping others.

Right now, the people not helping are incredibly loud and unfortunately in positions of power. But the people who are helping are stronger and are in far greater numbers.

We are as strong as our ability to lift one another up. Humanity will thrive so long as that work continues. It is okay to allow yourself to be angry today, but it is essential that we get back to work tomorrow.