I have decided that I can not let ‘them’ win by living in anger towards ‘them.’ I will maintain my agency by limiting how much of the horrible news enter my space. I have a few(such as this space) which are focused on the solutions not just the problem.
If there is anything remotely positive that can come from trump's presidency, it will be the wakening of the American people to the moral corruption of the super wealthy. We now know that they intend to inflict an oligarchy throughout our country. I think many of us had little idea of how much the odds were stacked against us before this administration made it so clear. Knowing what is happening can hopefully make us mad enough to fight it.
However, those that choose to accept the massive lies of the MAGA cult are deluded and are not helping to oppose it . As uncomfortable as it may be to live in reality It must be done to save us from the Trump terrorists.
I really can’t believe the number of people who say in response to discussion of heinous acts and lies, “ well you might as well not be upset , because we can’t do anything about it anyway” are disturbing in a way that real anger is not . Anger is an appropriate reaction to the wanton destruction of our Democracy, our laws and
our freedom.
We need to do whatever we can to fight this evil.
Destroying peoples hopes and dreams and their safety day to day is the ultimate destruction .
Call Congress, stay aware, vote and I ask the Lord to remind us how to fight back and to protect us from being overcome by the chaos .
Seeing so many struggling with the onslaught of corruption and gaslighting and cruelty, and often feeling overwhelmed myself, I made this: a mobile-friendly toolkit of concrete actions anyone can take to Get Out The Vote and make November's results TOO BIG TO RIG.
See what you think, and if you like it, share widely:
Then this resource is in another comment here, broader and meant to help shift our intake and output of information from "what's bad" to "what people are doing and can do":
Ignorance is bliss but not really. I try to take weekends off as basically news free. The problem of sticking your head in the sand is that it leaves you vulnerable. With the current fascist regime, not knowing what they are up to will surely come back and bite you in the butt. Pretending everything is okay is truly dangerous. Information is a weapon but too much can be poisonous. Managing the intake is key. A friend of mine listens to news after she gets up in AM and then takes the rest of day off from news. I think it is what works for each individual is the best way to treat it. Also, it is really important to do things that bring you enjoyment whether it is concerts, plays, books, sports or a family picnic etc. We must not let our grief and anger become all that we are. It is too exhausting but we also must not become so inured that we are no longer bothered. Thanks for dealing with this difficult topic and the balance that is required to remain in the fight but not overwhelmed by it.
I’m trying to DO everything I can to get the vote out and I am a Volunteer Poll Watcher! I am making phone calls and sending text messages and door knocking attending all the City and County Council meetings I am able to and taking care of my 90 year old husband who BTW is a MAGAt!
To manage the information overload, I've whittled down my daily Substack newsletters to my top five favorite journalists/authors.
They include John, of course, who I consider my therapist.(:
The others include experts in their respective fields: legal, medical, science, politics, and a younger voice (i.e., Adam Mockler or Aaron Parnas), who offer political perspective (and hope) with regard to the current political situation. Generally, they keep their commentary to under 10 minutes, so it's manageable.
That's it.
Then, I go find joy the rest of the day and resist where I can. Calls to congress, boycotting corporations, or just wearing my No Kings shirt.
Participating in resistance helps. I don’t do it every day, but I protest or help resist in other ways so I feel I’m taking some action. I check in on Ground News daily, but mostly don’t watch TV news because I don’t want to see the Great Orange Splotch. Community really helps.
Reading history (from genuine historians) might be a good place to start. Given human nature, many problems we now face are not new. Seeing that and how they were or were not overcome could be helpful. Reading non-fiction for content also helps to develop skills that can help avoid being drawn in to false information by building knowledge.
John, when it comes to knowledge, factual (2+1=3) knowledge is power.
Two is company, three is a crowd, is where emotion and personal perspective can lead to something that is despairing, not empowering.
Your article points to the latter, not the former. And that is the point on which I disagree with your article's premise.
For myself, factual knowledge provides me with a certainty on moving forward, as compared to claimed knowledge that can introduce uncertainty and despair.
I read my email in the morning. then I read the Detroit Free Press. I look forward to your articles, and also Robert Reich, Heather Cox-Richardson, and Mary Trump. I sign petitions at that time and sometimes send letters to my Senator and House Representative. After that, I get busy with my day. My favorite thing to do is sit on my porch and go into book world. I do not watch TV news at all. I feel I have to stay informed. It matters to me because I am fighting for a better, saner world for my family. When I leave this earth, I want there to be no doubt as to what I stood for under this fascist regime.
Everyone of the maga crowd I query (including relatives!) about what they’re thinking about DJT come phrases like “Well, I think he’a a dope” or something similarly negative, but true. And they almost always claim, “But, I like the results.” It’s hard to argue facts against ingrained mindsets, but by using examples like the war and its effects, the detention and eviction and even murder of US citizens, and the graft and corruption surrounding 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I do get a sampling of nodding heads and an occasional “well, maybe you’re rights.” I almost always leave these conversations befuddled and angry at the knowledge and the senselessness of their non-thinking behavior. I try focus my activity on maintaining contact and encouragement with my “true believers” who will eventually be the source of power and integrity in support of the ideals of American life freedoms to say, think, and feel whatever you believe, the rule of law, and remembering that we were all immigrants once upon a time.
The purpose of this resource is to lift my own spirits and activate people who are discouraged and demobilized because
(1) things are so, so bad;
(2) they are taking in almost exclusively how bad things are; and
(3) they are taking in very little of actions and wins and how we may actually succeed in undermining and bringing down this dictatorship (while simultaneously preparing to fix the massive drivers of inequality, concentration of wealth, money in politics, white supremacy and misogyny).
HOW this tool is meant to activate people is by shifting what most people take in and put out for news and information from being almost ALL about the regime's corruption and cruelty and criminality -- now probably well over 90% for the average person trying to stay informed -- to being at least 80% about what people have done to block and mitigate the damage to democracy and freedoms, what people are doing now, and what people can do.
I have decided that I can not let ‘them’ win by living in anger towards ‘them.’ I will maintain my agency by limiting how much of the horrible news enter my space. I have a few(such as this space) which are focused on the solutions not just the problem.
If there is anything remotely positive that can come from trump's presidency, it will be the wakening of the American people to the moral corruption of the super wealthy. We now know that they intend to inflict an oligarchy throughout our country. I think many of us had little idea of how much the odds were stacked against us before this administration made it so clear. Knowing what is happening can hopefully make us mad enough to fight it.
It’s a tough path to tread , no question .
However, those that choose to accept the massive lies of the MAGA cult are deluded and are not helping to oppose it . As uncomfortable as it may be to live in reality It must be done to save us from the Trump terrorists.
I really can’t believe the number of people who say in response to discussion of heinous acts and lies, “ well you might as well not be upset , because we can’t do anything about it anyway” are disturbing in a way that real anger is not . Anger is an appropriate reaction to the wanton destruction of our Democracy, our laws and
our freedom.
We need to do whatever we can to fight this evil.
Destroying peoples hopes and dreams and their safety day to day is the ultimate destruction .
Call Congress, stay aware, vote and I ask the Lord to remind us how to fight back and to protect us from being overcome by the chaos .
Seeing so many struggling with the onslaught of corruption and gaslighting and cruelty, and often feeling overwhelmed myself, I made this: a mobile-friendly toolkit of concrete actions anyone can take to Get Out The Vote and make November's results TOO BIG TO RIG.
See what you think, and if you like it, share widely:
https://sensational-fenglisu-96222c.netlify.app/
Then this resource is in another comment here, broader and meant to help shift our intake and output of information from "what's bad" to "what people are doing and can do":
https://the80-20list-prodemocracyresources.netlify.app/
P.S. John
When You’re Book Is Available
WILL be the first person in line to purchase it
from the publisher and Will Definitely NOT
it from amazon!!!
Ignorance is bliss but not really. I try to take weekends off as basically news free. The problem of sticking your head in the sand is that it leaves you vulnerable. With the current fascist regime, not knowing what they are up to will surely come back and bite you in the butt. Pretending everything is okay is truly dangerous. Information is a weapon but too much can be poisonous. Managing the intake is key. A friend of mine listens to news after she gets up in AM and then takes the rest of day off from news. I think it is what works for each individual is the best way to treat it. Also, it is really important to do things that bring you enjoyment whether it is concerts, plays, books, sports or a family picnic etc. We must not let our grief and anger become all that we are. It is too exhausting but we also must not become so inured that we are no longer bothered. Thanks for dealing with this difficult topic and the balance that is required to remain in the fight but not overwhelmed by it.
You described my struggle! Thank you. Again.
I’m trying to DO everything I can to get the vote out and I am a Volunteer Poll Watcher! I am making phone calls and sending text messages and door knocking attending all the City and County Council meetings I am able to and taking care of my 90 year old husband who BTW is a MAGAt!
To manage the information overload, I've whittled down my daily Substack newsletters to my top five favorite journalists/authors.
They include John, of course, who I consider my therapist.(:
The others include experts in their respective fields: legal, medical, science, politics, and a younger voice (i.e., Adam Mockler or Aaron Parnas), who offer political perspective (and hope) with regard to the current political situation. Generally, they keep their commentary to under 10 minutes, so it's manageable.
That's it.
Then, I go find joy the rest of the day and resist where I can. Calls to congress, boycotting corporations, or just wearing my No Kings shirt.
Don't let this regime steal our joy.
Participating in resistance helps. I don’t do it every day, but I protest or help resist in other ways so I feel I’m taking some action. I check in on Ground News daily, but mostly don’t watch TV news because I don’t want to see the Great Orange Splotch. Community really helps.
Reading history (from genuine historians) might be a good place to start. Given human nature, many problems we now face are not new. Seeing that and how they were or were not overcome could be helpful. Reading non-fiction for content also helps to develop skills that can help avoid being drawn in to false information by building knowledge.
John, when it comes to knowledge, factual (2+1=3) knowledge is power.
Two is company, three is a crowd, is where emotion and personal perspective can lead to something that is despairing, not empowering.
Your article points to the latter, not the former. And that is the point on which I disagree with your article's premise.
For myself, factual knowledge provides me with a certainty on moving forward, as compared to claimed knowledge that can introduce uncertainty and despair.
I read my email in the morning. then I read the Detroit Free Press. I look forward to your articles, and also Robert Reich, Heather Cox-Richardson, and Mary Trump. I sign petitions at that time and sometimes send letters to my Senator and House Representative. After that, I get busy with my day. My favorite thing to do is sit on my porch and go into book world. I do not watch TV news at all. I feel I have to stay informed. It matters to me because I am fighting for a better, saner world for my family. When I leave this earth, I want there to be no doubt as to what I stood for under this fascist regime.
Thank you for words and advice of sanity!
Everyone of the maga crowd I query (including relatives!) about what they’re thinking about DJT come phrases like “Well, I think he’a a dope” or something similarly negative, but true. And they almost always claim, “But, I like the results.” It’s hard to argue facts against ingrained mindsets, but by using examples like the war and its effects, the detention and eviction and even murder of US citizens, and the graft and corruption surrounding 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I do get a sampling of nodding heads and an occasional “well, maybe you’re rights.” I almost always leave these conversations befuddled and angry at the knowledge and the senselessness of their non-thinking behavior. I try focus my activity on maintaining contact and encouragement with my “true believers” who will eventually be the source of power and integrity in support of the ideals of American life freedoms to say, think, and feel whatever you believe, the rule of law, and remembering that we were all immigrants once upon a time.
I am enjoying the book-to-film productions online this summer, and I always have a book of fiction in progress. These are good escapes.
There's so much outrage-sharing that people get overwhelmed and go silent. That's exactly what authoritarians want.
I'm trying to live by a 20:80 rule: 20% on how bad things are, 80% on what people are already doing — and what more we can do.
Right now most of us are at 95:5 — the reverse. No wonder people feel beaten down.
So I made this mobile-friendly tool meant to be encouraging and empowering:
https://the80-20list-prodemocracyresources.netlify.app/
The purpose of this resource is to lift my own spirits and activate people who are discouraged and demobilized because
(1) things are so, so bad;
(2) they are taking in almost exclusively how bad things are; and
(3) they are taking in very little of actions and wins and how we may actually succeed in undermining and bringing down this dictatorship (while simultaneously preparing to fix the massive drivers of inequality, concentration of wealth, money in politics, white supremacy and misogyny).
HOW this tool is meant to activate people is by shifting what most people take in and put out for news and information from being almost ALL about the regime's corruption and cruelty and criminality -- now probably well over 90% for the average person trying to stay informed -- to being at least 80% about what people have done to block and mitigate the damage to democracy and freedoms, what people are doing now, and what people can do.