The Strange Relief of Post-Coup Consequences
A chance to feel more anchored and not like your boat is sinking and being eaten by octopi
It’s hard to feel great after a-holes tried to overthrow the government. It was awful. Predictable to anyone who has paid any attention but still awful. But in the days since the attack, I’m nodding with satisfaction a lot more than I used to and I think that’s a good sign. Because stuff is happening that seems like it’s in the real world.
When you deal with depression (and our membership numbers have never been greater!) one of the contributing factors is widespread chaos in a society. This is when reason and logic get thrown out the window all around you, mirroring what’s already happening in your own head. There is no safe place at this point, no bearing to be had. In those times, it can feel like nothing will ever make sense again.
If you’re already struggling, seeing a buffoon gasbag somehow being elected president only makes things feel more chaotic and doomed. Or seeing a bunch of jerks march right into the Capitol with guns to reverse an election that had already been decided. Like you’ve gotten okay at figuring out your country then it becomes a different country.
But when things correct, when reason shows up after all (a little late, got caught in traffic, its Uber didn’t show up), it can be even more reassuring for the saddies than the normies (to adopt slang used in my book). It’s extra-plus-great to see B follow A when you’ve been seeing A then Q or A then ; or A then a pumpkin.
As a news watcher and a depressed person (and those are different, although at times the Venn diagram overlaps to form a near perfect circle), I’ve had some reason for hope in the response that’s taking place. And hope is very very damn important to folks like us. It’s not a luxury, it’s a key to survival.
The American president is being banned from a lot of places and suffering other repercussions because at the very least he incited a riot. Might have participated in the planning of an attempted coup but at least incited a riot. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ENCOURAGED A RIOT TO OVERTURN THE RESULTS OF AN ELECTION HE LOST. Not even a controversial statement, really.
Some organizations taking action against him you’ve probably heard about. Twitter, Facebook. Others, maybe not:
"Pinterest isn’t a place for threats, promotion of violence or hateful content," a Pinterest spokesperson said. "Our team is continuing to monitor and removing harmful content, including misinformation and conspiracy theories that may incite violence.”
Pinterest! And it’s not just social media. Pro golf!
"It has become clear that conducting the PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster would be detrimental to the PGA of America brand, it would put at risk the PGA's ability to deliver our many programs, and sustain the longevity of our mission," Richerson added in a video address.
Pretty noteworthy since the guy went golfing well over 300 times since he became President. That’s like me being banned from a Two Dots tournament.
Golf’s best bro, Wall Street, is following suit:
American Express and JPMorgan Chase have said they would no longer donate to candidates who supported last week’s insurrection or did not vote to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College.
“Last week’s attempts by some congressional members to subvert the presidential election results and disrupt the peaceful transition of power do not align with our (values),” said American Express’ CEO Steve Squeri, in an email to employees.
More coming in as I type this! From the Dow Jones to Dow Chemical.
And that’s just a few of the many organizations. Then there are individuals being held responsible for what they have clearly done. I’m not going to link here to the many arrests that have taken place or the meltdown/arrests on airplanes and in airports. Because public spectacle tends to make me uncomfortable and sad. For those, please refer to the internet.
As beings, we are conditioned to expect certain things. Like gravity. For the last four years, however, we’ve been throwing a baseball into the air, holding out a glove, and then watching the ball float away into space. Maybe it turns into a gun at some point and we’re like, “What?!” We expect rain to be wet but it’s been coming down as silverware. We’ve had a president who did this during an eclipse.
A boring adult will soon be in the White House. The a-holes who invaded the Capitol will hopefully go to jail. The people who supported the a-holes will hopefully suffer fallout that isn’t forgotten in a month.
This won’t solve depression but at least the saddies will know what planet they’re on again.
Every Wednesday at 3:30 central, I do a chat on Instagram with my friend Ana Marie Cox. You’re welcome to attend. Sometimes she talks about the podcast she does with her friend Dan called Space the Nation, all about the tv show The Expanse.
So I started watching it. Watching it again, I should say since I’ve tried twice before and it didn’t take. The Expanse is about a bummer future where the Mars colonists hate the “Earthers” and the people in between, the “Belters” aren’t fond of anyone. It’s a show about politics and desperation. And one guy walks around in a fedora like he’s Space Tom Waits.
I’m half a season in and it’s well-made (acting, writing, everything’s good), I might even like it, but such a bummer! I have to surmount the bummer to watch it. And Ana, whom I respect a great deal, loves it enough to make a podcast about it.
I’m thinking a lot about where we draw pleasure and how we relate to that pleasure in our media consumption. I can’t figure it out.
Here’s a headline. The ‘Shared Psychosis’ of Donald Trump and His Loyalists.
“Shared psychosis”—which is also called “folie à millions” [“madness for millions”] when occurring at the national level or “induced delusions”—refers to the infectiousness of severe symptoms that goes beyond ordinary group psychology. When a highly symptomatic individual is placed in an influential position, the person’s symptoms can spread through the population through emotional bonds, heightening existing pathologies and inducing delusions, paranoia and propensity for violence—even in previously healthy individuals. The treatment is removal of exposure.
I’ve started a new podcast. I can’t tell you with whom or the name of it. But we are in production. You’ll hear more when it’s ready for subscribers. So shh. It’s a secret. Never mind. Shut up.
"Space Tom Waits" for the win. Great to hear there is a new pod coming. THWOD, the pod, and the book were/are amazing and a real help!
Thank you, John. I can't tell you how excited I am about the new podcast. I learned so much and received such comfort from each THWOD episode.