Annoyed is the New Angry

I am going to take a break from writing about music and musicians. This will be a rant about the current emotional boxes I feel many of us are living in.

The idea seems we must self-care ourselves into a lull of angerlessness.

Raging simply isn't tolerated. Besides which, it's not good for you. So calm down. Think about good sales, and what's on Netflix. Talk about a new trend in colors or clothes. Wish you had the money to just escape to some five star resort in Tuscany, or bathe in milk baths for ten days, doing nothing but fasting and getting injections and practicing yoga.

Whatever it takes to feel good about yourself.

We're not supposed to get too stressed by watching the news or doom scrolling or talking to people we know we don't agree with. In fact, sometimes the nicest thing is to know you don't have to spend any time with anyone who annoys you. You're peckish: you eat. You're tired. You excuse yourself and do what is right for you.

Am I referring to anyone in particular? No, this is no personal attack against anyone. It's just a feeling I am getting. That we need to be entertained so that we can distract ourselves from the evil that is currently taking place all around us,

You might counter in saying, "Well why not? What am I supposed to do? Not sleep? Wring my hands? Give to rhinos and to chimps? And people who suffer all over the globe? Victims of war? Victims of ICE? Victims of abuse? Victims of racism? Victims of sexism? People who are punished for protesting? People who have no homes? Fall ill and have no health insurance? People who develop disease but must work anyway? "

I look around me and every day I see someone who is poor and suffering. I am getting used to it.

I want to not see them. I want to drive to the areas where I won't have to step over someone, or walk through their belongings which look like trash to me.

I hate how complicit I have become just in order to keep myself from blowing up.

The problem with just being annoyed and not truly angry.

But the issue is that I feel my anger is not being heard. I feel that it doesn't matter if I have a deep rage and sense of injustice.

And that is the worst part of this.

I do not want to see the bad guys win. I would like to see everyone lifted up, and living with good housing and ample food and fun work, and a sense of community.

Sometimes I feel I am losing my faith that I can live in the world I see in my heart. I don't know what to do, who to join, how to use my time for the betterment.

I don't want to preach to the choir, or sound like some suffering do gooder.

I am part of the problem. And that really pisses me off.

I think I would like to stop getting annoyed all of the time and just get mad, really mad. BLow up and feel better. Feel powerful.

That day was not today.

But I have to tell you I will enjoy joining a massive RAGE party.

Collective rage could maybe turn the page.

Damn I hope so.

More on music next week.