Politically Aggravated
Image generated with AI by author.
Aggravated is an understatement. Reading content on medium has been a daily practice since I joined in the beginning of May. I consume essays, personal development, short stories, and everything in between. I am delighted by the talented writing I find. Then, because I can’t help myself, I go to the political section, an absolute hellscape. The comment sections are even worse.
Most creatives lean left. I get it. It makes total sense to me, and I do not begrudge anyone of their ideology. The lack of diversity of thought is concerning. I have found the middle/right content. It just isn’t elevated or responded to with nearly as much praise. Again, I get it. A large group of creatives will almost always lean left. For the love of all that is good, turn down the rhetoric.
I don’t feel the need to defend any politician. Politicians are more than capable of defending themselves or not. I couldn’t care less what they do, but I care for my fellow citizens. Rhetoric can be classified as fancy, well-spoken lies in most cases.
Here is a point I need everyone to understand. Adolf Hitler is dead. He’s been dead for a while. Neither of the two candidates running for presidential office is him. They are not even adjacent to him. I’m starting to think as a society, we just decided that he’s the best person to compare any leader we don’t like to. Other historical bad guys exist.
When you call someone who is not Hitler by his name or make wild, irresponsible comparisons, YOU are the problem. No one with even a baseline historical awareness takes you seriously. Your self-importance is showing. Calling someone you hate hitler does not make you virtuous for hating them. I don’t understand the logic. You are showing absolute contempt for people and stoking tensions. Your CPA isn’t a nazi. He’s conservative because he understands taxes and regulations. Your language arts teacher isn’t a communist because she is a liberal who wants to protect social programs. Knock it off.
It may feel good to sit around and clap for people who spout equally irresponsible statements that stoke tension and fear, but you aren’t helping ANYONE.
You can think Jews being actively targeted for murder and rape is a bad thing without “supporting Palestinian genocide.”
You can think civilian casualties in war are catastrophic and wrong without being a “Hamas sympathizer.”
You can be conservative without “being a nazi.”
You can be liberal without “being a communist.”
I’m so aggravated by the toxicity and manipulation surrounding elections. Every four years, the world is going to end, and every four years, it keeps spinning. I know you’ve got your polished rhetoric, but guess what? Both candidates have been president before! Neither plunged the world into darkness. STOP LYING. Some of you have been stuck in the echo chamber so long that you don’t even realize you are doing it. If I burn this candidate today, I’ll get one thousand likes. Great job! The mentally unstable guy who doesn’t pay much attention to politics read it and is now spiraling. BE RESPONSIBLE. Words matter. The people who rarely engage with politics might read you and believe the bluster, exaggeration, and doom-casting.
I want to highlight this significant fact again. Both candidates have already been president. Want to know what the next four years look like? Look at their record. Most prominent political personalities have made their name by doom-casting and exaggerating. I get it; there is an incentive to follow their successful steps. The only problem is it completely lacks integrity.
The world isn’t going to end because of whoever wins the presidency. If it does, no one will be around to say I told you so anyway.
