Worry Warts
There’s plenty of stuff to worry about. War in the Middle East, unstable dictators with nuclear weapons, pandemics without vaccines, AI destroying jobs, lost hours dealing with customer “service” chatbots, inflation. For the first time, America has a national police force patrolling our streets — heavily armed, lightly trained and masked. And more and more.
kAm(6==[ x’> 96C6 E@ 96=A] $E@A H@CCJ:?8 23@FE 2== E92E DEF77]k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 2 H9@=6 3F?49 @7 ?6H E9:?8D E@ H@CCJ 23@FE] v@G] z6==J pJ@EE6 92D 564:565 E92E E96 7FEFC6 @7 6=64EC:4:EJ 86?6C2E:@? :? }6H w2>AD9:C6 H:== 36 D>2== ?F4=62C A@H6C A=2?ED] %96 724E E92E ?@ DE2E6 86?6C2E6D 2?J >62?:?87F= A@H6C 7C@> E96D6 F?:ED 5@6D?’E 3@E96C 96C] %96 724E E92E E96 $623C@@< ?F4=62C A=2?E 3=6H }]w]’D 6=64EC:4 C2E6D D<J 9:89 5@6D?’E 3@E96C 96C] p?5 H9:=6 E96D6 A=2?ED 92G6 ?6H6C 2?5 AC@323=J D276C E649?@=@8J[ A=62D6 C2:D6 J@FC 92?5 :7 J@F H2?E @?6 :? J@FC ?6:893@C9@@5] u:?2==J[ A=62D6 6IA=2:? H96C6 E96 6G6C\8C@H:?8 A:=6 @7 ?F4=62C H2DE6 7C@> $623C@@< 2?5 E96D6 ?6H 86?6C2E@CD H:== 8@]k^Am
kAmq6EH66? `hhd\a_`a[ ad_[___ |6I:42? 2C>J 2?5 A@=:46 56764E65 E@ 42CE6=D 2?5 E96:C Sb_ 3:==:@? 5CF8 2?5 9F>2?\EC277:4<:?8 3FD:?6DD6D] %96J 3C@F89E E96:C H62A@?D H:E9 E96>[ E96C63J AC@G:5:?8 g_ A6C46?E @7 E96 42CE6=D’ 7:C6A@H6C] p?5 J6D[ E9:D :D =2C86=J p>6C:42? >:=:E2CJ 6BF:A>6?E] (6 H9:?6 23@FE '6?6KF6=2 2?5 rF32[ 3FE |6I:4@ :D 364@>:?8 2 A6CD:DE6?E=J >@C6 =2H=6DD DE2E6 2?5 2 8C@H:?8 E9C62E]k^Am
kAmp>6C:42 FD65 E@ 36 :? E96 E@A `_ 92AA:6DE ?2E:@?D @7 E96 H@C=5] x? C646?E J62CD[ H6 92G6 D=:5 :?E@ E96 >:5\a_’D] u:?=2?5 DE2JD :? E96 =625] (6 2C6 E96 C:496DE[ >@DE A@H6C7F=[ 2?5 4F=EFC2==J 5@>:?2?E ?2E:@? @? 62CE9] (9J 2C6 H6 D@ 5:DD2E:D7:65n %96 56E6C:@C2E:@? :? @FC A@=:E:42= =6256CD9:A 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 @FC A@H6C 2?5 >@?6J 9F?8CJ A@=:E:42= A2CE:6D D66>D E@ 36 2E E96 46?E6C @7 :E] x?4C62D:?8 A@=:E:42= G:@=6?46 :D @?6 @7 E96 DJ>AE@>D]k^Am
kAm}62C=J bd A6C46?E @7 @77:46 DA246 :? $2? uC2?4:D4@ :D G242?E] xD :E 9:89 E2I6D 5C:G:?8 A6@A=6 2H2Jn !6C92AD :E :D E96 H@C<\7C@>\9@>6 EC6?5[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C p>6C:42’D E649:6Dnk^Am
kAm#682C5=6DD @7 E96 C62D@?D[ :7 E96 4:EJ 2E E96 G6CJ 46?E6C @7 p>6C:42’D 64@?@>:4 6?8:?6 — px 2?5 E649 :? 86?6C2= — :D?’E 3@@>:?8[ E92? H92E 4:EJ :D?’E :? EC@F3=6nk^Am
kAm&<C2:?6 92D C64@?7:8FC65 :ED6=7 7@C A6CA6EF2= H2C] %9C66 J62CD 28@[ E96J y6CCJ\C:8865 g__[___ 5C@?6D] %9:D J62C[ E96J H:== 3F:=5 f >:==:@?] p 3:8 9F?< @7 E96:C 64@?@>J H:== 36 AC@G:5:?8 D<:==65 G:56@\82>6CD H:E9 82586ED 56D:8?65 E@ <:== 2?5 >2:> #FDD:2?D[ H9:=6 #FDD:2 ;FDE <66AD AF>A:?8 6?@F89 @:= 2?5 >:?:?8 6?@F89 8@=5 E@ DFAA@CE E6CC@C:DE 2EE24<D @? &<C2:?:2? 4:G:=:2?D 2?5 :?7C2DECF4EFC6] x7 E96 H@C=5 42?’E 7:?5 2 4@?D6?DFD E92E #FDD:2 :D :? E96 HC@?8 2?5 :7 H6 42?’E 32?5 E@86E96C E@ D2J ?@ E@ 3FJ:?8 H92E #FDD:2 :D D6==:?8[ E92? 9F>2?:EJ 92D ?@ 32D:D 7@C 2?J 4=2:> E@ >@C2=:EJ]k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 4FCC6?E 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 7:C:?8 ad[___ x#$ 286?ED[ p>6C:42 :D ?@H >2<:?8 E2I 5@58:?8 :?E@ 2 D>2CE 36E] %96 @55D @7 H62=E9J A6@A=6 86EE:?8 2F5:E65 92D D9CF?< E@ E96 A@:?E H96C6 4@>A=:2?46 :D 7@C DF4<6CD] #68F=2C 7@=<D H9@ C646:G6 2 (\a @C 2 `_hh 92G6 E@ A2J FA] u@=<D H9@ 42? 277@C5 E@ 92G6 2 H63 @7 {{r’D[ D@>6 @77D9@C6 244@F?ED[ 2?5 A=6?EJ @7 =2HJ6CD 2?5 244@F?E2?ED D:>A=J 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 7F?5 E96 8@G6C?>6?E] p>6C:42 :D =62G:?8 S`d_ 3:==:@? @? E96 E23=6 ?@H 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 E2I 4962ED] pD H6 ;@:? 4@F?EC:6D =:<6 xE2=J 2?5 vC6646 H96C6 :E :D E96 ?@C> E@ 5@586 E2I6D[ @FC >2DD:G6 567:4:E H:== @?=J 4=:>3] %96D6 A6@A=6 2C6 DE62=:?8 7C@> 2== @7 FD] %96J 2C6 E9:6G6D 2?5 E96 72:=FC6 E@ 6?7@C46 E96 =2H 2==@HD E96 3:886DE E967ED :? p>6C:42? 9:DE@CJ E@ @44FC]k^Am
kAm$A62<:?8 @7 D42?52=D[ }]w] DE2E6 8@G6C?>6?E 92D 8@?6 7C@> @?6 @7 p>6C:42’D >@DE AC:DE:?6 @A6C2E:@?D E@ 2 4@G6C\FA 4F=EFC6] %96 tI64FE:G6 r@F?4:= 92D E@ 2AAC@G6 G:CEF2==J 2== DE2E6 4@?EC24ED] %96 $F?F?F r@CC64E:@?D s6A2CE>6?E H2?E65 E@ 3FJ Sa >:==:@? :? %2D6CD WAC@323=J D@ E96J 4@F=5 A2J @FE >@C6 C64@C5 D6EE=6>6?ED 7@C 23FD:?8 AC:D@?6CDX]k^Am
kAm%96 r@F?4:= D2:5 ?@ E@ E96 4@?EC24E] r@CC64E:@?D 72:=65 E@ =6E E96 r@F?4:= :? @? E96 724E E92E E96 %2D6CD H6C6 2=C625J 3@F89E 2?5 D:EE:?8 :? 2 H2C69@FD6] %@ 6?DFC6 2 DF446DD7F= E2IA2J6C C:A\@77[ E96 $F?F?F^pJ@EE6 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= 564=2C6 E92E ?@E9:?8 “:==682=” @44FCC65 2?5 E96 4@>A2?J 86ED A2:5] x7 J@F’C6 4FC:@FD[ 4964< 7@C 5@?2E:@?D 7C@> pI@? WE96 %2D6C A6@A=6X E@ E96 A@=:E:4:2?D H9@ H6C6 :? @? E9:D]k^Am
kAmu:?2==J[ E96 G6CJ 7FEFC6 @7 p>6C:42 C6DED @? E96 <?:76 6586 @7 4C65:3:=:EJ] x? `he`[ H:E9 E96 DFAA@CE @7 @FC rxp[ `[c__ rF32? 6I:=6D “:?G2565” rF32’D q2J @7 !:8D :? E96 9@A6 @7 :?DA:C:?8 2 86?6C2= FAC:D:?8] !C@>:D65 p>6C:42? 2:C DFAA@CE H2D ?6G6C AC@G:565] %96 2EE24< H2D 2 4@>A=6E6 72:=FC6 H:E9 >@DE @7 E96 rF32? 7@C46 42AEFC65 @C <:==65] !C6D:56?E y@9? u] z6??65J DE@@5 367@C6 E96 p>6C:42? A6@A=6 2?5 E@@< 7F== C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C E96 5:D2DEC@FD >:DD:@?] w6 5:5?’E 3=2>6 !C6D:56?E sH:89E t:D6?9@H6C H9@D6 25>:?:DEC2E:@? A=2??65 :E[ @C E96 3F?8=:?8 @7 E96 rxp 2?5 >:=:E2CJ =6256CD]k^Am
kAmp== AC6D:56?ED >2<6 >:DE2<6D] $6C:@FD >:DE2<6D] qFE 2D 72C 2D x 42? E6==[ `he` H2D E96 =2DE E:>6 @FC AC6D:56?E @H?65 2 >2;@C D4C6H\FA] xE’D 366? ed J62CD]k^Am
kAm(:E9 =6256CD H9@ 4@G6C FA[ =:6[ 2?5 3=2>6 @E96CD[ H:E9@FE =6256CD H9@ E2<6 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C E96:C 24E:@?D[ 5@6D p>6C:42 92G6 2?@E96C ad_ J62CDnk^Am
kAmv6@C86 tADE6:? =:G6D :? |25:D@?] k^Am

(1) comment
I get what George is trying to do here, and he’s not wrong that there’s a lot going on in the world right now. Some of what he points to is real and worth paying attention to.
But reading it, it just feels like everything is turned up to 11 at the same time. One thing after another, all framed as a growing problem, and by the end you’re left wondering what you’re actually supposed to do with any of it.
There’s a difference between being aware and just piling on. When everything is a crisis, nothing really stands out. It just becomes noise.
And more importantly, most of what he’s talking about is way outside the reach of any of us at the local level. That doesn’t mean it’s not important, but it does mean it’s not where we can actually make a difference day to day.
Around here, the work is a lot more grounded than that. It’s about figuring out what matters in our own community, asking good questions, and making decisions that hold up over time. That’s not being a “worry wart,” that’s just doing the job right.
I think people are better served by a little less overwhelm and a little more focus.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.