Are we on the same side?
In the grand scheme of things, there are fewer things that divide us than join us. When we zoom out and recognize our oneness and the intricacies of our overlapping and intertwining existences, it’s hard to see that I am different from Joe Biden or Donald Trump or Nancy Pelosi or Bill Gates or Klaus Schwab or even Jeffrey Epstein (though admittedly that last one was truly hard to write).
Zoom in and I’ll tell you the myriad ways we are all VERY different.
But zoom out again and see that we are (or were in Epstein’s case since he got suicided) all humans, being. We share a consciousness and our journeys in this world overlap, so we can’t be too disconnected. (At least not by Kevin Bacon standards.)
Kidding about the Kevin Bacon thing, but serious about the rest of it.
An unsubscriber this week pointed out that he didn’t want my opinions on politics or vaccines to detract from his opinion of me professionally. I appreciate that and I appreciated his respectful dialogue in the message he sent me, despite not actually having shared my opinions on politics or vaccines.
There’s an assumption that if you’re not with me, you must, by default, be against me. But we are the same. And I want you to know that if you disagree with me, I’m still on your side. If you think all 6 month-olds should be given a covid shot, I’d love to hear why. Currently, I disagree with you and I am unlikely to change my opinion, but that doesn’t mean I’m against you. I simply have a different thought than you right now. I bet there are several things that we still agree upon. And even if we can’t find that common ground, we’re both humans, being. Same team.
To answer my title question: either “it doesn’t matter” or “yes.”
You can’t consume everything and maybe you’d prefer not to hear from me. Unsubscribe whenever you’d like. (Now that I’m writing on substack, you can still creep up here and see what I’ve been writing if you find it hard to stay away.) The only time I check my subscriber list is when I’m feeling particularly terrible and wish to worsen my mood. So if you leave or if you stay, I won’t even know because I’m generally in a good mood and don’t check my list of subscribers. (I do get paid subscriber notifications and appreciate you all SO much.)
Just know that my “side” of things is your side. I am on the side of autonomy: mine, yours, and everyone else’s. I argue for transparency, highlight how your choices affect your health, draw attention to things that are often overlooked by media, and share things that I find relevant for one reason or another.
If that doesn’t interest you, that’s okay. I’ll still be on your side.
Most people share what they find relevant via social media. I left Instagram and Facebook after my concussion in January ‘21 and happily write long-form here now. If you prefer character limits and short video clips, I’m not your gal. But if you want to think about what you think and why you think it and the history behind where that thought came from and how it relates to your health, privacy, wellbeing, and what you expect of your soul in this life, you're in the right place.
Your beliefs, opinions (including a well-written dissent - I do love those), and values are welcome here if they don’t match up with mine. I prefer a world where disagreements and diversity of thought are expected and welcomed; and don’t turn nasty because we respect ourselves enough to respect each other through thoughtful discourse.
If you want to keep reading, I’ll keep writing. If you don’t want to keep reading, I’ll still write. But I’m grateful you’re here.
Hugs,
Lindsay
So well said, Lindsay. Your unifying vision is one that I share, and one that empowers all of us. Keep writing!!