What Has My Attention
Current events certainly have a way of making most things feel trite, eh?
I’m generally a fan of the Stoic philosophy (probably somewhat obviously given the name of this newsletter and the things I tend to write about). My whole thesis with this project has been that cultivating the ability to notice what you’re noticing and trying to make deliberate choices about what has your attention is a pretty great way to live. Because, ultimately, the totality of what has held our attention over the course of our lives is our lives.
But then something like a global pandemic happens and I get incredibly self-conscious about this whole worldview.
I put a lot of responsibility on the individual when it comes to everything I write about. I’m an unabashed fan of personal development and I find the act of figuring out how to be better (however you want to define that word) to be fun, interesting, and ultimately attainable. But I’m also an extremely privileged, healthy, and relatively young guy who has a quarter of the responsibilities and double the good fortune of many, many people. Is it out of touch or crass to be writing about the deliberate use of attention when the whole world is reeling? Is it fair to expect people to be deliberate about their attention when they’re afraid? When they have loved ones who are sick or who may become sick? When they have lost jobs and aren’t sure where next month’s rent check is going to come from?
I don’t know... but that’s why I haven’t sent this newsletter in awhile.
The last thing I want to do is make anybody feel shame for just doing what they need to do to survive.
Or perhaps it’s best if we all just gave ourselves a break and understand that we’re doing the best we can to get through a difficult situation. To the extent that you or I can find little snippets of our day to be deliberate about then I think we are on the right path. Choosing a moment of kindness and patience in a hectic grocery store. Choosing to take a breath and extend a little more kindness to the people you’ve been cooped up with for weeks. Noticing and appreciating the fresh air during a short social distancing walk outside. These are the moments of deliberate that are available to us and I’m doing my best to not let them pass by unnoticed or unappreciated. But I’m also trying to extend that same patience and understanding to myself because if there’s one time to take a step back from holding myself to unreasonably high standards it’s when we’re on the brink of societal and economic collapse, right?
ANYWAY.
Stay safe out there.
Links Worth Your Attention
Episodes 24 and 25 of Fields of Work are out. In episode 24 Max and I talk about the early days of the pandemic -- back before we all realized what it was going to become. Episode 25 has a profoundly different tone, to say the least.
Why mundane moments truly matter. (The New York Times)
Personal renewal, by John Gardner. (Farnam Street)
Live like a hydra. (Buster Benson)
The pitfalls and the potential of the new minimalism. (The New Yorker)
Closing Round
Reading: Was reading The Age of Surveillance Capitalism and Facebook: The Inside Story at the same time and it was overwhelming and exhausting. I feel good about not using Facebook for the past few years and my recent attempt at dropping Instagram feels even more justified now.
Watching: Emily and I are re-watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia from the beginning. First, I can’t believe how old season one and two of that show look. Second, I can’t believe how how good every episode has been so far (just finished season two). We’re also staying up to date with Bob’s Burgers and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Listening: My GoGo Penguin obsession has led me to a group called Mammal Hands. Who knew weird instrumental jazz/electronic bands had such great names?
Playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a salve for my anxious mind right now.
Your friend,
Sam