“As I age, I find myself increasingly thankful for the prospect of departure from this world, not out of despair, but from a growing detachment from a society that seems to be losing its grip on intelligence and civility. The language we use, the expressions we adopt, are becoming less about communication and more about shock or insult. It's disheartening to see phrases, even in languages like Spanish, used not for their intended meaning but as veiled slurs. I've always detested the casual use of profanity or insults cloaked as wit, especially those that mock or demean. I once thought to change the world around me, to elevate discourse, but now I understand the wisdom in changing oneself instead. Perhaps the true escape is not just to another place, but to a different state of being, where such noise is but a distant echo.”