Feeling politically breathless? Whatever presidential campaign you support, it’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, with breaking news and anonymously sourced rumors tumbling over each other fast and furious. The pace of commentary is exhausting and the stakes are existential – or so we’re relentlessly reminded. Sometimes I wonder who really benefits from the constant drumbeat of “democracy is at stake” and “America is failing.” Not the voters. We’re just looking for a little breathing room – time to enjoy a summer morning, a cup of coffee or a perfectly ripe peach.
The key word there is “time.” Because in the attention economy, it’s always scarce, always being bought and sold. When a political ad or a news alert hijacks your limbic system, it’s your sense of time that’s under attack: urgency floods in and perspective crumbles. No wonder we all feel on cognitive high alert. While I’m not advocating sticking your head in the sand or ignoring the very real issues on our collective political agenda, I do think we could use a break from pulse-pounding anxiety. So this week, we’re re-broadcasting our Deep Time episode, “The Cosmos and Us.” Listening to Carlo Rovelli, Marcelo Gleiser and Marjolijn van Heemstra talk about galaxies, white holes, and the birth of time reminds me that our horizons are vast and our spirits infinite. What a great way to slow time – at least for an hour!
Happy listening,
– Anne