I am trying to practice focusing more on the people who are awesome and bright and less on those who suck. It is hard.
Example:
I have a friend who is younger than me and never finished high school and is very good at modeling and dance and very inexperienced at absolutely everything else -- yet VERY VERY arrogant and not at all embarrassed about the things she shares online, which are nearly always cringe. From fox news to antivaxxer memes to covidiot conspiracy theories... she does it all. I gently shared a fact-checking site with her, cautiously explaining that I have a masters degree in information science so she wouldn't think I was just trying to have a political argument with her. But her response was like the reaction of a scoffing teenager despite my best efforts to coddle her ego. The poor girl is hopelessly gullible in trusting questionable instagram accounts more than reputable medical schools and healthcare workers around the world. Anyway I muted her stories months ago because they're insane, but it still irks me that she's on my follower/following list because I'd prefer not to be publicly associated with someone so dumb. She watches my stories, so occasionally I'll watch hers, which I always regret.
But there are more incredible people, and I need to focus on those. Like P, who sews surreal fantasy costumes and dances all over the city with a smile on his face. Despite all the things he could be mad about, he chooses instead to shine brightly and share his positive energy with everyone. His attitude is golden. He's my hero.
And my documentary filmmaker friend who spotlights the elderly asian community. He always does the right thing, always looks on the bright side, always kind.
And F and K, the environmentalist artist power couple who recently moved abroad to raise a newborn. They clean trash from beaches, not through any organization, just by themselves. They're good people. I'm glad they exist.
Every time I complain about someone I shall now require myself to follow it up with a list of at least three marvelous people, so I can remind myself that for every idiot, there are many more good people who are wise and wonderful.
I suppose I could just block the out-of-touch conspiracy theory girl, but I don't want to be mean. What if she comes around some day when all her posts are flagged as misinformation? If she genuinely suffers from mental illness or a learning disability, it'd be forgivable, and I think that's likely the case. And the way she denies science, she probably already had covid, which ages the brain up to a decade perhaps permanently, causing brain fog, and a higher incidence of mental illness. :(
Oh well. It's best I focus on avoiding a similar fate myself. I know a lot of people who have gotten it now. Gotta keep my head up and in a mentally productive headspace. One day at a time.
8:02 a.m. - 2021-02-22