My name is John, and I’m currently an archaeology student at San Diego City College.
But for the previous 35 years plus, I was an advertising copywriter and creative director. It was fun, rewarding work. Until it wasn’t. Brexit and the 2016 election were tipping points, but I’d been growing disgusted with the ad industry for a long time prior. The sheer economics of marketing gave rise to hypertargeting technologies and techniques which, in turn, created a world in which the universe really does revolve around the individual, from the ads they see to the feedback they receive to the communities they inhabit.
Plus, how much more stuff do we need to sell? Especially when the endgame for most consumer goods is more heavy metals, more microplastics, and more toxic chemicals leached into our oceans, our farmlands, our air.
What do you do when you decide that your life’s work is spreading divisiveness, enabling evil, and destroying humanity itself?
Thankfully, there were other paths to explore, including literature, theatre, and history.
In a fantasy world, I’d go back to school for a master’s degree because I love being a student. But I’m over 50 with family responsibilities, and any money for college has to be put toward our kids.
So here I am, on a quest to reinvent myself on a shoestring budget. At this point, I’ve explored a couple paths of study, especially literature (hence MidLifeLit). I’ve peered as hard as I could into the mists of the future to see where they could lead me. And I’ve chosen anthropology, specifically archaeology.
This website is about sharing my journey, wherever it goes. Thank you for visiting, and I hope you’ll join me!