A Eulogy for Our 2010s; a Prayer for Our 2020s
Globally, the story of the last decade has been the gradual rise of right-wing nationalist movements, goaded on by advances in technology and the expansion of unregulated social media, resulting in conflict and turmoil.
Similar stories played out just about everywhere: from Europe to the Middle East to the United States to India. Even nations whose politics might not reflect this plot still were impacted by this global movement — Norway and New Zealand, for example. Many of us now fear we are on the precipice of a greater, global struggle that could impact the course of this planet for generations.
Personally, my story of the last decade has been the struggle to find where I belong in the world and gradual self-acceptance.
At the start of this decade, I was finally beginning to acknowledge past traumas and my identity as a gay man. I was teetering on the brink of alcoholism, plagued by suicidal thoughts, and feeling especially lost. As this decade concludes, I have put many of those struggles to bed and found a comfortable, stable life. I am in a significantly happier place now than I was at the start of this decade. And although all standards for success are subjective and somewhat arbitrary, I feel I have succeeded in building a better life for myself than before. The turbulence has subsided.
