A hushed glance as a dollar bill is passed beneath a glass barrier, still taken as payment. A bump on the elbow for some, a fist bump for others, for others yet a brazen hug. Sometimes doing things like going to the gym, while other times deeming such activities dangerous. Crowds being maskless at some… Continue reading Hypocrisy
Category: essays
The five stages of grief and the pandemic
I have been thinking about Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grief as they pertain to the pandemic. When I think of the first stage,** anger, the behaviors that come to mind include researching conspiracy theories, protesting lockdown, and refusing to wear a mask. I have engaged in some of these behaviors myself, mostly toward the start… Continue reading The five stages of grief and the pandemic
Grounded and ungrounded conspiracy theories
I want to introduce a distinction between grounded and ungrounded conspiracy theories, only the former of which deserves the name “theory.” This is an important distinction because it allows us to articulate dangers and potential sources of exploitation without veering into the speculative. For an example, that it is dangerous for humans to communicate solely… Continue reading Grounded and ungrounded conspiracy theories
Climate
A little over two years ago, I stood with a friend in a town where we had both elected to go to grad school. “Why are we doing this?” I asked him, “Why is anyone doing what they’re doing? I bet society as a whole will collapse in the near future.” My friend said he… Continue reading Climate
The discomfort of awakening and my journey with food
Early in 2016, I was sitting at a diner in Colorado Springs when I had an awakening experience. I was eating a plate of eggs and bacon, and suddenly their visage was revolting: I felt I could not finish the meal. I plucked up a piece of bacon, dipped it in the yolk of an… Continue reading The discomfort of awakening and my journey with food
