Hello, reader. How you doing? I feel concerned and a half about our dangerous culture. I’m uncomfortable with how many people are left out and left behind, barely surviving, and suffering in ways that are not necessary. Why did we make a culture where money-created self-sufficiency is the huge lie?
It’s not safe. I don’t feel ok living in this culture. So I could leave I guess. Or I can keep trying to improve the dangerous culture into something just and safe for everyone.
I’m talking about homelessness, poverty, sexual assault, child abuse, environmental destruction, war violence, police violence, racism, violence against queer and trans people, prisons, psychiatric harm, the broken medical system, and nasty AIs chewing up art and spitting out sludge.
For a long time, I didn’t want to be a mom partly because I have no functional culture to be a mom in. (I don’t want to be a dad either.)
Lately I feel strongly that I need to get away from people. Seems natural around perimenopause / menopause time. Becoming a sannyisi is a thing. Time to renounce as I crone up. I have no grandchildren to take care of.
harm reduction in a dangerous culture
Sometimes I wish my harm reduction was more legible. I can’t play a zombie shooter and roll a joint– that doesn’t work for me. Sports, shopping, pets, Christianity, making money…. No.
I have to write in the mornings, dance, let the sun shine on my body, sing, pray, and talk to my dear ones every day who are there for me. Make zines, make art.
I made this grasshopper protector art the other day.
guardian grasshopper
August 25 2026
Strawberry Pancake Fae Nopales
watercolor and pen on reclaimed product packaging cardstock
Kalapuya land
Image description: Three watercolor painted grasshoppers are outlined in black marker which bled. They are brown, brown, and green on a tan-brown tag.
questions for rest and revolution
Who protects you as you do difficult things?
What’s your harm reduction?
Where do you feel the danger of dangerous culture?
When do you need to withdraw?
How do you create justice?
How do you change culture?
trike
Riding trike is harm reduction in a dangerous culture too. I like to go early in the morning and ride circles with Ming in the church parking lot. Thank you to Ming for maintaining my trike and taking my picture.
