I’ve had a request to say why I’m ending things now, during the middle of an important election year. Considering what I’ve urged this is a fair request. If I thought that my blogging was vitally important to defeating the Republican Party this fall I’d continue. To believe my blogging is crucial would open me up to entirely justified accusations of delusions of grandeur. I think that my ability to edit a voters list, stuff envelopes, staple together signs, hell, to set up folding chairs and take them down, are more politically potent than my writing. I am happy to report that the fact I have an accent that makes me sound like the old Maine farmer I am prevents them from pressing me to make calls. Campaign work is a big part of it.
Another part is that I have a serious, chronic health problem which has come back for the second year running. It is rarely life threatening but it does require management. I’ve lost about a fifth of my body weight in the past year, I wasn’t exactly robust before. The resulting fatigue is debilitating and prevents me from researching and writing to the level I’d want. I had considered writing it up as “A Man Who Is Tired Of Oatmeal Is A Man Who Is Tired of Life” but the jokes were strained. Since someone has asked, no, it’s not an infectious disease.
I’ve enjoyed writing for Echidne and participating in her blog community. I especially like the fact that despite her divinity her readers don’t act like a bunch of addled groupies trying to get the popular teacher’s attention. I mean, yech! You know the blogs I’m talking about.
That can’t be said of many of the other blog communities, the snarky tone and increasingly juvenile level of coercive conformity on those, especially surrounding the divisive nomination contest, have taken a tole on both spirit and health. The political blogs are only useful to the extent that they produce results in politics that improve lives and save the environment. In short, winning elections and compromising to make law. In too many cases the essential practicalities of winning in politics are overshadowed on the blogs by other issues ranging from the totally silly to the cruelly asinine. They have the potential to split us and to defeat us both before and after the election. Posing, posturing, pretend progressives prevent progress... sorry, reading Joyce just now.
Anyway, I’m off. Completely off, for the time being. I wish all of you a good year. If I live, I’ll return to blogs. If I die, I’ll go to blogs.
I thank Echidne, Suzie, Blue Lily and the rest of the community here and may send a missive occasionally.
Good bye,
Anthony McCarthy