Election Night Thoughts
It’s the night before the presidential election in America—just hours before Election Day. I’m eager to find out who will be the next president of the United States so we can move forward, at least for the next four years (or realistically, three, given that politicians start campaigning months before their term ends).
Politics hasn’t always been important to me. It wasn’t until I moved to this country that I started to pay attention. Perhaps it’s age; as I grew older, I became more curious about our elected officials and how their policies and behavior affect our lives.
The reality is that it matters—a lot. But don’t let it consume your life. Your personal projects, your family, your health—all of that matters more. Far more.
If you haven’t voted yet, go do it. But please, stop scrolling through political videos and endless online posts. They don’t help you. They don’t do any good.
Politicians and the media pour tremendous energy into politics because it benefits them. Politicians seek attention, support, donations, and votes. They keep pushing their messages and often rely on fearmongering to hold our attention.
The media’s goal is similar: they want to captivate us to boost their viewership, followers, and subscribers, attracting advertisers who value their platform's reach.
But what’s your incentive? What’s ours? Is it a fleeting sense of accomplishment when strangers like our posts or agree with our opinions? Or is it the rush of getting into arguments with people (and often bots) that go nowhere?
Why do we do this? People often justify it with, “It’s human nature,” or “That’s how we’re wired.” Honestly, I think that’s nonsense. Those answers are lazy; they let us avoid digging deeper for meaningful explanations.
We know politicians, the media, and anyone chasing attention have motives for what they do. But why do we let ourselves fall into their trap—for just a few minutes of attention from people we don’t even know?
So please, stop. Stop scrolling, stop watching all those videos and podcasts. None of those people care about you or your life. They really don’t.
Go vote, but do it for yourself, for your family, your partner, your children, your future, your health. Don’t do it out of impulse or out of fear incited by either side of the political spectrum.
I’m voting for someone who has at least shown a sign of caring about others. I won’t vote for someone who shamelessly displays a narcissistic personality and shows a lack of respect for others. I’m keeping it simple.
Cheers.
