My takeaway is that we are living inside a virtual media matrix run by the insane.
I have a theory for what might be one of the key causes of growing crazy. I think the human animal needs a consistent dose of physical work of productive activity to maintain a healthy psyche. I think we can draw a trend line that includes the rise of mental health problems that matches the reverse trend line representing the decline in work to actually build, grow and fix real tangible products.
It is fine that a percentage of people works with their brain and not their hands, but most of us need both. However, increasingly the population is doing very little physical work... and very little physical activity. The nerds have been capitalizing on integrating services that remove the need for work... making it worse, not better.
I interviewed a Millennial recently who spoke very highly of his existing job and thus I wanted to know why he was interested in coming to work for me. His answer, the company was requiring all employees to work from the office. His commute is only 20 minutes, but he was angry that he had to "give away his time" to the company when he was just as productive working from home.
I hired a 24-year-old to work at another business where he had to be trained how to mop a floor with a mop, cut up cardboard boxes with a box cutter, and did not know how to handle a cordless drill (he had never handled one before).
My 33-year-old son works for me. He was struggling with his self-discipline and had some addiction issue. He was prone to high stress and anger bursts. Then he and his fiancé, with our help, bought a piece of land that they will build a house on. He is so busy now with physical work. Gets up early. Goes to bed at a reasonable hour. He says he has never been happier. He has developed muscle tone and lost weight. He is fit, tan and I have not seen him lose his temper or stress out since he started doing all this. He smiles much more. His psyche has never been healthier.
I see it in myself too. My work is on the phone and computer 95% of the time. But when I take time off to build a deck, or some other physical project, I feel mentally and phytologically healthier. When I go on a long hike in nature or climb a mountain… that helps too.
We have a more depressed and mentally unhealthy society because too many people are not physically involved in productive activities.
Stop sending kids to get a four-year degree on useless disciplines. Start adding industrial arts and other training for physical production. Bring back trade and manufacturing jobs and start a national campaign to praise these careers vs working as a paid professional activist or as a looting attorney or Wall Street bankster.
My career (patent attorney) has been all cerebral. But I mow my own lawn, shovel my driveway, do all my trees and other mindless yard work, and have for decades. I need the mindless labor to clear my head, and I derive great satisfaction from it
Isn't it interesting that we admit that doing that physical stuff "clears our head"!?
I do the same, but I also do a lot of mind-full projects that not only clear my head, but seems to build on my clear-thinking ability for my cerebral professional work. For example, I designed and built a pergola, deck and raised bed garden structure for our back yard. I took some vacation time to do that work, and came back refreshed and more focused.
If we think about the evolutionary aspect of human development... we were built for physical challenges. Some seem better built to just do the mind work... I think of Stephen Hawking as an extreme example... but I think most people have an actually psychological need for physical toil, challenges and accomplishments.
There is some recent good studies on Blue Zones... places where a high percentage of people live longer... and one of the key findings is that these people remain physically active.
I couldn't agree more. It's why I miss the Army so much. I miss the forced deprivation and physical demands, the feeling of creature comforts well earned. I was a grunt officer, so it was often a Spartan lifestyle. I haven't been able to replicate this in any meaningful sense, trying to make it in the "information economy" as I am. The ennui can be intense. It certainly doesn't help that I'm currently unemployed and struggling to find a fit, so much so that I'm flirting with the idea of becoming a police officer - a pretty crazy idea in 2023, especially with two fancy degrees.
My brother became a cop in a small town next to the small town where we grew up. His frustration with the job became apparent early on- mostly the job was dealing with low life domestic disturbances. He ultimately became an FBI agent in Medford OR- as far away from DC as possible, and he liked it that way.
The policy officer track is a good one depending on the location. Get 20 years, retire with pension and healthcare, and do something else.
I had flirted with becoming a fireman at one point early in my career. My friends that did that and also some that did prison guard and police officer... all retired in their 50s and have a set retirement.
As a woman (70 years old) I am not as into the work you’re talking about...but I love doing at least 100 💯 squats every morning & love turning on crazy music 🎼 and just dancing for an hour most days.
I find that the physical is invigorating and hopefully why I’ll live many more years!
I installed some raised beds at Wydaho home some years ago. One is full of raspberries, and the other alternates as a garden and deer feeder. Impossible to maintain garden at Kauai house between salt and bugs and birds, but all our property is full of stuff that ANP (always needs pruning) my favorite toy is a battery powered 10 inch chain saw. Wife doesn't get the joy of cutting stuff, although I am less enthused about the hauling away part
The Mikita battery powered one is great. Highly recommend. Plus I buy replacement chains in bulk on Amazon. It will cut harwad like iron wood trees, although that eats up battery and chains go faster, but most of what I deal with is softwood and vines. No gas smell or smoke. You still get oil spray BUT try vegetable oil instead petroleum based for the softwood and vines
Mowing the grass and weed-wacking with string trimmer I think are some of the highest value therapies. It is a simply job but yields such immediately pleasing results.
“The year after Black Lives Matter protests, the S&P 100 added more than 300,000 jobs—94% went to people of color.” Interesting statistic.
Another statistic that would be interesting.....the year after the BLM 'protests', how much was the year-on-year increase in murders and rapes of black people by other black people? And all in the name of Social Justice. https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/
I repeat... I love these quote pieces.
My takeaway is that we are living inside a virtual media matrix run by the insane.
I have a theory for what might be one of the key causes of growing crazy. I think the human animal needs a consistent dose of physical work of productive activity to maintain a healthy psyche. I think we can draw a trend line that includes the rise of mental health problems that matches the reverse trend line representing the decline in work to actually build, grow and fix real tangible products.
It is fine that a percentage of people works with their brain and not their hands, but most of us need both. However, increasingly the population is doing very little physical work... and very little physical activity. The nerds have been capitalizing on integrating services that remove the need for work... making it worse, not better.
I interviewed a Millennial recently who spoke very highly of his existing job and thus I wanted to know why he was interested in coming to work for me. His answer, the company was requiring all employees to work from the office. His commute is only 20 minutes, but he was angry that he had to "give away his time" to the company when he was just as productive working from home.
I hired a 24-year-old to work at another business where he had to be trained how to mop a floor with a mop, cut up cardboard boxes with a box cutter, and did not know how to handle a cordless drill (he had never handled one before).
My 33-year-old son works for me. He was struggling with his self-discipline and had some addiction issue. He was prone to high stress and anger bursts. Then he and his fiancé, with our help, bought a piece of land that they will build a house on. He is so busy now with physical work. Gets up early. Goes to bed at a reasonable hour. He says he has never been happier. He has developed muscle tone and lost weight. He is fit, tan and I have not seen him lose his temper or stress out since he started doing all this. He smiles much more. His psyche has never been healthier.
I see it in myself too. My work is on the phone and computer 95% of the time. But when I take time off to build a deck, or some other physical project, I feel mentally and phytologically healthier. When I go on a long hike in nature or climb a mountain… that helps too.
We have a more depressed and mentally unhealthy society because too many people are not physically involved in productive activities.
Stop sending kids to get a four-year degree on useless disciplines. Start adding industrial arts and other training for physical production. Bring back trade and manufacturing jobs and start a national campaign to praise these careers vs working as a paid professional activist or as a looting attorney or Wall Street bankster.
Get off your ass people and save your brain!
My career (patent attorney) has been all cerebral. But I mow my own lawn, shovel my driveway, do all my trees and other mindless yard work, and have for decades. I need the mindless labor to clear my head, and I derive great satisfaction from it
Isn't it interesting that we admit that doing that physical stuff "clears our head"!?
I do the same, but I also do a lot of mind-full projects that not only clear my head, but seems to build on my clear-thinking ability for my cerebral professional work. For example, I designed and built a pergola, deck and raised bed garden structure for our back yard. I took some vacation time to do that work, and came back refreshed and more focused.
If we think about the evolutionary aspect of human development... we were built for physical challenges. Some seem better built to just do the mind work... I think of Stephen Hawking as an extreme example... but I think most people have an actually psychological need for physical toil, challenges and accomplishments.
There is some recent good studies on Blue Zones... places where a high percentage of people live longer... and one of the key findings is that these people remain physically active.
I couldn't agree more. It's why I miss the Army so much. I miss the forced deprivation and physical demands, the feeling of creature comforts well earned. I was a grunt officer, so it was often a Spartan lifestyle. I haven't been able to replicate this in any meaningful sense, trying to make it in the "information economy" as I am. The ennui can be intense. It certainly doesn't help that I'm currently unemployed and struggling to find a fit, so much so that I'm flirting with the idea of becoming a police officer - a pretty crazy idea in 2023, especially with two fancy degrees.
You would be bored and frustrated.
My brother became a cop in a small town next to the small town where we grew up. His frustration with the job became apparent early on- mostly the job was dealing with low life domestic disturbances. He ultimately became an FBI agent in Medford OR- as far away from DC as possible, and he liked it that way.
The policy officer track is a good one depending on the location. Get 20 years, retire with pension and healthcare, and do something else.
I had flirted with becoming a fireman at one point early in my career. My friends that did that and also some that did prison guard and police officer... all retired in their 50s and have a set retirement.
As a woman (70 years old) I am not as into the work you’re talking about...but I love doing at least 100 💯 squats every morning & love turning on crazy music 🎼 and just dancing for an hour most days.
I find that the physical is invigorating and hopefully why I’ll live many more years!
I installed some raised beds at Wydaho home some years ago. One is full of raspberries, and the other alternates as a garden and deer feeder. Impossible to maintain garden at Kauai house between salt and bugs and birds, but all our property is full of stuff that ANP (always needs pruning) my favorite toy is a battery powered 10 inch chain saw. Wife doesn't get the joy of cutting stuff, although I am less enthused about the hauling away part
Love a chain saw and the work of cutting stuff up with it.
The Mikita battery powered one is great. Highly recommend. Plus I buy replacement chains in bulk on Amazon. It will cut harwad like iron wood trees, although that eats up battery and chains go faster, but most of what I deal with is softwood and vines. No gas smell or smoke. You still get oil spray BUT try vegetable oil instead petroleum based for the softwood and vines
My husband loved 🥰 mowing! He said it helped him sort out the messes in life in his brain 🧠
Mowing the grass and weed-wacking with string trimmer I think are some of the highest value therapies. It is a simply job but yields such immediately pleasing results.
Joy Reid hears racist dog whistles everywhere. Amazing she can hear anything over the racist air raid siren that blares constantly from her mouth.
Only 63% of recent immigrants are getting benefits? Give it time- it takes a while to get signed up.
If you can hear the dog-whistle, you're the dog.
I've been thinking about it for a minute now. Today, you've earned a new paid subscriber. Keep up the great work!
Thank you!
“The year after Black Lives Matter protests, the S&P 100 added more than 300,000 jobs—94% went to people of color.” Interesting statistic.
Another statistic that would be interesting.....the year after the BLM 'protests', how much was the year-on-year increase in murders and rapes of black people by other black people? And all in the name of Social Justice. https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/
New York Times Magazine: “I Lived the #VanLife. It Wasn’t Pretty."
Paywalled. Too bad. Sounds interesting.
Go to removepaywall.com and put in the address. If it isn't there, click on the archive button. Most articles are free.
I really, really like reading your stuff.
It keeps me informed.
...but I sigh a lot when I'm reading it
I mean a LOT...if I have a grandchild over here, sitting near me, they keep asking me why I'm sighing!!!
"The science that we have now says that transgender women do not hold an unfair biological advantage over cis women.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V83JR2IoI8k
Big miss for conservatives. The differences between real women and men dressed as women has been "debunked."
No one seems to mention that the "Good Dr." in the movie The 'Burbs looks like he could be Dr. Fauci's brother. At the end of the movie, Dr. Kopek tries to murder Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) with an injection. Just saying. Google image search: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=569475139&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1067US1067&sxsrf=AM9HkKmwj6hfNJsyc7y5WBv3zpyqI3xNIA:1696013643203&q=the+villain+in+the+burbs+movie&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNw_KVv9CBAxWAIEQIHVEfAfgQ0pQJegQICRAB&biw=1579&bih=782&dpr=1#imgrc=70M7ZZjYVywa0M
Obligatory:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61zJHstzOoY