No News is Good News

At the end of September, I canceled our subscription to the local paper.  As noted in my last entry, I did miss it at first - both the paper itself and the distraction it provided.  But very soon after that, I really began to appreciate having more time, and less angst in the morning.  I'm getting more done - though not the sitting I intended to use the time for.  Instead I'm wrapped up in an effort to organize my life, set goals, get more disciplined and efficient.  (For reports on progress or lack of same, you can read my other blog if you'd like.) In addition, I'm coming to the conclusion that spending time trying to understand American (and other nations') politics is a lost cause for me. 

For several years I've thought a lot about my responsibility - especially as a Buddhist - to understand what is going on in our government, in world affairs, etc., take a position, and act on it.  But I seem hopelessly inept at this.  It has happened many times that, after reflecting on some issue for awhile, reading, finding TV specials on the topic, I get an impression that seems reasonable and draw some hesitant conclusions.  Then later I find some other information - in a paper, an internet site, another TV interview - that completely undercuts that view; and it too is entirely reasonable and pretty convincing.  End result: I just plain don't know what to think. Though I do trust my over-all view (the Iraq war is insane, students aren't being taught how to think, global warming and evolution are both real, the next generations are going to pay in blood for what we're doing) the details, the subtle causes, the solutions, the possibilities, are all obscure to me. 

One response would be to put in the time necessary to research and study each of these issues.  I could form and test out theories, and so on.  But I'm far closer to the end of my life than the beginning - and I find myself saying, about these issues, and many other potential interests, "Not in this lifetime."  The ultimate triage.

So I'm in the process of disengaging - canceling the newspaper is one sign of this process.  However, this is not giving up, quitting the field, as it were.  My purpose is to discern more clearly what I can do, and find the time and energy to do it.