Jesse Morton passed away on Dec. 21st. I had the pleasure of meeting him in person when he came over for my podcast just a little over a month ago. It was a day that was crammed but we made it work and I'm so glad that we made it happen despite the short window of time we both had. If only I'd known how short that window would be, I would have kept talking the rest of the afternoon.

When we met, it felt like we'd known each other forever. We were kindred, tortured spirits--bonded instantly by that kind of recognition that addicts in recovery have for one another and our demons--the knowledge of the emotional tight wire that we walk and how precarious it can be.

I was so looking forward to working with him on his mission to help bring the temperature down on the culture wars a notch. I'm totally wrecked by his death (we don't know what happened) and in many ways it's made me feel a loss of hope for the future. He was the kind of person who was working so hard to deradicalize us all. And now it feels like the return to the Dark Ages is inevitable. I'm not sure anyone can continue his work. His life made him uniquely suited to do what he did.

Despite his struggles, he remained strangely devoid of the kind of cynicism that is pervasive. I'll do my best to stay to the light in his honor--but today is hard and the sudden loss of a person like Jesse triggers my nihilism. What's it all for?

We stayed friends after that day, constantly checking in on each other. He was so excited for our baby. I'm sad he won't get to meet her and help build the world she is entering. I'll do my best to carry his torch.

If you haven't listened to our talk, I encourage you to do so. I can't yet. But I will.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e157-jesse-morton-regrets-being-a-terrorist/id1437447846?i=1000543726405