It took a few hours but I feel pretty good about it. I went through my emails selectively and clicked that Unsubscribe link on many of them. Most of them are political, and I already feel the future will be a little lighter on my shoulders.
I consider myself an activist. I read many emails, or at least scan them from headline to second paragraph. I want to be in the know, and feel aware of what’s going on in the world, especially in this political and social climates. I also share heavily to my Twitter @itsstevenhudson. I do this for others, to help them stay in the know and be aware.
But I’m exhausted. This sort of bookmarking takes much of my free time, and the most effect it seems to have is on my own mental health. Frankly, in the political realm, things aren’t great. Daily I take in these headlines and paragraphs of horror that is done to human beings by other human beings. That doesn’t even take into account “acts of god” and the uncontrollable. Reading and sharing all of these articles and essays are taking their toll.
I did the same in 2016. I said I was done and unsubscribed from many mailing lists and halted my membership dues, paywall subscriptions, and donations to organizations and political action committees (PACS). In my forties now, I’m even more tired and almost suicidal. Where’s the good news? Where’s the good people? Where’s the good candidate?
So, at least for now, I’m on political sabbatical. Maybe I have been on one for a couple of months now, but I just needed the habits of my Twitter-sharing to catch up to it. For now, I say goodbye to Alternet, Huffpost, Democracy Now, NBC News, History News Network, Desmog, Action Network, Revolution Us, Grist, Popular Resistance, Morning Star, Wall St on Parade, CNN, The Guardian, The Nation, Portside, Bloomberg, New York Times, Politico, The Hill, Informed Comment, Blacklisted News, The Newyorker, World Beyond War, Anti-War, People’s Party, Mother Jones, Techdirt, Torrent Freak, Politics Done Right, Activist Post, LGBTQ Weekly, UN News, Diane Ravitch Blog, Rantt, and many others that I can’t even recall.
Now, my Twitter can look more like I intended it to: about relationships, comic books, science, and acting. I’ll leave the politics to those who still have wind.
Good night, and good luck.
Steve Dustcircle 