I love Dan Harmon. I listen to his Harmontown podcast weekly (Julie turned me onto it because I loved Community and now she has moved on from it but I’m a Harmonian).
This week, Harmon talked about his existential sadness about what a mess the world is, but he pointed out that it’s not bad for him, a celeb who isn’t so famous that he’s hounded by paparazzi who gets pId to write cartoons. And he’s right about both things. The world sucks right now.
But I, like Harmon, am sort of better off than I ever was. I bought a desk chair on a whim today. I haven’t had a desk at home for 11 years. I wrote a dissertation and a book sitting on the floor. I married my best friend. We have a house that’s more awesome than I thought I’d ever have. My job is not exactly secure, but I love it. My life is good. I have a nice chair made for a man my size in my office in my house with my wife. Thanks, Obama.
But the world is in ruin. We bombed Syria. A dangerous justice is about to join the court. People are dying and are being treated to all manners of horror. The world is shit.
Harmon’s refrain was “but I can’t do anything,” and one of his guests pointed out the power he has by making people laugh. I by contrast try to make the lives of my students better. The world is shit, but it has been bad for a long time. We can’t give up. It isn’t permission to stop. It’s a taunt. Someone just slapped you.
So if you feel down about the world, ask yourself what you’re doing about it. Do something, even if it’s just volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating clothes. End a little misery. Don’t just complain. Selfishness and complacency is how we got here. We know the track record of all that.
If you let them win, it’s on you. It always has been.
And you’ve always known that, deep down.
So fight, damnit. Dig in your heels.
We might all be going down, but I’m going down clawing at the edges of the pit, teeth clinched and snarling. Because we might all want sunshine in a bag, but why would we contain it?
How’d the 90s lyric go…
let.your.dim.light.shine.
Amen.