Love this perspective, thanks for sharing Galen. Focusing on friends, family and your health are the keys to getting through in the long term. Enjoy vacation time!
Thanks for the thoughts Galen, I heavily relate to this post because I came away with similar reflections from my couple weeks of vacationing in Spain a few months ago. This is part of my journal I wrote on the plane ride back that touched on some of the same things you speak of here—like you, my work environment often leaves me feeling unfulfilled and unconnected to the world.
“Madrid opened my eyes to the possibility of a new life, where the night belongs to the people. A city where it’s normal to stay out until sunrise, where social life pulses stronger than the weight of work. It was liberating to spend time in a place not built around careers, to know there are cultures where being alive together matters more than being efficient alone.”
One thing in particular I miss about Europe is the bar culture. While we have wine bars, brewpubs, and dive bars here at home, I feel none of them quite hit on the vibe that you find overseas. Those options also tend to be unpopular amongst my fellow young people—we like to stick to dark and loud spaces where social connections are nearly impossible lol. This fact does not help the loneliness epidemic in the slightest, though I’m sure there are many other things that matter more (social media!! regulate the algorithms please).
To touch on the more meta analysis of loneliness in our society: it hits harder when the statistics show a decline in happiness/fulfillment/social connection and you have personal experience that reflects what the numbers are saying. Something has to change, we can’t let this become normalized. Thanks again
Yes! As an American who recently moved back to the states after spending some time in Portugal, I very much agree that the American Left has an overly simplified positive view of Europe.
It’s wearing, especially for my teenager who loves his country and has to listen to his (mostly American) friends constantly trash the states. I mean, I love both places, but, let’s be honest, both continents have their struggles.
Love this perspective, thanks for sharing Galen. Focusing on friends, family and your health are the keys to getting through in the long term. Enjoy vacation time!
Thanks for the thoughts Galen, I heavily relate to this post because I came away with similar reflections from my couple weeks of vacationing in Spain a few months ago. This is part of my journal I wrote on the plane ride back that touched on some of the same things you speak of here—like you, my work environment often leaves me feeling unfulfilled and unconnected to the world.
“Madrid opened my eyes to the possibility of a new life, where the night belongs to the people. A city where it’s normal to stay out until sunrise, where social life pulses stronger than the weight of work. It was liberating to spend time in a place not built around careers, to know there are cultures where being alive together matters more than being efficient alone.”
One thing in particular I miss about Europe is the bar culture. While we have wine bars, brewpubs, and dive bars here at home, I feel none of them quite hit on the vibe that you find overseas. Those options also tend to be unpopular amongst my fellow young people—we like to stick to dark and loud spaces where social connections are nearly impossible lol. This fact does not help the loneliness epidemic in the slightest, though I’m sure there are many other things that matter more (social media!! regulate the algorithms please).
To touch on the more meta analysis of loneliness in our society: it hits harder when the statistics show a decline in happiness/fulfillment/social connection and you have personal experience that reflects what the numbers are saying. Something has to change, we can’t let this become normalized. Thanks again
Yes! As an American who recently moved back to the states after spending some time in Portugal, I very much agree that the American Left has an overly simplified positive view of Europe.
It’s wearing, especially for my teenager who loves his country and has to listen to his (mostly American) friends constantly trash the states. I mean, I love both places, but, let’s be honest, both continents have their struggles.