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  2. Very much worth 15 minutes of your time
September 25, 2026 at 8:48 AM

Very much worth 15 minutes of your time

Dr. Bastiat
@drbastiat

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I've been struggling a bit. Emily's illness has proven difficult for her to overcome. And difficult for me to overcome as well. Which is absurd. I didn't get sick. But here I am, trying to recover. Makes no sense.

One of my plans was to start writing again. But I ran into a problem: I don't care. About anything. At least, I don't care enough to sit down and think about something. Again, this is embarrassing.

I used to get home from work and focus on something more important than my stresses of the day. Now I get home from work, and I can't focus on anything. I don't care. So I scroll through YouTube. All sorts of stuff. Whoever sets those algorithms must think I'm bonkers.

But I came across a great video by someone you're probably familiar with: Michael Buttons. I don't know his politics, but this is probably the most conservative video I've seen in a long time.

Well worth 15 minutes of your time. I'd love to hear your perspective.

I'd share my perspective, but I don't care enough to formulate one. But I'm working on it. I'll care soon, surely.

In the meantime, I'll rely on you to write my post for me. I thank you in advance.

Is this what's happening to America? Has it already happened? Is it over?

Brilliant stuff. I'd love to know what you think:

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    JoelB@JoelB·3w

    It's difficult to say when the water is too hot when you are the frog that has been swimming around in the pot.

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    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill@CarolJoy·3w

    I was just thinking and wondering this morning about where Emily is in terms of dealing with her new reality. Plus as her father, you must want to somehow reach up to the heavens and pull down a solution, and so far there doesn't seem to be any real way to do that.

    I am glad you have found someone to follow as far as a youtube channel, as you are a wonk, like many of us here are. And that can be an outlet and all that.

    So I will take your recommendation and try to find time to listen to Mr Button.

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    GPentelie@GPentelie·3w

    You'll know when it's time, Doc.

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    EJHill@EJHill·3w

    First off, you’re focused on what you need to be focused on. Your children may grow up, they may get married, if you’re blessed they stay healthy and give you grandchildren. Even then, when things go right, they’re still your kids. That never changes.

    As for the doom and gloom, I hark to a video I saw of the English comedian Jimmy Carr.

    I think 90% of people agree about 90% of things, and then you have 5% on the extreme right and left that think the other one is the problem.

    When you look at the middle—the vast majority of people in the West—we agree on virtually all the big stuff. We want safe streets, we want our kids to go to decent schools, we want healthcare when we’re sick, and we want a reasonably fair society where if you work hard, you get somewhere.

    The problem is that 5% on the left and 5% on the right are the loudest people in the room. They dominate the internet, they dominate social media, and they dominate the news cycle because outrage drives engagement. So if you spend all your time online or watching news channels, you get this completely distorted view that society is on the brink of civil war, when in reality, your average person walking down the street doesn't hate their neighbor over politics.

    That 10%? F—- those people.

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    Barfly@Barfly·3w

    Just keep breathing and stay above ground, Doc. You're going to be fine.

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