Once you accept what's happening, there is no more need for obsessive hypervigilance. You can go back to making your own life livable in whatever ways are under your power. You can still do all the things you were going to do to fight. You just don't have to *watch* 24/7.

When a plane is plummeting toward the sea, there will always be some people who turn away from their families and stare out the window til the end, as if that will increase the efficacy of their life jackets and flotation devices.

Even if there IS a small chance the pilot might turn things around before you hit water, staring out the window watching the plummet isn't going to affect his chances. Meanwhile, the person in the seat next you might appreciate your attention.

We are all so certain that Being Informed makes us virtuous. There is only so much you need to know. You don't need to quote and dissect every word of a man you hate and who hates you. Knowing what you can do to make things harder for him, and doing that, is enough.

Taking part ONLY to the extent that you have impact leaves you more time. Time to help children grow up strong enough to live in this world. Time to make the space you look at every day better suited to your needs. Time to find another source of income. So many possibilities.

You still have to live your life. You still only have so much time here. It could be better than you are making it. It could be so much better.

"It could be better if THEY would--"

No.

YOU could make it better.
You could. I wish you would. You're not helping anyone, or sticking it to anyone, by deliberately destroying your own mental health.

Do what you can. Help the Big Stuff in whatever ways you can. Then turn away and tend to the stuff closer to home. Don't spend your life watching Big People do their Big Bad Things and think you're helping. You're not. Not hurting them, and certainly not helping us, or you.

At any moment your life could come to a violent end no matter how hard you work to make it better. That isn't under your control (except to the extent you exert your influence toward a more nonviolent world). What is under your control is how you spend the time you have.

You really don't have the time to waste on this. If it doesn't help someone or make you happy, why are you doing it?

No, seriously, why? Why do anything that doesn't do one of those two things? Why?

Answer out loud. Not to me. I don't matter. To yourself. It's your life.