I grew up in India and attended Woodstock, an international boarding school. For the first time in its 170 year history, not a single one of its graduating seniors wants to attend an American university. Even worse, three students already attending UC Berkeley, Smith College and Yale have dropped out and returned to their respective countries. Shocking and sad. We are losing so much, so quickly.
Wow, that’s a striking detail about Woodstock. I hadn’t heard that. The dropout piece too, really says a lot. Thanks for sharing it here, and thanks for reading.
We had this in the UK after Brexit. Our world shifted from being a founding voice in the EU, to having our seat taken away and repurposed. All completely self inflicted.
But more than that, we were all treated with either fury, pity, or both. Lumped into the same rotting basket of no longer viable goods, even though the vote was so close.
52:48
In many regions the vote was overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, so the unfairness felt like a constant stabbing pain of cruel.
People stopped visiting us, choosing instead to go somewhere with a more positive, outward looking perspective.
Our creative industries have been decimated, trade destroyed, neighbours and families torn apart.
And yet…
After the blond buffoon and his band of incompetent snake oil sellers were exposed as the fucking charlatans they are, we are gradually taking steps to repair the damage. Hampered only by Fagash FartFace, a huge Trump brown nose with the self aggrandisement of King Canute
So rest assured, we will visit again. We will get as giddy as kippers to experience, with you, the joy and hospitality so many of you have shared with us over the years, and we will willing hold your hand with love and respect whilst you show us everything that makes you proud to be a US citizen.
For now, however, the temporary solution to protect ourselves is to be either virtual, or welcome you in our countries, whilst you continue to fight for the soul of your nation.
But rest assured, those of you who are voicing your distain hold a very special place in our hearts.
This is brutal and dead-on. The forced identification with a national decision you didn’t make. The reputational rot that settles over everything, even in regions that voted the other way. “Rotting basket of no longer viable goods” is exactly right. And yeah, Fagash FartFace locked in. Appreciated this.
I would be most afraid if I were a person of color, afraid to be deported to a country not of my birth, stripped of my family and hidden, rather than them making a judgment about my value as a contributing member of this country. Hatred oozes out of the pores of so many on the right (wrong) so that the whole country is believed to stink.
Everything about this timeline is unbearable. I am truly and sincerely running out of the will to live. Every day it seeps away faster. I know that’s the game. I know that’s the point of it all, and I will do what I can. But god damn what I can just feels like dousing a forest fire with a thimble. Fuck.
Yeah. That’s the metaphor. That’s exactly what it feels like. The fire’s bigger than us and the tools are laughable, but we still try to throw water anyway. I don’t have a fix. But I wrote that piece because I needed to say it out loud, and because I knew other people felt the same dread. You just proved me right.
As usual a beautifully stated and accurate post. Thank you for being a voice that always says the right and just thing. I dont have anyone abroad to visit me but I know I dont like the feeling of being part of the universal mistrust and fear that this country seems determined to be. Signed: a good unhappy American
I grew up in India and attended Woodstock, an international boarding school. For the first time in its 170 year history, not a single one of its graduating seniors wants to attend an American university. Even worse, three students already attending UC Berkeley, Smith College and Yale have dropped out and returned to their respective countries. Shocking and sad. We are losing so much, so quickly.
Wow, that’s a striking detail about Woodstock. I hadn’t heard that. The dropout piece too, really says a lot. Thanks for sharing it here, and thanks for reading.
We wait with you Lyle. ❤️
This will end.
We had this in the UK after Brexit. Our world shifted from being a founding voice in the EU, to having our seat taken away and repurposed. All completely self inflicted.
But more than that, we were all treated with either fury, pity, or both. Lumped into the same rotting basket of no longer viable goods, even though the vote was so close.
52:48
In many regions the vote was overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, so the unfairness felt like a constant stabbing pain of cruel.
People stopped visiting us, choosing instead to go somewhere with a more positive, outward looking perspective.
Our creative industries have been decimated, trade destroyed, neighbours and families torn apart.
And yet…
After the blond buffoon and his band of incompetent snake oil sellers were exposed as the fucking charlatans they are, we are gradually taking steps to repair the damage. Hampered only by Fagash FartFace, a huge Trump brown nose with the self aggrandisement of King Canute
So rest assured, we will visit again. We will get as giddy as kippers to experience, with you, the joy and hospitality so many of you have shared with us over the years, and we will willing hold your hand with love and respect whilst you show us everything that makes you proud to be a US citizen.
For now, however, the temporary solution to protect ourselves is to be either virtual, or welcome you in our countries, whilst you continue to fight for the soul of your nation.
But rest assured, those of you who are voicing your distain hold a very special place in our hearts.
This is brutal and dead-on. The forced identification with a national decision you didn’t make. The reputational rot that settles over everything, even in regions that voted the other way. “Rotting basket of no longer viable goods” is exactly right. And yeah, Fagash FartFace locked in. Appreciated this.
Truly one of the more difficult aspects of this mess we're in. Thanks for capturing.
It’s one of the many worst parts.
I would be most afraid if I were a person of color, afraid to be deported to a country not of my birth, stripped of my family and hidden, rather than them making a judgment about my value as a contributing member of this country. Hatred oozes out of the pores of so many on the right (wrong) so that the whole country is believed to stink.
You’re spot on. The fear is real, and it’s engineered. And yeah, the rot is leaking everywhere.
Everything about this timeline is unbearable. I am truly and sincerely running out of the will to live. Every day it seeps away faster. I know that’s the game. I know that’s the point of it all, and I will do what I can. But god damn what I can just feels like dousing a forest fire with a thimble. Fuck.
Yeah. That’s the metaphor. That’s exactly what it feels like. The fire’s bigger than us and the tools are laughable, but we still try to throw water anyway. I don’t have a fix. But I wrote that piece because I needed to say it out loud, and because I knew other people felt the same dread. You just proved me right.
Well said, sir.
Thanks Jan.
As usual a beautifully stated and accurate post. Thank you for being a voice that always says the right and just thing. I dont have anyone abroad to visit me but I know I dont like the feeling of being part of the universal mistrust and fear that this country seems determined to be. Signed: a good unhappy American