Thank you, you put into words what I’ve been trying to articulate! I feel no relief that people are seeing the light. I have people around me who are being very optimistic about it but all I feel is dread and sadness because despite people realizing it we are already so deep in violations of human rights that we can’t undo.
You’ve named the feelings and intentional or not, there is still a glow of hope and optimism in your words, and it is appreciated!
Dearest Liz - It is a gift and a curse. It's called the Cassandra Syndrome. I am sooo sorry. I have spent decades and continue on as a truth teller working within the system to bring sense and truth to a broken world where we, as the apex species, are destroying ourselves and many other beings. I have been teased, even eye-rolled and nick-named "both/and" by male colleagues not taking language/words seriously to support the shift they support. I have been dismissed, and outright harassed. I've watched men (and women!) lie and scheme, and then be commended for the same work outcome I was doing politely, ethically, and persistently. I have watched women in the workplace cave and prop up a hierarchy that is extracting and consuming Nature as PacMan does on a screen. I witnessed the repeal of the fairness doctrine and the increase in corporate media ownership in support of profit over peace and caring. I smelled the smoke and predicted outcomes. One male mentor broke my heart calling me out for being "tenacious" as I witnessed my male colleague propped for the same outcome even tho this mentor knew he had lied his way through. I have been shook. I have been ignored. Don't let the hypocrites break you. Please persist at changing the story. We need each other. Take care and tend to yourself, no one else will have your back the way you need to have your own. We need your voice and your light. Thank you.
Your line, "I didn’t feel vindicated. I felt sick. Numb, almost," is something I'm going to carry with me. It’s the truest thing I’ve read in a long time.
I’ve been watching my best friend go through this awakening in slow motion. He voted for Trump three times, always with the same rationale: "I cannot ever vote for a Democrat." Then, after this last election, starting around December, he started to see it. Really see it. The cruelty, the lies, the sheer danger. He started saying the things I'd been screaming for years.
And you're right, there's no "I told you so" satisfaction. Part of me is just angry at the waste, at the damage done while he and so many others had their eyes closed. But mostly, it's this quiet, deep ache. The heartbreak of being right too soon is watching someone you love finally see the fire after you've already been burned trying to warn them about it.
This piece is a gift. It's validation for everyone who has felt crazy for simply being awake. Thank you.
thank you for sharing this beautiful perspective luke ❤️ i relate so much to what you said and im glad we can solidarity with each other knowing that we’re not crazy and we’re not confused, we’re just a little too awake ❤️💫
The writing was on the wall in big bold letters. Unfortunately many who currently see a problem will find ways to back slide for exactly the same reason they managed to not see a problem before.
I needed to hear this desperately today. So well put. I can’t translate my emotions into words so eloquently but you always have the words to what I’m going through during this political dumpster fire.
Honestly, being first to a thought/idea/movement is usually a thankless job. You're Sinead O'Connor on SNL. Everyone is mad until 20 years later when everyone is all "You know, she was right!"
This was, generally, the topic of The Ink this morning (“The Students Were Right”). I’m so sorry you paid so dearly for being compassionate and speaking truth. Please don’t moderate your voice. We need you.
THIS. Damn it Liz sometimes I think you live in my head. You articulate what my exhausted brain has difficulty putting into words.
I recently had an astrologer tell me that no one can lie to me. Especially those in power. I had a good laugh at that and thought well, if you're paying attention it's pretty easy to see through the bullsh*t. But......is it though? I mean, I may no longer surprised by the Andrew Schulzes or the MTG's but I do wonder if I'll have to stop paying attention and make myself dumber soon just so I can survive.
And then here you come reminding us that hey, "crazy is being right too soon" and it's actually a gift. This post is absolute perfection and you, well, you're such a gift. Thank you.
Thank you for this. I really needed to read this today. Im a social worker working in corrections which is a very male dominated, misogynistic field. There are times lately I’ve been so bereft, I don’t want to go to work, but the clients need me. I’m just in such a dark place lately and I really needed to read this. So thank you. 💛
Thank you for articulating why I feel so much rage. I’m not yet at a point to be the bigger person. I still genuinely feel like this shit justifies my desire to end stupid people. I no longer have it in me to be kind and compassionate to these idiots who are getting what they voted for. I am not going to give any fucks for what they are suffering. Because they got what they voted for. And people need to suffer the consequences of their choices. So until the next election, when votes matter, I’m not lifting a finger to mitigate their ignorant actions. Yeah, I’m still that pissed off. I’ll leave the bridge-building to those who are better than me. I know hate helps no one but I can’t yet get past the enormous damage done by the people who voted for this, and then have the audacity to act shocked. Am I happy they’re seeing the light? Sure. But I have no sympathy for their troubles. I’m going to be working through my need for retribution for awhile. Good people always get fucked over and then are expected to play nice when reality hits. I call bullshit. Bad actors need to pay the piper. They would never give us the grace they’re expecting.
Thank you, you put into words what I’ve been trying to articulate! I feel no relief that people are seeing the light. I have people around me who are being very optimistic about it but all I feel is dread and sadness because despite people realizing it we are already so deep in violations of human rights that we can’t undo.
You’ve named the feelings and intentional or not, there is still a glow of hope and optimism in your words, and it is appreciated!
i’m so glad it was helpful for you bre!! we feel so alone and forget that collectively so many of us are wrestling with the same things ❤️
Dearest Liz - It is a gift and a curse. It's called the Cassandra Syndrome. I am sooo sorry. I have spent decades and continue on as a truth teller working within the system to bring sense and truth to a broken world where we, as the apex species, are destroying ourselves and many other beings. I have been teased, even eye-rolled and nick-named "both/and" by male colleagues not taking language/words seriously to support the shift they support. I have been dismissed, and outright harassed. I've watched men (and women!) lie and scheme, and then be commended for the same work outcome I was doing politely, ethically, and persistently. I have watched women in the workplace cave and prop up a hierarchy that is extracting and consuming Nature as PacMan does on a screen. I witnessed the repeal of the fairness doctrine and the increase in corporate media ownership in support of profit over peace and caring. I smelled the smoke and predicted outcomes. One male mentor broke my heart calling me out for being "tenacious" as I witnessed my male colleague propped for the same outcome even tho this mentor knew he had lied his way through. I have been shook. I have been ignored. Don't let the hypocrites break you. Please persist at changing the story. We need each other. Take care and tend to yourself, no one else will have your back the way you need to have your own. We need your voice and your light. Thank you.
i didn’t know this had a name!!!
I learned it from this book/author who also worked on environmental issues. I have nicknamed myself Cassandra ever since.
https://www.routledge.com/Believing-Cassandra-How-to-be-an-Optimist-in-a-Pessimists-World/AtKisson/p/book/9781849711722Believing Cassandra: How to be an Optimist in a Pessimist's World - 1s
wow beautiful thank you for sharing from a fellow cassandra to another ❤️
FUUUUUUUDGE. You did it again.
Your line, "I didn’t feel vindicated. I felt sick. Numb, almost," is something I'm going to carry with me. It’s the truest thing I’ve read in a long time.
I’ve been watching my best friend go through this awakening in slow motion. He voted for Trump three times, always with the same rationale: "I cannot ever vote for a Democrat." Then, after this last election, starting around December, he started to see it. Really see it. The cruelty, the lies, the sheer danger. He started saying the things I'd been screaming for years.
And you're right, there's no "I told you so" satisfaction. Part of me is just angry at the waste, at the damage done while he and so many others had their eyes closed. But mostly, it's this quiet, deep ache. The heartbreak of being right too soon is watching someone you love finally see the fire after you've already been burned trying to warn them about it.
This piece is a gift. It's validation for everyone who has felt crazy for simply being awake. Thank you.
thank you for sharing this beautiful perspective luke ❤️ i relate so much to what you said and im glad we can solidarity with each other knowing that we’re not crazy and we’re not confused, we’re just a little too awake ❤️💫
The writing was on the wall in big bold letters. Unfortunately many who currently see a problem will find ways to back slide for exactly the same reason they managed to not see a problem before.
i think you might be right unfortunately :(
I needed to hear this desperately today. So well put. I can’t translate my emotions into words so eloquently but you always have the words to what I’m going through during this political dumpster fire.
ahhhh i’m so glad it was helpful for you simon!!!!
Honestly, being first to a thought/idea/movement is usually a thankless job. You're Sinead O'Connor on SNL. Everyone is mad until 20 years later when everyone is all "You know, she was right!"
and you are right
🥺🥺🥺 you nailed it Liz, thank you for this one
Yes, I feel like this.
This was, generally, the topic of The Ink this morning (“The Students Were Right”). I’m so sorry you paid so dearly for being compassionate and speaking truth. Please don’t moderate your voice. We need you.
THIS. Damn it Liz sometimes I think you live in my head. You articulate what my exhausted brain has difficulty putting into words.
I recently had an astrologer tell me that no one can lie to me. Especially those in power. I had a good laugh at that and thought well, if you're paying attention it's pretty easy to see through the bullsh*t. But......is it though? I mean, I may no longer surprised by the Andrew Schulzes or the MTG's but I do wonder if I'll have to stop paying attention and make myself dumber soon just so I can survive.
And then here you come reminding us that hey, "crazy is being right too soon" and it's actually a gift. This post is absolute perfection and you, well, you're such a gift. Thank you.
You Always put into words how I'm feeling so eloquently. Thank you.
Thank you for this. I really needed to read this today. Im a social worker working in corrections which is a very male dominated, misogynistic field. There are times lately I’ve been so bereft, I don’t want to go to work, but the clients need me. I’m just in such a dark place lately and I really needed to read this. So thank you. 💛
Thank you for articulating why I feel so much rage. I’m not yet at a point to be the bigger person. I still genuinely feel like this shit justifies my desire to end stupid people. I no longer have it in me to be kind and compassionate to these idiots who are getting what they voted for. I am not going to give any fucks for what they are suffering. Because they got what they voted for. And people need to suffer the consequences of their choices. So until the next election, when votes matter, I’m not lifting a finger to mitigate their ignorant actions. Yeah, I’m still that pissed off. I’ll leave the bridge-building to those who are better than me. I know hate helps no one but I can’t yet get past the enormous damage done by the people who voted for this, and then have the audacity to act shocked. Am I happy they’re seeing the light? Sure. But I have no sympathy for their troubles. I’m going to be working through my need for retribution for awhile. Good people always get fucked over and then are expected to play nice when reality hits. I call bullshit. Bad actors need to pay the piper. They would never give us the grace they’re expecting.