I recently met with some old friends I hadn’t seen for many, many months. After an hour or so of mostly idle chit-chat and vapid pleasantries, the subject of the present state of the amerikkkan hellscape finally was brought into the conversation. I’m paraphrasing here, but one person had this to say:

I know that like, a lot of the world was suffering, and that the system wasn’t perfect, but I really wish we could go back to 2015. You know, just to like, slow down and take stock, plan, and effect real change.

Everyone aside from myself agreed and TRULY BELIEVED that, yes, it is unfortunate that American comfort is built on a foundation of pain, suffering, and death of poor people, but, if Americans could just have had some time to rectify a few things, go back in time, and prevent Donald Trump from ascending to power, we SURELY would do the right thing.

I was gobsmacked, honestly. Like… yall really believe this shit? But now that oil is $100 and your material security is minimally compromised you can’t be bothered to even lift a finger because gosh darn it you purchased a second home in 2023 when interest rates were above 7% and, though you’ve managed to refinance, you HAD to buy a new volvo, you absolutely had to take that trip to Copenhagen last year and — I almost forgot — you HAD to go to your sisters wedding in Barcelona for two weeks and HOW COULD I HAVE NEGLECTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NECESSITY OF YOUR COLLECTION OF VINTAGE TUBE AMPS AND FENDER TELECASTERS AND YOUR OBSESSION WITH OBSCURE SCANDINAVIEN DESIGNERS AND YOUR WEIRD OBSESSION WITH NANOLOT LIGHT ROASTED THERMAL SHOCK PINEAPPLE COFERMENTED PANAMANIAN GESHA AND AAGGGHHHH

TLDR: these people know they’re complicit and they frankly DO NOT CARE.