All I have the energy for today
A random collection of thoughts and news on a day I'm running on empty
I’m fcking tired and today, June 3, would be my mom’s 60th birthday. Which I could/would usually write a whole piece about, but I’m too fcking tired to intellectualize, even process, my grief.
So, instead, I’m just gonna share some things that are on my mind. Mostly non-sequitur, completely at random.
Love Island starts tonight (only on Peacock) and I am pumped. There is something so entertaining about seeing people letting their guards down in real time to interact with strangers. Reality TV is one of my favorite past times, I love nothing more than to check into something mindless that has no personal involvement.
Probably has to do with the fact that the world of politics is so intense, and I feel like everything I read on a daily basis is technical, heavy, and has real-world implications. People love to shit on Reality TV, but they are missing the joy in immersing yourself in something so low-stakes and superficial. I encourage it, within moderation of course. Fiction scratches that same itch. Especially romantasy. :)I love Reality TV, but, just because you’re on a reality show, and thus become an influencer, it doesn’t mean you need a Substack or a Podcast. Podcasts used to be a nerdy way for people to gain subject-matter expertise. Now, the industry has morphed into a 21st century tabloid shilling mediocre products. Same with Substack. I love good newsletters, nothing better. But, what I don’t love is when people use their clout to create a really subpar — that’s being euphemistic — Substack. Like if your Substack is AI-generated and/or is just a word salad, stick to Instagram. Recognizing this piece is a tinge “word-salad-y,” but I digress.
In the same vein, not every company needs an app and not every product needs a subscription. No, I’m not downloading your app to fill out my therapy documents. No I’m not downloading your app for shopping on your website. To be honest, if a company asks me to download the app (“to optimize the user experience”), I’m probably just leaving the website overall. And no, I’m not paying $60/month for specialty fruit gummies, or toilet paper, or a toothbrush, or laundry pods.
I can’t believe ChatGPT stole the em-dash. I fckn love an em-dash, and now I second guess using them because of how they’ve been tagged to AI. :( Thankfully, Smartt Takers know that I’ve been a fan of the em-dash for 6+ years, and also the em-dash very much predates ChatGPT. So, ChatGPT, find your own punctuation. :)
One of my pet peeves is when I draft a piece and then I can't find it because I can’t remember where I drafted it. After JD Vance’s ascent to VP, I drafted a piece on Peter Thiel back in November/December, profiling his rather interesting political philosophy, and his well as cohort of proteges — which includes Vance. I went to dig it up and update it based on the Palantir (Thiel is a founder and investor) news of this week. Alas, it’s not in Notes, not in Word Docs, not in Google, and not in Substack. The search continues. :/
Speaking of Palantir, there’s some weird sh*t going on there. Like, what do you mean the Trump administration is creating a centralized data repository on all Americans? MAGA joined Democrats in protesting the announcement, with some calling it the deep state and “the ultimate betrayal.” We haven’t heard much from the administration other than a citation to a March EO directive to streamline data across federal agencies. But, this is an issue worth watching. And a topic that deserves it’s own deep Smartt Takes analysis super super soon.
Curtis Yarvin, “Silicon Valley’s house philosopher,” is inspiring a new pro-monarchy brand of MAGA. A philosophy known as the “Dark Enlightenment,” it essentially espouses promoting a CEO or a monarch to manage the non-elites. And has found an audience among Thiel cronies. I have no freaking clue how Republicans are going to reconcile being the party of limited government and also pro reinstating a very similar type of government that American revolutionaries literally fought 248 years to banish.
It’s only been 9 days of Saturn in Aries, and, already I feel like the fragility of borders all over the world are already being tested — Ukraine striking Russia-occupied territory; a flotilla headed to break the Gaza barrier, the threat of China invading Taiwan. Really curious to see how all of this goes, since the tide seems to be shifting quickly.
Republicans need to get their sh*t together and recognize that Trump’s crassness doesn’t really work for anyone but Trump. Sen Joni Ernst (R-IA) saying “we’re all gonna die,” in response to concerns that people will die because of congressional Republicans cuts to Medicaid; and then doubling down with a video in a cemetery that “sorry people didn’t understand everyone dies” and that “good thing she didn’t have to explain the toothfairy” is super bizarre. And frankly doesn’t work for her.
It’s completely against her entire disposition, and, death isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue. Which, sure, she notes, but usually you don’t have to worry about your representatives actively trying to kill you. Except, that you do and that’s what I wrote my entire thesis about, lol. But usually not openly!Can’t believe the FEMA Director doesn’t know that the United States has a hurricane season. I don’t care that the admin says it was a joke, 50/50 whether it was or wasn’t, but 100% still discomforting.
Alright, this ended up being more newsy than I expected, but I just had to get some thoughts off my chest apparently.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy your evening and we’ll be back to normal in the coming days! :)