There are days when outside events start to influence your productivity and mental health. The growing discord in our society, the tone-deaf nature of our leaders, and the sheer magnitude of death that is sweeping the planet got the better of me Friday, which is usually when I start to write down my big newsletter.

Sometimes I think social networks and the media hype cycle have distorted our sense of reality and amplified our fear and anxiety. Even a few minutes of news is enough for me to shudder. You feel that the whole world has gone mad, and the feeling of helplessness becomes overwhelming. The divisions in society, the lack of control, and the inability to overcome the injustices of modern society have exploded on our screens. Minneapolis is no different than Hong Kong.

How can one not be anxious and distraught when 100,000 of our fellow citizens have died, and the leaders of this country are behaving as if nothing has happened? People hold on to the delusion that everything will be fine, even though 40 million have lost their jobs. 

Trevor Noah is right — it is all connected. My words fail me, so I will let Bob Lefsetz say them.

Please pardon me for not feeling very inspired. It’s just that our damn dreadful reality is getting in the way. 

Adapted from my weekly newsletter.

May 31, 2020. San Francisco