I am fast approaching my DGAF years; I certainly fit the U shaped model for happiness. I love The Dectectorists! I am Canadian and lived in England briefly in the 80s, so I am predisposed to enjoy British TV. As for Kristi Noem, once I stop laughing at the campaign ad I suspect I will be horrified. Hard to believe that education and experience count for so little in our society.
The Kristi Noem story was poignant for me personally as a member of a group that the Republicans in general, including Noem herself, target. We have "blown past the group, gotten too far ahead," and are "having the time of [our] life." The "problem" is that we are not useful to the dominant group. They have "called [us] back" but we don't obey, nor even respond to them.
So the puppy gets shot in the face, because "I hated that dog," and the post-hoc rationalization is that the dog was "less than worthless," "untrainable," and likely "dangerous" to her kids. But the actual motive was hate. She said the one word that puppyphobes scrupulously avoid saying when they're trying to dissimulate and pretend they're not a puppyphobe. She said "hate."
Then she tweeted: "We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm." She may love most animals, but she hated that dog. She didn't have to wrestle with her own feelings before deciding to kill it. It was happy being something other than what she wanted it to be, and she hated it for that, so she killed it.
This is what the constant targeting of the Republicans feels like. They concern-troll us with: *We're making decisions about you to protect everyone else's safety. Your existence feels threatening, so we'll restrict it piece by piece until you do not exist anymore. Very tough decisions we're making on our farm.* Nope. Not swallowing that narrative.
Great stuff! On the U-shaped happiness curve, Jonathan Haidt recently reported some data that says it's broken now. The young, globally, are no longer happier than the middle-aged, and on some measures they are worse off than any other cohort. This seems to have started in 2014-2017.
Haidt's working hypothesis about the change in youth mental health is the "phone-based childhood," starting around 2011, raising anxiety and depression and decreasing resilience. Given the variety of countries and cultures represented in his newest data, I find it hard to see smartphones as a universal cause - but I say that without knowing how pervasive youth smartphone use is and has been in, say, Tanzania.
Brian, I really enjoy reading your stuff. It lies outside my DGAF boundary. I'm a little over halfway through Fluke (awesome book) and now I can't wait to read the section on free will.
It depends a lot on time scales and there's no silver bullet. But yes, resilience of the variety you suggest is possible to build for shorter time scales, and that should be our focus. So much of modern life is built on the premise that the goal is always optimization and slaying inefficiency, but that's not actually the best strategy for navigating ever-changing, chaotic uncertainty.
I have always been of the opinion that the frustrating inefficiency of most liberal democracy governments protects us from the worst excesses of any particular dogma, political fashion, politician or party. (Regardless of our political preferences).
The Detectorists is my favorite show ever! I love that Andy’s odd jobs always involve looking at the ground and he is forever picking things up and putting them in his pockets. At one point he picks up a frog, pockets it, and you never see what happens to it. And I love the constant references to QI and other British quiz shows, all of which I watch in the US.
If you want to watch something brilliant, watch MacKenzie Crook’s speech as he accepts his BAFTA for the show.
Hmmm…what is in the water, cheese curds, walleye, or other upper Midwest staples that would cause somebody to brag about killing a happy puppy? Or a goat? At least with the goat, I see some in a field and the first thing I think about is Curry Goat (very Jamaican and Trini dish).
As for getting older, I am not sure I am at the DGAF stage yet…too many big issues and causes to fight for. But maybe I am becoming that curmudgeon?
I know - the article is about monkeys, not chimps (I briefly mention the research on chimps regarding the U-shaped curve, but the research article I'm referencing is about rhesus monkeys).
I am fast approaching my DGAF years; I certainly fit the U shaped model for happiness. I love The Dectectorists! I am Canadian and lived in England briefly in the 80s, so I am predisposed to enjoy British TV. As for Kristi Noem, once I stop laughing at the campaign ad I suspect I will be horrified. Hard to believe that education and experience count for so little in our society.
The Kristi Noem story was poignant for me personally as a member of a group that the Republicans in general, including Noem herself, target. We have "blown past the group, gotten too far ahead," and are "having the time of [our] life." The "problem" is that we are not useful to the dominant group. They have "called [us] back" but we don't obey, nor even respond to them.
So the puppy gets shot in the face, because "I hated that dog," and the post-hoc rationalization is that the dog was "less than worthless," "untrainable," and likely "dangerous" to her kids. But the actual motive was hate. She said the one word that puppyphobes scrupulously avoid saying when they're trying to dissimulate and pretend they're not a puppyphobe. She said "hate."
Then she tweeted: "We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm." She may love most animals, but she hated that dog. She didn't have to wrestle with her own feelings before deciding to kill it. It was happy being something other than what she wanted it to be, and she hated it for that, so she killed it.
This is what the constant targeting of the Republicans feels like. They concern-troll us with: *We're making decisions about you to protect everyone else's safety. Your existence feels threatening, so we'll restrict it piece by piece until you do not exist anymore. Very tough decisions we're making on our farm.* Nope. Not swallowing that narrative.
I read your stuff, Brian, and always wish I could pick your brain for hours!
Great stuff! On the U-shaped happiness curve, Jonathan Haidt recently reported some data that says it's broken now. The young, globally, are no longer happier than the middle-aged, and on some measures they are worse off than any other cohort. This seems to have started in 2014-2017.
Haidt's working hypothesis about the change in youth mental health is the "phone-based childhood," starting around 2011, raising anxiety and depression and decreasing resilience. Given the variety of countries and cultures represented in his newest data, I find it hard to see smartphones as a universal cause - but I say that without knowing how pervasive youth smartphone use is and has been in, say, Tanzania.
https://www.afterbabel.com/p/youth-health-declines-82-countries?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=9qt2o&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Brian, I really enjoy reading your stuff. It lies outside my DGAF boundary. I'm a little over halfway through Fluke (awesome book) and now I can't wait to read the section on free will.
So glad you’re enjoying it. I hope you still like it at the end!
I enjoyed this post. As now I am in my 50s and firmly in my DGAF years.
BTW: Just finished reading Fluke. It's Brilliant! Well done.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to read it.
It has made me think a lot about our interdependence as people and the responsibility we have for each other.
I.e. Does a strong community & culture with strong set of shared values help even out some of the chaos?
It depends a lot on time scales and there's no silver bullet. But yes, resilience of the variety you suggest is possible to build for shorter time scales, and that should be our focus. So much of modern life is built on the premise that the goal is always optimization and slaying inefficiency, but that's not actually the best strategy for navigating ever-changing, chaotic uncertainty.
Agreed. A good example of this is:
I have always been of the opinion that the frustrating inefficiency of most liberal democracy governments protects us from the worst excesses of any particular dogma, political fashion, politician or party. (Regardless of our political preferences).
The Detectorists is my favorite show ever! I love that Andy’s odd jobs always involve looking at the ground and he is forever picking things up and putting them in his pockets. At one point he picks up a frog, pockets it, and you never see what happens to it. And I love the constant references to QI and other British quiz shows, all of which I watch in the US.
If you want to watch something brilliant, watch MacKenzie Crook’s speech as he accepts his BAFTA for the show.
Thought provoking as always. Laplace's Demon? Sounds like a description of God (?)
Hmmm…what is in the water, cheese curds, walleye, or other upper Midwest staples that would cause somebody to brag about killing a happy puppy? Or a goat? At least with the goat, I see some in a field and the first thing I think about is Curry Goat (very Jamaican and Trini dish).
As for getting older, I am not sure I am at the DGAF stage yet…too many big issues and causes to fight for. But maybe I am becoming that curmudgeon?
I don’t think that the DGAF mentality extends to not caring about the world! Instead, it’s a lot less attention wasted on status.
I agree. And I think that my love of "Detectorists" proves it!
I will take that as a good sign then! I like flying under the radar on the overt status symbols such as conspicuous consumption and wealth signaling.
Chimps are not monkeys. They are apes. Monkeys have tails, apes do not.
I know - the article is about monkeys, not chimps (I briefly mention the research on chimps regarding the U-shaped curve, but the research article I'm referencing is about rhesus monkeys).
Sorry! I must have missed the part where you explained the study was on Rhesus monkeys. I must read more closely.
No problem at all - and an important distinction!