David Marchese

It was Yang's experience with those two subjects, burnout and getting back to nature, that I wanted to discuss, as well as his perspective on the lessons we learned, or maybe more accurately, didn't learn, from COVID-19. Here's my conversation with Ed Yang. I wanted to start with a subject that I think a lot of people can relate to, which is burnout.

How did you realize that you'd hit that point that you'd given what you had to give?

How did you realize that you'd hit that point that you'd given what you had to give?

Do you feel like you have any good answers for how to contextualize your own feelings in a larger world where people are struggling for subsistence or struggling with the threat of violence on a daily level? Yeah. I often think, well, I'll be low or complaining about something. And then, you know, in the back of my head, I'm just being the most pampered person in the world.

Do you feel like you have any good answers for how to contextualize your own feelings in a larger world where people are struggling for subsistence or struggling with the threat of violence on a daily level? Yeah. I often think, well, I'll be low or complaining about something. And then, you know, in the back of my head, I'm just being the most pampered person in the world.

What right do I have to complain about anything? You know, no right, really. I'm sure you must have had similar thoughts.

What right do I have to complain about anything? You know, no right, really. I'm sure you must have had similar thoughts.

I don't mean to laugh, but there is something kind of absurd about it. There's a ridiculousness to it.

I don't mean to laugh, but there is something kind of absurd about it. There's a ridiculousness to it.

The necessity for empathy that you just described, in some ways, it can be easy to think of empathy as in tension with the idea of objectivity. How do you think about... empathy and objectivity in the context of journalism. Because there could be a way of thinking about it where maybe the idea is, you know, you're not supposed to put yourself in the shoes of the person you're writing about.

The necessity for empathy that you just described, in some ways, it can be easy to think of empathy as in tension with the idea of objectivity. How do you think about... empathy and objectivity in the context of journalism. Because there could be a way of thinking about it where maybe the idea is, you know, you're not supposed to put yourself in the shoes of the person you're writing about.

You're supposed to be like a camera's eye and keep a distance a little bit.

You're supposed to be like a camera's eye and keep a distance a little bit.

I think you've been very clear in saying that COVID has not gone away. You still ask people to wear masks at your events. But I think it's fair to say that that attitude is Not necessarily where the rest of the world is at the moment. So how do you think about continuing to take precautions and advising others to take precautions when society kind of feels like it's moved on?

I think you've been very clear in saying that COVID has not gone away. You still ask people to wear masks at your events. But I think it's fair to say that that attitude is Not necessarily where the rest of the world is at the moment. So how do you think about continuing to take precautions and advising others to take precautions when society kind of feels like it's moved on?

You know, I just have to ask this because it's been blaring in the back of my mind. How worried are you about a bird flu pandemic happening?

You know, I just have to ask this because it's been blaring in the back of my mind. How worried are you about a bird flu pandemic happening?

Did you say very or not much? I'll rephrase the question. How worried should I be about bird flu?

Did you say very or not much? I'll rephrase the question. How worried should I be about bird flu?

So, you know, you were dealing with the feelings we've talked about and, you know, you sort of got to a point where you decided your life had to change. And as I understand it, one of the things that changed your life was discovering birding. Yes. How did you find birding?