Do your earnings depend on the death or suffering of others; destruction of the planet; or duping consumers into buying harmful products? Maybe reassess your mandate instead of hiring more security.
You're morally depraved and disgusting. rarely, if ever, have I cancelled a subscription with more alacrity or certainty. Go think about Thompson's children, you piece of shit.
Deb has made it very clear in her post that she does NOT support murder as a solution to America's terrible healthcare system. I believe what Deb is saying is related to the Buddhist practice of considering what kind of work we all choose. The examples she chose from her own life make it very clear that this is a choice many of us can make. Having suffered with every type of health insurance available in the United States, I can say that the system is truly terrible. It would be better if our anger were directed against those who are elected to make change--members of Congress and the Senate, all of whom have government health insurance paid for by taxpayers. Lobbing unfounded personal attacks says more about you than it does about Ms Copaken.
I'm sorry to see you go. I do think about his children, John. All the time. And while you are welcome to your opinion I don't think cursing at me is kind. In fact, it is its own form of violence. As I wrote, in this essay you decry, "I want to stress, once again, that I do not and never will condone murder or violence of any kind." But having nearly died, because I was afraid of the cost of an ambulance--which would have orphaned my kids--and having endured dozens of denials of care I needed and am now more deaf than I needed to be because one of those denials, I understand the surge rage at our healthcare system, even if I abhor murder and, yes, feel horrible for those children. I can hold both things in my head at the same time: 1) Murder is wrong; 2) our healthcare system kills people, and that is wrong, too.
His comment says much more about him than it does about my thoughts on how we earn our income matters. Still: I do experience being cursed at as an act of violence. And being a woman in America means being cursed at (and called names and propositioned on the street with curse words, etc.) all the time. So I did feel it as a violent act in my central nervous system. For sure. How could I not? Then I took several deep breaths, looked him up online, and felt sorry for him. He worked as a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan. Reagan, whose “trickle down economics” got us into this income inequality/corporate greed mess today. Maybe—just maybe—he feels a bit guilty about having earned his money thus. Having been a pawn in this corrupt system. And therefore maybe his anger is not at me but at himself. Suddenly, I was filled with love for everyone out there just struggling to make ends meet in what is increasingly becoming a banana republic. Including John Podhoretz. I feel no anger at him. I do feel terrible anger at this system we all have to endure.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. It triggered his guilt. Big time. He was not equipped to handle his emotional discomfort in a mature way and being dysregulated he wanted to pass it on to someone else’s nervous system. I’m sorry it was yours. But glad you found love through the process. That’s some big girl shit! And that you aren’t afraid to feel anger when it’s called for. So glad I found you!
I have suffered with nearly every type of health insurance available to freelancers in the United States. All are terrible. When I was pregnant, I fought with CIGNA every month to pay for my prenatal appointments. Each month they would reject the claim for a different reason, even though the doctor's office sent in the same form, filled out the same way. What saved me from financial ruin was that I was fired up with mama-to-be hormones and I fought back. It is unfortunately that we cannot count on efforts from our elected officials to improve this wretched system--ironically they all have excellent government-funded health insurance, paid for by taxpayers who cannot afford good insurance for their own families.
The ideas you speak about here are in line with the Buddhist concept of pursuing Right Work—that is, work that does not cause harm to others. Many people are not in a position to make this choice—they have to find income however they can—but I agree that those of us who can make a choice should try our hardest to find work that preserves our integrity.
You are a brave and wonderful woman, and your posts are inspiring. And it's true Ben and Jerry are idealists. But what about their product? You decry "the heads of soft drink companies, whose revenues depend on selling health-shattering, diabetes-inducing high fructose corn syrup to the masses?" Is ice cream good for diabetes?
I will add, just as something to think about, because we don't ever consider it in our society: dairy cows are slaves who are repeatedly impregnated and then bereaved. Their calves are stolen from them, and they do mourn. Large-scale animal agriculture is cruelty. It's possible that this mentality -- that we have the right to enslave animals -- contributes to the larger mentality that CEO's and oligarchs have the right to essentially enslave workers and others. In any case, excellent article, Deborah.
While Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is not a health food, it’s also not sugar water with high fructose corn syrup. It has milk products and calcium, and research shown that diets containing calcium-rich foods are associated with a DECREASED risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Also, people aren’t eating ice cream every day with every meal. A little ice cream after a meal won’t kill you. (I, a relatively thin ice cream lover, will die on that hill. 😂) Soft drinks can and do. Obviously eating a ton of ice cream is bad for you. But drinking any amount of Coke or Pepsi is terrible for you. Anyway, what I meant is that Ben & Jerry were always conscious CEOs. With a corporate structure that was fair and equitable. And many ways to give back to their employees and communities. They thought deeply about how they were making their money and how best to distribute it.
You touch on so many things that we need and hopefully try to change or improve on. The ugliness we are living with and around is sooo hard to ignore -I agree small changes can be made but…… it does feel overwhelming at times . Please ignore the awful comment…. It is a perfect example of all the work ahead of us 😔 stay strong and continue to use that fabulous voice of yours 💪🏻
This is why I’m pivoting from working as a consultant for an insurance provider to going to nursing school at 43. I will earn about half the salary. But I will have meaning and feel like I earned my money.
Yes to your thesis, yes to Hannah Arendt, and yes to the bigger question about the choices facing us all. In medicine there’s a name for serving under the current system—moral injury.
Bullseye.
Thanks, Deb.
You're morally depraved and disgusting. rarely, if ever, have I cancelled a subscription with more alacrity or certainty. Go think about Thompson's children, you piece of shit.
Deb has made it very clear in her post that she does NOT support murder as a solution to America's terrible healthcare system. I believe what Deb is saying is related to the Buddhist practice of considering what kind of work we all choose. The examples she chose from her own life make it very clear that this is a choice many of us can make. Having suffered with every type of health insurance available in the United States, I can say that the system is truly terrible. It would be better if our anger were directed against those who are elected to make change--members of Congress and the Senate, all of whom have government health insurance paid for by taxpayers. Lobbing unfounded personal attacks says more about you than it does about Ms Copaken.
I'm sorry to see you go. I do think about his children, John. All the time. And while you are welcome to your opinion I don't think cursing at me is kind. In fact, it is its own form of violence. As I wrote, in this essay you decry, "I want to stress, once again, that I do not and never will condone murder or violence of any kind." But having nearly died, because I was afraid of the cost of an ambulance--which would have orphaned my kids--and having endured dozens of denials of care I needed and am now more deaf than I needed to be because one of those denials, I understand the surge rage at our healthcare system, even if I abhor murder and, yes, feel horrible for those children. I can hold both things in my head at the same time: 1) Murder is wrong; 2) our healthcare system kills people, and that is wrong, too.
Wow! I sure hope this didn't get to you, Deb. Like don't even think twice. Seriously.
His comment says much more about him than it does about my thoughts on how we earn our income matters. Still: I do experience being cursed at as an act of violence. And being a woman in America means being cursed at (and called names and propositioned on the street with curse words, etc.) all the time. So I did feel it as a violent act in my central nervous system. For sure. How could I not? Then I took several deep breaths, looked him up online, and felt sorry for him. He worked as a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan. Reagan, whose “trickle down economics” got us into this income inequality/corporate greed mess today. Maybe—just maybe—he feels a bit guilty about having earned his money thus. Having been a pawn in this corrupt system. And therefore maybe his anger is not at me but at himself. Suddenly, I was filled with love for everyone out there just struggling to make ends meet in what is increasingly becoming a banana republic. Including John Podhoretz. I feel no anger at him. I do feel terrible anger at this system we all have to endure.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. It triggered his guilt. Big time. He was not equipped to handle his emotional discomfort in a mature way and being dysregulated he wanted to pass it on to someone else’s nervous system. I’m sorry it was yours. But glad you found love through the process. That’s some big girl shit! And that you aren’t afraid to feel anger when it’s called for. So glad I found you!
Wild overreaction to a thoughtful piece.
Go think about the thousands of people Thompson has knowingly orphaned as the cost of doing business.
I have suffered with nearly every type of health insurance available to freelancers in the United States. All are terrible. When I was pregnant, I fought with CIGNA every month to pay for my prenatal appointments. Each month they would reject the claim for a different reason, even though the doctor's office sent in the same form, filled out the same way. What saved me from financial ruin was that I was fired up with mama-to-be hormones and I fought back. It is unfortunately that we cannot count on efforts from our elected officials to improve this wretched system--ironically they all have excellent government-funded health insurance, paid for by taxpayers who cannot afford good insurance for their own families.
The ideas you speak about here are in line with the Buddhist concept of pursuing Right Work—that is, work that does not cause harm to others. Many people are not in a position to make this choice—they have to find income however they can—but I agree that those of us who can make a choice should try our hardest to find work that preserves our integrity.
You are a brave and wonderful woman, and your posts are inspiring. And it's true Ben and Jerry are idealists. But what about their product? You decry "the heads of soft drink companies, whose revenues depend on selling health-shattering, diabetes-inducing high fructose corn syrup to the masses?" Is ice cream good for diabetes?
I will add, just as something to think about, because we don't ever consider it in our society: dairy cows are slaves who are repeatedly impregnated and then bereaved. Their calves are stolen from them, and they do mourn. Large-scale animal agriculture is cruelty. It's possible that this mentality -- that we have the right to enslave animals -- contributes to the larger mentality that CEO's and oligarchs have the right to essentially enslave workers and others. In any case, excellent article, Deborah.
While Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is not a health food, it’s also not sugar water with high fructose corn syrup. It has milk products and calcium, and research shown that diets containing calcium-rich foods are associated with a DECREASED risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Also, people aren’t eating ice cream every day with every meal. A little ice cream after a meal won’t kill you. (I, a relatively thin ice cream lover, will die on that hill. 😂) Soft drinks can and do. Obviously eating a ton of ice cream is bad for you. But drinking any amount of Coke or Pepsi is terrible for you. Anyway, what I meant is that Ben & Jerry were always conscious CEOs. With a corporate structure that was fair and equitable. And many ways to give back to their employees and communities. They thought deeply about how they were making their money and how best to distribute it.
I love your writing.
You touch on so many things that we need and hopefully try to change or improve on. The ugliness we are living with and around is sooo hard to ignore -I agree small changes can be made but…… it does feel overwhelming at times . Please ignore the awful comment…. It is a perfect example of all the work ahead of us 😔 stay strong and continue to use that fabulous voice of yours 💪🏻
This is why I’m pivoting from working as a consultant for an insurance provider to going to nursing school at 43. I will earn about half the salary. But I will have meaning and feel like I earned my money.
Yes to your thesis, yes to Hannah Arendt, and yes to the bigger question about the choices facing us all. In medicine there’s a name for serving under the current system—moral injury.