They don’t actually want to make art, and it’s not the art itself they think is being gatekept

They resent the barrier to accolades and attention and clout

All this to say: you're not alone. I am so intimately familiar with this struggle and the holidays are real hard. Stay strong and know that you deserve to have self-respecting boundaries. Self-compassion is a hard-won skill.

My mom suffers from several mental illnesses, making contact with her difficult and at times unbearable. I've gone No Contact several times in my life. I hate the thought that she might pass believing that her children hate her, (false). I love her, and I'm still not wrong for prioritizing my peace.

I've tried two different podcast apps (Podbean and podcast player), and neither could load episodes.

The Hot Mic: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw8U...

www.npr.org/2024/12/13/n...

Pay Wall Free: Listen to @dailybeanspod.com at about 34 minutes in.

Zuckerberg is named in the latest release, 10/17/2025:
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...