# Anyone else avoiding the news/election for the next few days? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153 "2010-11-02T00:56:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/1 "2010-11-02T00:56:50Z")
I’m going to try. I did it around this time in '10, and I’m going to do it again. Actually, a little longer, so I can avoid the endless analysis about what the election results mean for Obama, the country, the economy, whatever. It’ll be a little easier, since I’ll have stuff to occupy me, but I’ll still have Internet access, and I’ll certainly be tempted. But I’ll try, because the predictions of the non-Austrian economists that the election results will doom us all depresses me enough. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/2 "2010-11-02T01:03:42Z")
I will be underwater for 3 days. When I come up, I hope the world will still be around, with not much changed. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/3 "2010-11-02T15:31:36Z")
I won’t look at any news results today, but I will glance at them tomorrow to see how many seats changed hands. Other than that, I find myself not caring terribly much. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/4 "2010-11-02T15:42:58Z")
I’ve been avoiding the television ever since I saw a news story a couple of weeks ago that 1,200 political ads were run in Las Vegas in one day. I don’t live in Vegas, but I also don’t want to be subjected to that much spin. What is that- about 10 hours of ads? Ick. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/5 "2010-11-02T17:37:44Z")
I’m so glad this cycle is over, I guess in January of 2011, we’re gonna start seeing the first Republicans announcing their candidacy for the 2012 elections ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/6 "2010-11-02T18:04:14Z")
Yes. I am so over it. I want to round most of the politicians up and lecture them on cooperation. It’s increasingly gotten to the bizarre point of hatred and fear for someone who holds a different opinion. The behavior approaches the level of seventh graders. I’m cringing at the immaturity of some of the people who want to be in positions of power. When prevailing over another group of people becomes the goal all kinds of good will gets lost in the process and this is not a sport. Us against them also makes groups of people very much subject to all manner of social manipulation. Once a group has a hive mindset it takes very few “leaders” to influence them. How unpatriotic is this? I no longer care who wins as long as they can bring us, left and right, back together again to find our way through mutual cooperation and respect. _Dreaming on_ ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/7 "2010-11-02T21:48:49Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I’m so glad this cycle is over, I guess in January of 2011, we’re gonna start seeing the first Republicans announcing their candidacy for the 2012 elections I think the 2012 campaign will probably begin tomorrow. For me, I will watch a Netflix DVD tonight and then read the newspaper in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/8 "2010-11-02T22:42:55Z")
I’m expecting my “team” to take a beating and I’m tempted to avoid the news for a while but I won’t be able to resist, most likely. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/9 "2010-11-03T00:24:51Z")
I’m trying. I’m so sick of the Democrats showing themselves, once again, as the spineless weaklings they’re known to be. They had it all in the palm of their hands and completely blew it in futile attempts at cooperation any 5-year old should have known wasn’t going to happen. Idiots. I haven’t listened to NPR in 5 days, and I live and breathe with that station. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/10 "2010-11-03T00:31:29Z")
I feel so thoroughly refudiated. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/11 "2010-11-03T00:39:47Z")
I am completely avoiding it. I’m not watching television, reading the news, or even talking politics. Completely ignoring the whole thing… ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/12 "2010-11-03T01:11:00Z")
But you voted, yes? I’m frustrated because I’m not really a hard party liner. Where I normally back in the day might have voted for a Green party candidate here and there, I couldn’t take my vote away from trying to keep a majority, so I had to vote for TWO tools I really would rather not have. I plan to watch some Netflix horror films tonight, and check on the fallout after I get up tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/13 "2010-11-03T02:33:37Z")
Today I voted for only the second time in the 12 years since I became legal. The difference between this time and last time is that today I actually knew what the hell I was voting for, thanks to my last minute whim to take a government class this semester. I finally have an interest in politics and I think I will be voting every time from now on. With that being said, I am going to avoid everything election related. Just tell me who the hell won and I’m good. I can’t stand listening to the talking heads talking over each other and I REALLY hate the word pundits. Unfortunately, Netflix is being a bitch tonight so I’m stuck watching House Hunters International. Oh, scratch that. It’s a rerun. Looks like it’ll be the Terminator instead. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/14 "2010-11-03T02:42:31Z")
I’m mostly avoiding the results. I’m kind of waiting to see what happens in my own state, California, where the polls close in 20 minutes (as I write). Otherwise, I’m not so interested in seeing what happens nationally – I know it will be bad news. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/15 "2010-11-03T03:18:34Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I’m going to try. I did it around this time in '10, and I’m going to do it again. Uh…isn’t it “around this time in '10” _right now?_ > [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > The behavior approaches the level of seventh graders. I _wish_. Perhaps one day they will reach seventh-grade maturity. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/16 "2010-11-03T05:45:43Z")
Fine, '08. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/17 "2010-11-03T07:28:28Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > Yes. I am so over it. > > I want to round most of the politicians up and lecture them on cooperation. It’s increasingly gotten to the bizarre point of hatred and fear for someone who holds a different opinion. The behavior approaches the level of seventh graders. I’m cringing at the immaturity of some of the people who want to be in positions of power. > > When prevailing over another group of people becomes the goal all kinds of good will gets lost in the process and this is not a sport. Us against them also makes groups of people very much subject to all manner of social manipulation. Once a group has a hive mindset it takes very few “leaders” to influence them. > > How unpatriotic is this? I no longer care who wins as long as they can bring us, left and right, back together again to find our way through mutual cooperation and respect. > > _Dreaming on_ I really liked the way Jon Stewart said (ad-libbing here) that people need to see the difference between enemies and opponents. We all need to work towards a mutually beneficial society. The binary way that our political choices have become limited to, is antithetical to achieving any actual change… ever. Third parties can, and do run, but voting for them is usually a wasted vote, political chess trumps altruism. We have been reduce to watching opposing colors, this only creates an “us versus them” mentality. I’m sure there are people that feel their beliefs are completely represented by either party, but I would hope that most of us have independent feelings about specific things that don’t exactly toe the party line. Electing the best person for any elected position is almost impossible now. You can only choose from the group of people who a) knew the right people, b) had the financial backing c) had name recognition, and d) best represented the party that would promote them. Meh, the Earth will probably burn out or go cold before any of this is resolved. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-avoiding-the-news-election-for-the-next-few-days/559153/18 "2010-11-03T12:42:34Z")
I’m trying to avoid it, but Mr. Athena makes it hard. Here’s a recap of our morning: Me: “Morning! Hey, I have a favor to ask. I really don’t want to get caught up in politics today, it just makes me crazy. So can we please not talk about it?” Him: “Sure, no problem. Hey, who won the governorship?” Me: :smack: Him: “oops! Sorry! No problem, no politics!” 15 minutes later, I go to the kitchen to get coffee. He’s in the living room, reading the news. Him: “Hey! The Democrats are still in power in the Senate! And Congressman Blahblahblah from State xyz won the race too!” Me: “Honey, I really, really don’t want to talk about politics today. It just makes me crazy and unhappy.” Him: “But it’s not so bad! Let me tell you about this race in state ZZZ…!” Me: _throws chef’s knife at his head and runs back into my office_ OK, maybe that last one didn’t happen. But man oh man he does like his politics!