Lawyers and politicians are often accused of “blowing smoke.” Which means they talk in circles or use words that sound erudite, but no one really understands. All with the hope of diverting the listeners attention away from a serious concern. Sometimes, they like to explain away difficult situations by saying something is an “existential” crisis. Existential is Biden’s favorite word. But does anyone know what it actually means ?

Existential is Biden's favorite word.ord. He says these people are having an exi

Existential is Biden’s Favorite Word. He says the Afghan’s are having an Existential Crisis.

Why couldn’t he simply say, “The Afghan people are scared to death they’re going to get killed by the Taliban? ” Yeah, they’ve got an existential crisis, all right. Many of us have existential problems. Like, when your house goes up in flames, or you get hit by a train. You start to wonder if you’re going to keep on living. If you survive, someone may ask how you’re doing. Would you say you’re going through hell? Or simply respond that you’re having an existential crisis?

Actually, I think Biden copied the expression from Obama. As an example, in a 2014 speech to West Point Graduates. Obama said “We don’t face an existential crisis, We don’t face a civil war. We don’t face a Soviet Union that is trying to rally a bloc of countries that could threaten our way of life.”

That sounded fairly impressive. Very intellectual –calm, cool and collected. It must have been reassuring to the people in the audience. . Only things didn’t turn out so well, since our country has been on the brink of a civil war for the past few years.

Overall, I think the expression is used in an effort to gloss things over. We unenlightened human beings are admonished not to worry—it’s just an existential crisis. Which means there’s nothing can be done. The ultimate cop out.

Existential is a pretty hi-falutin word . If you look it up on the internet, you’ll see it has different meanings. While it’s defined as a concern about existence, it’s also described as: ” a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe, and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad.”

Confused? No wonder existential is Biden’s favorite word.

Have you been feeling more than a little anxious lately? Or maybe a bit depressed? What’s wrong, you wonder. You look out the window and see flowers blooming, and the sun shining. That’s should make you happy, but it doesn’t. Take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. You’re feeling those August Blues.

Feeling Those August Blues? The sun may be shining, but you're feeling depressed. — FEELING THOSE AUGUST BLUES? Many people feel anxious and depressed at summer’s end.

Psychologists have various explanations. First of all, you’re sick and tired of the heat and humidity. The hot weather was fun at first. You could walk through the park, go on picnics, and watch the fireworks on the 4^th of July. But come August, there’s nothing much to look forward to, and Labor Day seems a long way off. Many people are posting pictures of their wonderful vacations. But you’re stuck at home for various reasons. Everyone seems to be having fun but you.

Worse yet, in the middle of August, fall allergies start to kick in. Sneezing, and feelings of fatigue are dragging you down. The various antihistamines offer some relief, but all come with side effects. You’re either groggy or wired, depending on what you decide to take. All you can hope for is the first frost, which kills the nasty pollen. But with global warming, that day may not come until November. So you’re facing a couple of months of taking meds and feeling woozy.

August is also a time for going back to school, which may trigger bad memories. That was often a difficult time for many of us who dreaded the routines, the interaction with “mean girls,” and the loss of freedom that comes with in-person schooling.

This month, the outlook for the Covid-19 epidemic seems dismal. Last summer, we thought it would all be over by now. But it’s getting worse with the delta variant that’s caused a surge in hospitalizations.

And now, there’s the bad news coming out of Afghanistan. No matter how you felt about our involvement in the war, you can’t help but mourn the way it’s turned out. The abrupt withdrawal, with men falling to their death from airplanes while trying to escape. The cruel fate awaiting women. The executions and beheadings. This is like reading The Diary of Anne Pfrank. How can this be happening in our modern world?

According to psychologists, summertime depression often brings insomnia, loss of appetite, weight loss and feelings of agitation or anxiety.

Like any other form of depression, you can use various coping mechanisms. Meditation. Yoga. Distractions. Self Care. You might even seek counseling. Meanwhile, you’re feeling those August Blues.

Tag: Afghanistan

EXISTENTIAL IS BIDEN’S FAVORITE WORD

FEELING THOSE AUGUST BLUES?