General Discussion

When I go out to dinner or a concert, the very last thing in the world I want to hear is discussions of politics. I want to enjoy myself and get lost in the moment. If its a concert, I am paying the ticket price to hear the band perform songs I enjoy, not hear their opinions (on anything, to be fair). I don't care about the politics of performers, or what foods they like, or what color underwear they are wearing -- they are being paid to perform. Dinner out with friends has often included friendly banter about all manner of subjects, sometimes including politics, but not always.

Also, I've lived decades upon decades on this earth, through all manner of "commies" and "nazis" and "fascists" and "kooks" and "warmongers" and "corruption" and "evil" and "danger" and "pandemics" and all the other words that spur emotion and get clicks and views, and yet my life is better now than it has ever been, ever. I find that its all about perspective. I enjoy my family, my friends, the outdoors, and my hobbies as frequently as possible -- that is to say, daily. And I ignore all of the noise and the stuff I can't control (everything except my diet and my own mental and physical health, which I control 99% successfully). What I can't control, I *can* influence, and that's the relationships with friends and family.

I don't watch TV, I don't read corporate media unless its science news or related to a VERY narrow band of topics I like (and none of it is American news). I don't use social media. I don't really give attention to what is going on in THE world, I give attention to what is going on in MY world, with my family and me. That perspective helps me filter out the noise from what's important. And nothing else is really important except the health and well-being of my family and friends. Sometimes politics relates to some of those topics. But rarely.