A digression and some advice: Instead of writing a post about burnout or any complaint you might have about your job or AI or people's terrible taste, go outside. Take a walk.
Take a drive to your nearest city. Go to a public park. Walk in a neighborhood you've never visited before. Sit at a coffee bar. Eat at a cafe. Read a book in public. Talk to a stranger.* Go to a shop. Try on vintage clothes. Buy homemade candles. Sample a new cuisine. Eavesdrop on conversations and find delight. Leave your judgment at home.
No matter which hemisphere you are in, just before the equinox, the weather is rather lovely. The sunset walks are delightful. The temperature is shifting.
A certain politician keeps asserting that my city has burned down, which is erroneous and harmful. New buildings — mostly condos — have been constructed over most spots that burned. After a summer of rain, the city teems with flowers and life. It is easy to cast judgment from behind a screen.
On Wednesday I walked to the lake. I listened to groups of old men and teenagers gather in their own groups to discuss the Presidential debate, and everyone had smart things to say before returning to gossip. A group of women paddle-boarded and canoed into the middle of the lake, two or three to a vessel, watching the sunset together. I conferred with another walker on the path — the group of women on kayaks and paddle-boards were all wearing witch hats, right? Tall, black witch hats that you buy at a costume store?
Yes, yes, all twenty of them wore witch hats. Did it even matter why? Who knows, who cares? Let the coven be. We cackled and went on our way.
Isolation is a choice. Solo hikes, exercise accomplishments, side hustles, internet friends, those are all nice things, but have you tried living in society? It will lift your spirits more than any personal achievement.
Twenty-three years ago, my professor handed a $20 bill to each student in our class. "Go spend it this weekend," he instructed us. "The city needs it."
Don't just touch grass. Go to a city and touch pavement. Be around people. Gather experiences. Trust your judgment. Put away your internet fears, whether of disease or of crime or of 30 to 50 feral hogs. You will be fine. You will thrive, even.
Regularly scheduled content returns next week.
—DC
*Please do not sexually harass anyone. Respect others' boundaries. If you feel sick, stay home.
The Content Technologist is a newsletter and consultancy based in Minneapolis, working with clients and collaborators around the world. The entire newsletter is written and edited by Deborah Carver, independent content strategy consultant, speaker, and educator.
Advertise with us | Manage your subscription
Affiliate referrals: Ghost publishing system | Bonsai contract/invoicing | The Sample newsletter exchange referral | Writer AI Writing Assistant
Cultural recommendations / personal social: Spotify | Instagram | Letterboxd | PI.FYI