How not to lose your s**t this election season.
A good friend of mine recently asked me for advice. They felt worried and stressed about the looming presidential election. The events of the past month — Biden’s implosion, the Supreme Court’s sweeping presidential immunity ruling, the attempted assassination of former President Trump, Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to throw out the classified documents case — had them on edge. Indeed, the headlines suggest Trump is headed for an easy reelection and, once back in office, will use his now seemingly limitless power to do whatever he wants.
My friend wanted to know what they should do?
I’ve been asking myself this same question for the past few weeks. The answer I finally settled on surprised me, for, as much as I think of myself as a realist, my wife is probably correct when she says I’m a pessimist.
This is (mostly) what I told her.
There’s this really great quote about the future from a book. I can’t remember the name of the book, the author, or the full text of the quote. However, I do remember the thrust, which is that the future is unknown, and anyone claiming to tell you what happens next is guessing. In short, you and I are experts on the future in that you and I know nothing. For instance, if you’d told me in 2014 that Donald Trump would be president, I would have grabbed a cup of water just so I could do a spit take.
My next piece of advice flows naturally from the first. Stop watching, reading, scrolling, or otherwise interacting with any stories concerning Donald Trump. Trump has dominated the national argument for almost a decade. You know who he is and what he’s capable of. What more do you need to know? What can be gained by continuing to let him live rent-free in your life? You’re already worried, but you want extra worry? The cure for cancer isn’t more cancer, just as a person overdosing on heroin doesn’t need more heroin. The same goes for horse race coverage of the election. What mystery still needs unraveling at this point?
Instead, find something constructive. Perhaps start by venting that stress. Maybe jot down what you’re feeling and post it to an online blogging platform. This process can be cathartic and grim. You’re bound to unearth some negative feelings, which is why I see this approach as the fire extinguisher behind glass. Use in case of emergencies.
A better long-term solution might be to get involved. I don’t mean you should sign up to help a campaign or participate in a signature-gathering drive. You can, if that helps you feel a sense of control and purpose, but I’ve moved away from the idea that politics is the best way to affect change.
Instead, maybe volunteer your time helping read to kids or spending a weekend cleaning up a trail. Your involvement can be political and rewarding. For instance, one could volunteer to help immigrant families get connected to resources, or you might find a local organization that helps transgender youth.
Figure out what works for you.
It looks bleak, the next few years, regardless of the election outcome, will be challenging. Our politics are about winning, not governing. We have a Supreme Court fueled by ideology and bent on rewriting precedents while establishing dangerous new ones. There are major issues — climate change being at the forefront of my mind — that are not being addressed and may not be for a time past too late.
And that’s why I give this advice. We must be positive and clear-eyed, worried and empowered. We have to take what we’re feeling and turn it into something good. It’s about turning inertia into momentum. I think that’s the essence of hope. Hope is possibility, and possibility has just as much chance as despair when faced with an uncertain future, which is always.
