Background and expectations

Howdy and welcome to the Cognitive Dissonance Dispatch, or ‘CD Dispatch’ for short.

The idea for this project coalesced in late summer of 2023. I had recently acquired a new camera and was enjoying the different style it imposed on my photographic impulses. It encouraged me to get out more, see things differently. I liked the images I was capturing – but I wanted to get better. I needed an assignment to force me to evolve.

In parallel, I was watching the ego-maniacal self-immolation of Twitter. For years, Twitter was my go-to outlet for snap photography, social media engagement, news, discussion, and generally hurling snark into the void. But I just can’t anymore…I have moved on. The place has a stink now, a sense of moral decay.

But the need to put something out there burns brightly. I have ideas to share, important points to make, passive-aggressive rebuttals to throw into cyberspace. I have WORDS.

So where do I go from here?

I could go the Instagram route. But I HATE Instagram. I find the user interface annoying and I loath its ‘portrait’ style, vertical aspect orientation. That’s just not the way I think we see the world. In my view, the human eye takes a wide, horizontal perspective. A more – shall we say – cinematic orientation. And it’s not a good platform for writing, which I also wanted to focus on.

Plus, who wants to wade into that morass of bubble-gum popping ‘Influencers’ fighting over capitalism’s scraps.

New social media sites such as Threads and BlueSky offer some possibility. I am dabbling with them both. But the format seems tired and played out.

So, what about a newsletter? Hmmm…why don’t we try that?

And here we are…

So, what will this newsletter cover?

Good question! At its core, the CD Dispatch is a platform to capture ideas, poke fun, express dismay, share wonder, pose questions, and provide a release for my creative energies.

There will definitely be photography. I will likely discuss nature, travel, the joy of discovering wild and new places. Expect the occasional post on movies, culture, and the absurdity of modern American life. I’ll recommend and review books, articles, or other curiosities. I may touch on professional matters such as sustainability, energy, ESG, and behavioral economics.

Geographically, it may tilt a bit towards the Pacific NW, but I hope to bring a much larger perspective over time. Look for trip reports, photo essays, and the occasional screed. It will be observational, inquisitive, and skeptical.

What else? Maybe I’ll tackle the 80’s. Real estate. The paradox that is Texas. Muppets. Politics. Architecture. Marketing. Packaging engineers. (Seriously, screw those guys…) Consumerism. Hypocrisy. Star Wars. Crows. Dreams. Climate change. Camping. The simple pleasure of a bird feeder. Tacos. History. The Oxford comma. The optimism of planting a tree. Volcanoes. Moral cowardice. Paper towels. The economic value stream of solar energy and subsequent geopolitical implications. Skipping rocks. Soccer.

You know, the big stuff.

I expect this to evolve and hope you will provide feedback. You can steer the content of this project and make it yours as much as mine.

At minimum, I hope you’ll find the CD Dispatch curious, interesting, and worth a few minutes of your week.

About the Name

In psychology, Cognitive Dissonance is the mental tension created when your beliefs and actions do not align. I have always found this concept fascinating and extraordinarily useful in making sense of the world. It captures that unsettled feeling we often have in modern society. It’s about the contradictions of the human experience and the need to resolve them to find truth and peace.

Plus, it just sounds smart and catchy! The Cognitive Dissonance Dispatch - ZING!

So, off we go! Thank you for taking a chance with this new endeavor. It should be fun.

Parting Proclamation

Words, witticisms, wisdom:

Enjoying The CD Dispatch?

Please share, forward, retweet, repost, like, publish, proselytize, subscribe, praise, promote, and generally make it clear to your friends and colleagues that life is simply not worth living unless you’re a subscriber.

Why should you have all the fun?

No, seriously. Who do you think you are? Selfish bastard…

Disclaimer:

All content and opinions are solely those of the author (Jack), and not representative of my employer, former employers, anyone in Congress, my family, former college roommates, Baptists, the good citizens of Oregon, or my dog Mabel.