Too Little Too Late, or Too Much Too Soon?

Current Conundrum

I heard a fact the other day that I had not known—our smart phones have more computing power than the original Apollo moon launch. It took me a few days to wonder about that before I looked it up and confirmed the details. It is true that we now have an entire world of knowledge in the palm of our hands. But is that a good thing? For a nosy want-to-know-it-all like me, it becomes too much I think.

As I have said before, I much prefer reading real books, newspapers, magazines, and handwritten letters (which are practically extinct). And the reading room at the New York Public Library is a holy space in my estimation. But the temptations of virtual reality could definitely overcome our old-fashioned ways of communicating if we are not careful. And another item that caught my attention but definitely not in a good way: a number of young men are creating virtual girlfriends for themselves. I did not explore the details of this revelation because quite frankly my own interpretation of it involved a lot of unproductive sperm in the world (and what do the anti-abortion zealots think about that???).

Meanwhile, back at the ranch as I always say although I’ve lived anywhere near one, I was pleased to read that many rational thinking decent human beings are rallying to defend democracy against the decades long onslaught by Leonard Leo and the radical right-wing organizations that support the Christian Nationalist “send the women back to the kitchen agenda.” “The Freedom Academy” with Asha Rangappa has educated me on many of the ways this insidious plot has been executed, with the latest book assignment laying out the scheme in exquisite detail. You may join the Academy at any time.

And now, on to the topic of the economy. First of all, most of us in the lower echelon of income really don’t pay much attention to lofty economic trends, etc. We are just concerned when the price of our absolutely necessary fiber cereal has almost doubled in the years since it became a must-have item (my fellow old people know what I mean). So it got me thinking about prices and money and all the sayings that I carry with me from the scarcity we managed in England after WWII. “Waste Not, Want Not” “Enough Is As Good As a Feast” “A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned” and so on. My habits still run to reusing things. In fact, I’ve been meaning to share that I wash and hang to dry the ziploc baggies I buy when they’re on sale or I have a coupon. And I could not throw away food if you paid me. I have to eat up everything I have before I replace it, and I am always looking for bargains which keeps my mostly anti-inflammatory diet quite interesting. I never realized that many Americans turn up their noses at leftovers. A friend recently allowed as to how she might be able to take some food home from her large restaurant portion, but she could never take someone else’s—which I promptly proceeded to do.

We all have things that make us feel safe and content. But it has become increasingly difficult to settle down to our own routines when every new day brings another horror headline. I am beginning to recognize the value of blinkers (except for the horses who still got scared and ran through London), and I have decided to create my own blinkered version of my world. I will continue to read my daily paper and weekly New Yorker (the best writing in the world), but I am limiting my online reading. I have occasionally found myself in very unsettling territory, even here on Substack. I firmly believe in the rights of free speech and other Stackers may post whatever they want. But I don’t have to waste my precious time reading (and in my head refuting) their nonsense. SENSE SHALL OVERCOME NONSENSE, and you can quote me on that.