I was spurred to write a post this morning by two op-eds in the New York Times, one by Roxane Gay and the other by Michelle Goldberg. After doing so, I decided not to post it. The crux of their world is misery, everything is horrible and they want everyone to wallow in misery just like them. In response, I wrote what I would call a “Pollyanna Post,” that the world is filled with joy, love and happiness.
After claiming that students turn to her for assurance that everything will be okay, a claim I find utterly full of shit since who would ever turn to someone as utterly miserable as Gay for anything, Gay writes:
I don’t traffic in hope. Realism is more my ministry than is unbridled optimism.
I traffic in realism as well, and I refuse to accept the premise that a future of wallowing in constant misery is the best we can do. I’m no Pollyanna. There are many problems in the world, as there always have been and always will be. But if the best we can do is aspire to a life of crying sad tears over the awfulness of everything, these passionately progressive purveyors of perpetual misery can shove it.
They seek misery everywhere and find it. If it’s not there, they create it. They find a problem in everything, a reason to be offended or outraged. Is that what you want to spend your days doing, turning over rocks in search of outrage?
I decided to trash my Pollyanna Post. Life will have problems and disappointments, and that’s how it goes for all of us. But it will also have times of joy and happiness. Let the harpies obsess over their beloved misery. I live for the good times. Fuck them and their miserable world. If misery is the best they can do, I want nothing of it. No more needs to be said.
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I was on the fence until you said “heathen wilderness.”
I hate to be spurred. Good for you for resisting!
The Roxane Gay thing by itself would be enough to spoil several days. After I read several of her columns for “research” on my 2019 Peeps Diorama, the NYT apparently concluded I was a good subscription prospect, and sent me a bunch of special offers. But they never hit “cheap enough” (i.e., none of their offers proposed to pay me for reading additional content at their site).
Was it really worth posting twice, LY? Really?
whispers…it is two different songs..
Crap. I got caught.Sorry, LY. My bad. Where should I send the pastrami?
Well the wife would appreciate one in Virginia. But we have one in the fridge already prepping for the 4th of July.
It’s National Donut Day. Go see if any of the free donuts being given away are of the maple bacon variety. If they are, that will make things righter than right. If they aren’t, things will still be alright.
No one around here offers maple bacon donuts. I live in a heathen wilderness.
Sounds like a business or investment opportunity.
Go for it.
NYC. You also can’t pack, so if somebody decides to offer the donuts, they have to BAKE them with the holes in them, instead of shooting the holes in the donuts in traditional fashion.
Yeah, but I bet you can get really good lox and schmear.
Its a sad day, my friends….the man brought me much joy, RIP, Doc.
How can a world that gives us music from the likes of Dr. John be anything but wondrous?
RIP, good Doctor.
I’ll see you and raise
The misery crowd are as cowardly as the Pollyanna crowd are foolish.
And I echo Guitardave’s thoughts: RIP Dr. John.
“passionately progressive purveyors of perpetual misery”
I see you’re taking your own advice and finding joy in the little things already. Good on you.
I try not to be pusillanimous.
they have a pill for that now
https://youtu.be/mDTph7mer3I
hmm. testing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5B YT ]mDTph7mer3I[ /YT ]
As I’ve explained numerous times, just post the url to the vid. Amazing how many times people blow it over and over and shit up my comments and waste my bandwidth with this crap. When’s the last time you hit the tip cup?
Apologies, good sir, I will never shit up your comments thread again. Consider me duly chastised.
There’s pollyanna irony in here somewhere….
https://youtu.be/FscIgtDJFXg
Martha Washington.
“I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition. “
Totally. Even if your spouse has wooden teeth.
Easy to say Martha when you’re born into wealth and then marry the richest man in colonial America.
Been partial to this one for a while.
almost perfect
If I seem edgy, I want you to know,
That I never mean to take it out on you
Life has its problems, and I get my share,
And that’s one thing I never mean to do.
Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.
The Animals