We Work, Rome Burns - How to Keep Creating When Everything Feels Like It's Falling Apart

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What happens when you have to switch from consuming apocalyptic news to selling creative services in the span of 10 minutes? Patrick explores the cognitive whiplash we've all learned to navigate—that jarring ability to temporarily forget the world's chaos and focus on the work at hand. From photographing weddings while your own relationship crumbles to creating lifestyle campaigns while democracy feels fragile, this episode examines the emotional labor of compartmentalization and asks whether our growing skill at "professional forgetting" is survival mechanism or something more troubling.

Featuring insights from trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk on collective trauma, plus permission-giving wisdom about maintaining joy and connection during uncertain times—not despite what's happening, but because of it.

What You'll Learn

• How to navigate emotional whiplash between personal reality and professional demands
• The three layers of reality creative professionals must hold simultaneously
• Why compartmentalization isn't fake—it's selective authenticity
• The psychological research behind collective trauma and why maintaining normal life is neurological necessity
• Permission to laugh, celebrate, and live fully while staying aware of larger struggles
• Practical frameworks for moving between realities without losing your humanity

Key Takeaways

"That's the rhythm now. That whiplash. The emotional split screen. It's been the soundtrack of the last few years."

"You have permission to laugh at dinner with friends while democracy feels fragile. You have permission to celebrate your small wins while staying aware of larger struggles."

"Every time you choose connection over isolation, joy over despair, presence over paralysis—you're saying no to the forces that profit from keeping people scared, disconnected, and unable to think clearly."

Episode Timestamps

• [0:00] Cold Open: The Morning News Mistake
• [2:15] Intro & Survey Results Discussion
• [4:30] Act I: The Emotional Gear-Shift
• [8:45] The Professional Face We All Wear
• [12:20] Personal Stories: Cancer Diagnosis, BMW Client, Wedding Paradox
• [18:10] Act II: The Compartmentalization Framework
• [19:15] The Three-Layer Reality
• [22:30] Selective Authenticity vs. Professional Performance
• [26:45] Act III: The Strange Comfort of Craft
• [28:00] Why Work Matters When Nothing Makes Sense
• [31:20] NEW: The Permission to Keep Living (feat. van der Kolk research)
• [35:10] Light Leak: Your Compartmentalization Audit
• [38:45] Closing: The Choice Between Resistance and Surrender

Resources & References

Researchers & Thinkers Mentioned:

• Bessel van der Kolk - The Body Keeps the Score, collective trauma research
• Ram Dass - "Be here now," presence and consciousness teachings
• Joseph Campbell - Hero's journey, mythological wisdom
• Noam Chomsky - Systems analysis, intellectual self-defense

Audio Sources:

• Brief clip from The Daily podcast (The New York Times) used under fair use
• Music licensed through Blue Dot Sessions

For Creative Professionals

This episode applies whether you're:

• Managing teams while dealing with personal stress
• Teaching children while processing anxiety about the future
• Providing healthcare while worried about systemic collapse
• Creating art while navigating financial insecurity
• Building a business while questioning larger systems

The pattern is universal: How do you show up fully for the work in front of you while carrying awareness of everything else happening?

Connect

• Website: terriblephotographer.com
• Instagram: @terriblephotographer
• Email: [email protected]

Subscribe & Support

The Terrible Photographer Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts are found. Subscribe for honest conversations about creativity, identity, and finding your voice.