Apocalyptic Dread, Burnout, and a New Year

Longtime member of the Crowd and WoC contributor

Tom Barson

once called episodes when Shadi and Damir just chew over stuff “train wrecks”. (He meant it in an affectionate way — we think.) Well that’s what this episode is: a classic back and forth that ranges far and wide.

Shadi asks Damir how his year ended. Damir admits he’s feeling properly burned out. Does following two bloody wars all too closely contribute to a feeling of helplessness? And isn’t feeling drained by reading about war itself a product of extreme privilege and luxury? With signs of wider conflict spreading in the Middle East, we still can’t properly wrap our heads around what a world-changing war might look like.

In the full episode (for paying subscribers only), Shadi reveals how the rise of urban violence — DC surpassed Baltimore in murders last year — has him thinking about zombie movies, and the gnawing uncertainty that was the hallmark of the early days of COVID.

Required Reading:

• “The Unserious Generation,” by Damir Marusic (WoC).

• “Unconstructive Ambiguity,” by Damir Marusic (WoC).

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