Welcome to The Darkling Thrush Blog!

This blog started with a poem (kind of).

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I came across “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy at a time when I didn’t realize how much I needed it. Sometimes the world feels especially bleak, and messages of kindness or humanity get drowned out by the daily churn of rage bait pushed by social media algorithms. I feel obligated to stay informed about what's going on in the world, but doing so just seems... exhausting.

 

The poem didn’t fix that feeling. That wasn't the point. However, it reminded me that even when things seem futile, any of us can speak or act (or sing) boldly.

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That idea stuck with me (enough to inspire a blog).

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The Darkling Thrush is a place to think out loud about things like culture, society, politics, and technology, especially in moments when things feel stagnant. I’m interested in people who speak and act boldly without a guarantee of success.​

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I plan to share stories where hope and action still show up. Those stories deserve our attention and consideration. I want to celebrate examples when people keep speaking or acting when silence or inaction would be easier.

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We don't have to choose between cynicism and blind optimism. Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is listen for an unlikely song and decide not to ignore it.

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Thanks for being here.