The two-party system has been broke for decades. It's always the same endgame of voting for the lesser of two evils, but more recently, one evil was clearly more evil than the other. Then you have the choice of voting for a alternative candidate who has no chance of winning, so that's a wasted vote, or not voting at all. Fortunately, our votes can still make a difference locally...at least it could. I'm not sure how that will pan out under the coming dictatorship.
It's clear that disinformation and billionaires won this election, but how do we effectively combat it?
Thanks for your thoughtful sharing, Frederick. I agree. We are in a binary conundrum and are fearful to support other choice because the propaganda machines keep us on edge. When the choices are presented as "black and white" we shortchange ourselves. It takes a lot of courage. Ralph Nader and Ross Perot were considered spoilers by the losing parties but there was much truth in their messaging.
Another great thought piece. Tons of what went wrong points of view out there. The amount of money spent by both parties to influence the vote and their marketing messages to gain peoples votes is one of the first places I look. Marketing lies is unfortunately a bigger draw than asking people to vote their conscience
Such a great question, Manuel. How do we convince or better yet: encourage a large number of people to educate themselves.
Maybe I am elitist; but I feel a highshool diploma, at least, is necessary to dissect information and be a le to distinguish between truth and falsehoods. Otherwise history will continue repeating again.
Sometimes my thoughts are that, if there is A God, she should allow humans to perish and maybe try her earth proyect again. It is not my intention to offered firm believers.
But my question is this:
If my child,, (supposedly, we are all children of God), was going to cross the street in the middle of heavy traffic, I would run out and stop my child, pick him/her up, and explained. the perils, why does God allow all this chaos and misery? I NEVER GOT THE MEMO.
Verónica, perhaps we are like ants on an infinite wall and unable to describe the wall. You are asking the eternal question of why there is evil in the world.
I wrestle with your question a lot, my friend. The issue for me is what the question should be. If I am only me and I break my arm it is a personal catastrophe. If I am just a link in the network of humanity my broken arm is less impactful on the whole. I am beginning to consider that humanity is perhaps an organism that expresses the Creatx. But I am too puny to describe such a huge concept.
Is the outcome of the Nov 5 election an expression of evil or a question, a test for humanity to consider what our priorities are? Perhaps humanity experiences "evil" repeatedly because we are not "getting it". We are in a perennial honing and polishing process, perhaps. I try to look at things that way attempting to rise above the waves of gloom that appear to be cresting.
Thank you for posing such tough existential questions that I am unable to answer but that send me into deep inquiry.
Manuel, I read the comments before trying to write my own. What most struck me and made my heart ache was this comment you made in response. "The current situation is particularly alarming to me as I see the signs I saw in my former country appearing here." I can't imagine what this feels like to you, having been through what you and your wife's families experienced in Cuba." What we are experiencing now is a dire warning.
The Dems can move the chairs around on the deck of the Titanic all they want, we are in an unfolding Constitutional Crisis without a life boat. i’m comforted by John Pavlovitz, “MAGA didn’t win, they just don’t know it yet.” May take a year or so before it dawns on Trump supporters that they’ve sold the soul of our nation to the devil.
Will take a “Great Awakening” on the part of Trump supporters to the disaster that is authoritarianism before the true resistance and rebuilding can begin.
I had breakfast with a dear friend who grew up under the rise of Castro. Her succinct comment: “Our country is naive.”
In 2017, a letter was signed by over 100 psychiatric professionals regarding the danger that a predatory narcissist presents as a leader.
If Trump has his way we will lose what’s left of independent journalism, loyalty will prevail over public service, and dark money will inform policy.
Crisis = opportunity. Time will tell. Sane washing what he’s doing, treating this as politics to be unpacked, and strategy to be rejiggered, will not lead us out. We have to be truth tellers. Character matters.
Thanks for sharing, Karen. Great observations. I agree with your friend, I am a Cuban exile from 1961. We were ruled by a narcissistic Batista followed by Castro. Oppression is unacceptable regardless of political philosophy. The current situation is particularly alarming to me as I see the signs I saw in my former country appearing here. Peace to you. 🙏🏻
The two-party system has been broke for decades. It's always the same endgame of voting for the lesser of two evils, but more recently, one evil was clearly more evil than the other. Then you have the choice of voting for a alternative candidate who has no chance of winning, so that's a wasted vote, or not voting at all. Fortunately, our votes can still make a difference locally...at least it could. I'm not sure how that will pan out under the coming dictatorship.
It's clear that disinformation and billionaires won this election, but how do we effectively combat it?
Thanks for your thoughtful sharing, Frederick. I agree. We are in a binary conundrum and are fearful to support other choice because the propaganda machines keep us on edge. When the choices are presented as "black and white" we shortchange ourselves. It takes a lot of courage. Ralph Nader and Ross Perot were considered spoilers by the losing parties but there was much truth in their messaging.
Another great thought piece. Tons of what went wrong points of view out there. The amount of money spent by both parties to influence the vote and their marketing messages to gain peoples votes is one of the first places I look. Marketing lies is unfortunately a bigger draw than asking people to vote their conscience
Thanks for weighing in, Scott. Much to discern and little time...
Such a great question, Manuel. How do we convince or better yet: encourage a large number of people to educate themselves.
Maybe I am elitist; but I feel a highshool diploma, at least, is necessary to dissect information and be a le to distinguish between truth and falsehoods. Otherwise history will continue repeating again.
Sometimes my thoughts are that, if there is A God, she should allow humans to perish and maybe try her earth proyect again. It is not my intention to offered firm believers.
But my question is this:
If my child,, (supposedly, we are all children of God), was going to cross the street in the middle of heavy traffic, I would run out and stop my child, pick him/her up, and explained. the perils, why does God allow all this chaos and misery? I NEVER GOT THE MEMO.
Verónica, perhaps we are like ants on an infinite wall and unable to describe the wall. You are asking the eternal question of why there is evil in the world.
I wrestle with your question a lot, my friend. The issue for me is what the question should be. If I am only me and I break my arm it is a personal catastrophe. If I am just a link in the network of humanity my broken arm is less impactful on the whole. I am beginning to consider that humanity is perhaps an organism that expresses the Creatx. But I am too puny to describe such a huge concept.
Is the outcome of the Nov 5 election an expression of evil or a question, a test for humanity to consider what our priorities are? Perhaps humanity experiences "evil" repeatedly because we are not "getting it". We are in a perennial honing and polishing process, perhaps. I try to look at things that way attempting to rise above the waves of gloom that appear to be cresting.
Thank you for posing such tough existential questions that I am unable to answer but that send me into deep inquiry.
Manuel, I read the comments before trying to write my own. What most struck me and made my heart ache was this comment you made in response. "The current situation is particularly alarming to me as I see the signs I saw in my former country appearing here." I can't imagine what this feels like to you, having been through what you and your wife's families experienced in Cuba." What we are experiencing now is a dire warning.
We must arise from self-centered slumber, Donna. Thanks for reading it.
The Dems can move the chairs around on the deck of the Titanic all they want, we are in an unfolding Constitutional Crisis without a life boat. i’m comforted by John Pavlovitz, “MAGA didn’t win, they just don’t know it yet.” May take a year or so before it dawns on Trump supporters that they’ve sold the soul of our nation to the devil.
Will take a “Great Awakening” on the part of Trump supporters to the disaster that is authoritarianism before the true resistance and rebuilding can begin.
I had breakfast with a dear friend who grew up under the rise of Castro. Her succinct comment: “Our country is naive.”
In 2017, a letter was signed by over 100 psychiatric professionals regarding the danger that a predatory narcissist presents as a leader.
If Trump has his way we will lose what’s left of independent journalism, loyalty will prevail over public service, and dark money will inform policy.
Crisis = opportunity. Time will tell. Sane washing what he’s doing, treating this as politics to be unpacked, and strategy to be rejiggered, will not lead us out. We have to be truth tellers. Character matters.
as always, thank you Manuel.
Thank you, Karen.
Thanks for sharing, Karen. Great observations. I agree with your friend, I am a Cuban exile from 1961. We were ruled by a narcissistic Batista followed by Castro. Oppression is unacceptable regardless of political philosophy. The current situation is particularly alarming to me as I see the signs I saw in my former country appearing here. Peace to you. 🙏🏻
you were both there at the same time…. Thankful you are here and striving to be clear eyed.
Thanks for your comments David, so true.