To be clear, I’m not suggesting anyone ought to conduct themselves any differently than they wish to. Instead, I’m simply wondering about other peoples’ choices as I form my own.
I got dragged into paying way too much attention to the recent election. When a horrible (IMO) result occurred, I wondered why I had spent my time and mental energy trying to understand something that I had so little effect on. I pretty much decided I was not going to pay a great deal of ongoing attention to each step Trump and his minions took, and trying to predict what is likely to occur. I expect the worst, and will simply respond to what actually happens.
This is very similar to how I felt when W invaded Iraq, and after he won re-election.
So, to those who are still discussing what Trump is doing now and what he might do, I’m wondering if you would explain why? Do you feel these are important events which you must witness? Does following and discussing the news give you comfort, peace of mind, or other positive emotions? Do you think you might change anything or anyone? Do you think you will be better able to change your own situation? Anything else?
Again, I’m not trying to criticize anyone or suggest anyone do anything differently than they are. For the time being, I’m confident my intentional ignorance is best for me, but I like to know how and why other people are dealing with this differently.
I think people are comforted to feel they have some control over their situations. In this case it may be an illusion, but it’s a comfort nonetheless.
I do think it can also be useful. For example, I believe it’s almost a certainty due to the views of both Trump and his named HHS head, RFK Jr. that availability of vaccines will suffer in the months and years ahead. I suggested in another thread that people vax up now.
I hope someone finds this suggestion helpful. I don’t see a down side. If you get the vaccines and they’re still available, you’re merely caught up. If you get the vaccines and availability becomes scarce, you’ll be glad you took care of it.
Similarly, I think Trump will tariff the shit out of everything. I’m personally making some large ticket purchases now that I might have otherwise postponed. Perhaps others will find my course of action to be useful for themselves, too.
I don’t disagree with any of that. I just prefer to be vaxxed up when whatever hits us hits us. You’ll also note that I allowed in my second sentence that exerting control in this situation may be an illusion.
ETA: But at least I won’t have to worry about getting Shingles. Much.
In my “compendium of horrors” thread, I explained why I started it, even though at least one poster found it overly depressing. In a nutshell, while it is indeed depressing, there’s one thing that’s worse – and potentially more dangerous – than enumerating some of the bad things that are likely to happen, and that is suffering a vague and nameless fear that the entire world is somehow collapsing. By being specific about things that might happen, you’re not only drawing boundaries around the limits of the badness, you’re also potentially opening up thoughts about ways that you can proactively deal with it.
Those are exactly the kinds of proactive actions I had in mind, although ironically, I don’t think I mentioned either of those specific horrors in my thread. The second one is a good example of how Trump’s tariff policy will spur inflation, which is supremely ironic because many people voted in the imbecile out of inflationary concerns, despite the fact that the US has managed inflation better than most of the world and the Fed just cut interest rates.
I so often find myself on the losing side of many political matters. So when the result occurs that I disfavored, I wonder if I would feel LESS BAD if I hadn’t spent as much time and effort informing myself, with the result of my increased information bolstering the strength of my opinion. If I just kinda vaguely prefer x over y, and y concerns, I’ll be somewhat dissatisfied. But if I put considerable time and effort into researching why x is clearly the more sensible and moral choice, I end up being more let down when y comes to pass.
And as LSL says, with so many things, it is like predicting Calvinball. What will Trump - or his minions wish to do? What will be mere words and what will be actual policy efforts? What will Congress and the Courts cooperate with? How longlasting are they able to make their control?
I think I could pretty well argue that it is equally likely that nothing will change OR Trump will join Putin in initiating WWIII. Realistically, I’m pretty sure he is going to do/allow a number of significant changes that will run counter to my personal values, will harm our country and the environment, will disadvantage many groups, and will give my kids and grandkids a worse world than I have enjoyed. But trying to identify exactly WHICH bad things he will choose - from a nearly endless menu of choices - is not an activity that either gives me satisfaction or that I feel will give me significant benefit.
(And yes, I had all of my vaccines before the election - just managing my health, not anticipating any political development. Not planning on moving out of my blue state either.)
This could be interpreted as saying “I would be happier if I was less informed, wallowing in ignorance like the typical Trump voter.” Is that really what you mean? Is that, in general, likely to be a productive way forward for the nation?
Short and mid-term investing means having a handle on the likely decisions and outcomes of government policy.
While it’s not necessarily necessary to participate in discussion, in order to know what is going on in the world, there’s value in exchanging ideas and debating things, to ensure that you aren’t locking yourself into a particular false world view, or particular false view of certain individuals that you might end up needing to vote on, one day.
Long-term health of the nation means identifying and implementing fixes to things that are broken. You won’t necessarily know what is broken nor how to fix it if you aren’t aware of what is happening and what ideas are out there as solutions.
Now, obviously, if the issues are too stressful for you and make you unhappy then the above might not make it worth it for you, but you’re a different person with your own limits and strengths. I’m answering why a person might involve themselves in such discussion, I’m not saying that anyone is obligated to do so.
People are going to do what they do. Some people process anxiety by mentally going over every single thing that might happen, so that it doesn’t shock them when it does happen. I don’t think that works very well, but some may feel that it’s better than doing nothing.
Me, I let the anxiety of the first Trump administration turn a problematic drinking habit into full-blown alcoholism. This didn’t stop him from doing anything, didn’t result in his misdeeds being punished, and didn’t hasten the end of his term, so I won’t be doing that again.
I’m definitely going to enjoy the remainder of the Biden administration to the extent I can, and after inauguration, I’m going to shut off the news and keep donating to Democrats. My anxiety won’t help anything, I don’t need to bear witness to new trauma, I’m not going to destroy my mental health over something that’s not going to change.
I spent so much energy on all of this because I truly felt that, if he won the election after every horrible thing he said and did over the last 8 years, we would have passed the tipping point and lost our last chance to preserve our democracy and the civil rights that are supposed to be the right of every American.
Now, it is done. The Right controls virtually our entire government. They will pursue their manifesto of removing human services, restricting voting rights, enslaving women, and curtailing the rights of all minorities and alternative gender people. Trump will cut support to Ukraine, and it will fall. He will then remove support from NATO, and all of this will open up Europe for Putin. Who knows what else he will do. Now that all hope is gone, I’m just giving up because it simply too late.
The election is going to turn out to be way closer than is currently being portrayed. It’s not a Trump landslide and he most certainly does not have a mandate.
The upcoming Trump administration needs to be discussed, mainly pointing out how bad it’s going to be. We still have a chance in 2 years.
I too thought all hope was lost until seeing the actual numbers and I see Maga has already lost their pick for Senate majority leader.
What is this concept of “mandate” you mention? On Jan 20 he will be the president. With all the powers applicable to that office. including the ones that reside in the cracks and crevices of current law that have never been exploited for evil before, but can be.
Whether he won by a lot or a little, his power to act is the same. To the degree the idea of mandate means anything in US politics, his power is limited only by how supportive or hostile Congress is. We don’t have all the races settled yet, but it looks pretty good for him to have no material opposition from Congress, and probably many active cheerleaders for Fascism among the Congressional ranks.
I’m going to intervene here. The OP asked to discuss why we’re discussing the potential moves of the upcoming administration, not what those moves will be. There are already lots of threads to discuss those. Please make further such comments in those threads. Thanks.
I think your interpretation is at least somewhat exaggerated.
-For one, I’m not sure I COULD make myself as ignorant as whoever a typical Trump voter is - as I have not yet uncovered an informed/“ethical” rason to support him.
-Two, I’m not saying I will intentionally be AS IGNORANT AS I CAN BE. I’ve got a considerable reservoir of knowledge, experience, and values that will continue to inform me. I expect I will continue to read headlines of what happens. But the constant mental effort of trying to guess what MIGHT happen, and then continually identify and interpret tealeaves before anything is really done? How useful is that to me - or anyone?
-Finally - what CAN I do that will foster/further a constructive way forward for the nation? All I can see that is within my control is to live the best life I can, and to specifically acknowledge my disagreement with what I hear others say (to the extent I wish to do so.)
So I can keep up to speed on the stupid shit he’s doing, so that when my local Trumpers start talking about how great he is, I have the facts easily to hand to tell them how full of shit they are.
I mean, a Fox News Host as Secretary of Defense? No way would I have believed that if I hadn’t seen the news.
To answer the OP, because how a clusterfuck is going to affect you and I still matters a lot. Depending on which kind of clusterfuck we are looking at, it could heavily affect one particular demographic, or not, or affect in a different way. In which case we need all the information we can get.
Just like if an enemy is about to invade your nation, the solution is not to close one’s eyes, but to instead glean even more intel about their plans and prep.
You are made of sterner stuff than I, to want to engage in such exchanges w/ Trumpers. I’m not sure what benefit my confronting Trumpers would confer. I doubt I will persuade them to change their minds, or persuade anyone else to see reason. I know I sound pretty defeatist, but that is how I feel. I do not know what - if anything - will persuade a majority to adjust our current course. The one thing I CAN try to accomplish is to maintain my - and my family’s - health and sanity. I truly feel for those less advantaged than I, with fewer resources, but I’m not sure what more I intend to do at this point to try to help such folk.
Partly because I feel like venting while I can still get away with it. And partly because this is one of the few places I have to talk about it at all and I like feeling like I’m not the lone sane man in a nation of monsters.
