On Recent Events

     I'm writing this post the week Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, an act that I, like most people, feel is reprehensible.

     This is one of those things where not only can I not solve it, but even if I was in a position to be able to solve it, I don't think I could come up with a solution. 

    I know next to nothing about this. I'm not from either Russia or Ukraine, and I don't have relative in either. I haven't been keeping close tabs on developments in either country, both because I don't see how my knowing would be of value, but also because trying to keep track of American politics is draining enough as it is. 

    But I can't stop thinking about it. 

    There's this poem I wrote but haven't released yet. I wrote it in August of 2020, mainly to get my feelings about the world onto the paper. When I wrote it, I was writing about what I thought was an American issue. I don't think that's the case any more. 

   Basically, before Wednesday I thought that the problem America was facing, the issue where our society is being built by people who don't live in it anymore, was something contained to America. I know that sounds stupid, most countries are built by those who don't live in their societies, but I didn't think it was as bad everywhere else. Now, I think we're all dealing with this issue on at least some level. I have to wonder, is this endemic to society? Or is it just a mistake we keep making because we don't know any better? 

    I don't know the answer. I wish I knew of a way to stop society from turning rotten. Part of me still wants to be a member of it, in spite of everything I've seen. 

    Something I strongly believe in is that society belongs to the rich, culture belongs to the poor. America is one of the richest countries in the world, does that mean any of us is really a part of the world most people have to live in? We try to connect with the world, to see it and help as best we can, but I keep wondering if at the bottom of that we're trying to avoid looking at our own lives too closely. Do we really care about the world? Do we really think we can help it? Should we try? Who among us can answer these questions, and how would they know they're right?