Hello friends,
Questions I don’t yet have answers to:
Is the 1,000% increase in website visits from Russia because they are so here for the not-so-subtle meaning of our Dangerously Good Pussy sweatshirts, is it confused bots who think there is something worth hacking, or is it because I’m on some watch list?
What memes do you think they’re sharing in their Signal group chat?
Since my Master Promissory Note for my student loans is between me and the Department of Education, not the Small Business Administration, does that mean that the government is in breach of contract and I don’t have to pay them back?
Now that Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Finland, and Denmark have issued travel warnings to the United States, does my Plan B move to Kenya make even more sense?
Why do Instagram and the Toks hide from our followers every normal thing I post, but when I full send with Free Mahmoud Khalil, our engagement is through the roof?
How do I have empathy for the January 6th rioters who stormed the capital building?
I know that last one has you quick to unsubscribe or leave a “gasp, how could you?” comment. But hear me out for a minute.
In her post “37 Lessons For Being Alive in This Absolute Mayhem,” Laura Kennedy created a listicle to help those of us struggling to wade through conflicting narratives about what is happening in the world. Hand raised, reporting for duty. You can get the full list here, but the two that struck me were #3 and #4:
When you think ‘the other guy’ is nuts or stupid, put serious intellectual effort into constructing the most charitable and strongest possible argument in favour1 of their position. Avoid engaging in conflict or critique until after you’ve done this.
Inability to do 3 is a sign that you are being prejudiced, intellectually lazy,2 and engaging in poor reasoning. Work on this as a matter of urgency.
I’m not sure who wins for the most profound existential crisis—COVID or our newly elected authoritarian regime—but let’s just say I’m open to growth (stop chuckling). So I took #3 and #4 quite seriously because, OF COURSE, I THINK THEY ARE FUCKING STUPID IDIOTS, and I don’t want to feel bad about my moral and intellectual superiority.
So what is the most charitable and strongest possible argument in favor of their position? Our Trump was their Biden.
It feels naive to believe that judicial rulings, town halls, and peaceful protests will sway the regime in such a way that I revert to calling them the administration and go about my life grumbling about annoying old white men as if it were 2004. It’s becoming increasingly apparent and alarming that we are experiencing a complete breakdown of the system, which arguably isn’t necessarily a bad thing until you consider who’s going to come out on top. It’s not the veterans or the old folks or the queer folks or the Black and brown folks or the immigrants or the loudmouths like me.
So yeah, of course, I’ve been thinking about how I need to memorize just one person’s number and I’ve made a list of emergency contacts for my girlfriend to call if I don’t come home one day and more and more of my friends are telling me about how they are buying guns and it absolutely has crossed my mind that this isn’t going to resolve itself peacefully.
Please don’t tell me I’m the only one…
Over the past eight-ish weeks, I’ve grown to understand the motivation of the January 6th rioters. They felt like their basic freedoms and livelihoods were being stolen from them, and they were willing to fight. That’s how I feel, albeit my idea of fighting looks a little different.
I suppose what is frightening is how we both believe the other side has completely lost its mind. We don’t consume or process information and experiences the same way. While I have empathy for why they reacted in such an extreme manner, I absolutely believe it was completely unfounded, as their beliefs are based on conspiracy theories, misinformation, and Russia/China/Iran propaganda campaigns. And they think I’m some radical snowflake deep-state lib socialist who worships legacy media and the devil herself, Hillary Clinton (but the emails!!).
How do we resolve this rift when traditional reconciliation strategies are becoming exponentially more challenging because the very institutions meant to facilitate dialogue and democratic processes are actively being undermined? When democratic guardrails are systematically dismantled—as they are now—the usual prescriptions of dialogue, media literacy, and institutional reform become nearly impossible to implement. This creates a profound paradox: the mechanisms typically used to heal political divisions are being deliberately sabotaged by those in power.
The final question I do not have an answer for is, how do we move forward from here? Perhaps you have a few ideas. We’re going to need all of them.
xxoo,
Jen
My upcoming offerings to connect outside of this newsletter:
🪧 April 5th, Hands Off Protest: I’ll be in Carson City, but there’s likely an event near you. I’m particularly excited about this protest because so many organizations have come together to organize it. It might be the biggest protest we’ve seen yet. Register here and if you want to hang out with me, DM or email me your number and I’ll add you to the group text.
⛷️ April 8th & 9th, Free Demos + Gathering at Winter Park: If I’m driving all the way to Colorado for Boot Tan Fest I figured I would make the most of it and ski one of my favorite resorts! Get all of the details and register here.
🏂 April 11th, Free Demos at Boot Tan Fest: We'll be getting naked, turning screws, and having the time of our life, not necessarily in that order. RSVP for demos here.
🎿 April 13th & 14th, Free Demos + Gathering in Salt Lake City: SLC, I’m headed your way on the drive back from Boot Tan Fest! Get all of the details and RSVP here.
🏔️ April 23-27th, Bachelorette: Because skiing at Mt. Bachelor in the spring is glorious and so is the company. There's ONE SPOT LEFT, so if you want to join, get your buns in gear and respond to this email.
🚵♀️ May 24th, Ladies of the Loam: Yay bikes! I’ll be popping up at the very first all-women's mountain bike enduro and festival in California + offering free simple bike repairs. Get the details here.
💌 May, Full Send: Join me in this collaborative workspace to grow and nurture your emails, newsletters, and creative writing because the algorithm isn’t there for you to succeed. Join the waitlist here.
🚲 July, Cycling Safari in Kenya with Zawadisha: Please tell us what is more fun in summer than cycling next to giraffes and elephants. If you want to learn more, respond to this message or DM me. This is THE trip to save for.
Thanks for reading! All typos are intentional to make sure you’re paying attention.
I’m keeping the British spelling of favour because it reinforces my use of the words program, rubbish, and shame.
An Oxford comma is my addition because I’m not a monster.
The most charitable I can be towards the Jan 6 folks is to say they were misguided. And yes, I think each and every one of us, every day, should ask ourselves if we have been misguided or manipulated to arrive at where we are. Particularly if where we are is considering acts of violence.
But this is a conflict of information and ideas first. Most of the people in this country don't actually want what is happening right now. They picked a side in a game that was rigged to begin with. We don't need to fight these people. We need them to wake the fuck up.
MeidasTouch and the new Find Out podcast are doing amazing work to reach people and actively counter the far-rigjt radical pipeline. Bernie and AOC are raising class consciousness over culture wars. Jasmine Crockett is being Jasmine Crockett.
There's hope.
I recently read Black Pill by Elle Reeve, and I found it incredibly helpful re: #3 and #4, to at least understand a little more of how we got here/what drives that kind of person.