======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ==== ======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ====
This has been the most exhausting election of our lifetimes. We’re polarized, all four candidates suck, and even people within the same party hate each other. But it’s not like this is new. Over the past eight years, our lives have been saturated with politics. Even non-political things are now infiltrated by politics. We can’t escape it. Sports, universities, movies, television shows, even everyday conversation. Last year the Democratic Party put out an article about how to talk politics with your “Republican uncle” at Thanksgiving. How about not? How about enjoying your fucking green bean casserole?
Now I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to commenting on politics, but I’m trying my best to put a lid on it. You’re not going to convince anyone to change their mind. It’s just so easy to get sucked in because politics is everywhere. I do business with a lot of foreigners and they always point out how rabid Americans are about politics. It’s almost unfathomable to them. The Spanish, who went through two elections this past year, are loving life without the stress of politics as the last election left the entire government deadlocked and in caretaker mode for over half of the year. Wouldn’t that be nice? Living in a country where you’re not constantly bombarded with reasons to oppose your fellow countrymen?
I’d love an America where I can watch a football game without being shown who sat out for the national anthem. Who cares? I want to watch football. I don’t want to hear every coworker’s opinion on transgenders and cisgenders and gender benders. Safe spaces are irrelevant things for irrelevant people and they have no place on my newsfeed. Investigative journalism is at an all time low, and journalism is about the political statement first and the facts second. Every news story has some kind of editorial or spin. It’s been like this for years, almost like it’s perpetually election season. Nothing is sacred anymore.
If only America could try for a week, one week, to block out politics. No political opinions, keep the camera off Kaepernick during the national anthem, don’t report anything in the 24/7 news cycle without a complete investigation and just give the facts. If we just chilled on politics for a week we may realize how awesome life is without it. Our federal government is way too involved, directly and indirectly, in our lives and it’s exhausting. The emergence of social media hasn’t helped, but maybe that’s the answer. A nice long break from social media. Or maybe just think before you hit the post button, ‘Is this really necessary?’ When I can’t help myself, I use an automatic tweet deleter with a timer because at the end of the day life is so much more important than politics..
Image via Shutterstock
Respond
@5OClockShadow_
Fucking preach.
No more political talk? But then what’s going to clutter my Facebook news feed?
More 2 minute food recipe videos?
I don’t know what I would do if there weren’t any overly-biased videos shared on Facebook
I’ve been prepping to fend off the Ruskies ever since I saw Red Dawn as a kid, if I have to pivot to Democrats, NBD.
*Democratic Party
Either way, I will be very, very, very happy that all of this will be over in 3 weeks. This election season has been going on for nearly 2 years, and I just want it to be finished.
Sadly it isn’t going to end in three weeks. The posts will turn to people bragging about their candidate winning or people losing their mind about a “rigged election” because their candidate lost
Thanks to social media and the 24/7 news cycle every year is like an election year.
Nah, I disagree. The people who believe that the world will end if their candidate isn’t elected are dramatically less active in politics after the election. It would be nice to see some of this passion turn into activism, but that’s besides the point.
Absolutely agree. Every politician should be assassinated upon swearing in so we can start to live in a world that doesn’t suck and makes sense and so masses of idiots have nothing left to talk about.
Guys, I’m kidding. Vote for me. Obv
Someone clearly is having a case of the Monday’s
I’ve installed the Bernie Blocker, Hillary Blocker, and Trump Blocker on Chrome. I also told Facebook I didn’t wanna see anything from Buzzfeed. It’s spectacular
The only downside is that I mostly browse FB on my phone
Those are clutch. I did, however, not do the Trump one because ‘The Trumpweb’ is probably my favorite extension I have on Chrome. It adds real quotes to his name when they appear anywhere, like ‘Donald “Laziness is a trait in blacks” Trump.’
#LiveYourOwnFuckingLife2016
You’re one of the worst on twitter about this kiddo
I own it in the first sentence of the second paragraph.
I’m gonna take a shot in the dark here and guess that the author is a white male. A white male so draped in privilege that he has never looked at politics as a vehicle for someone to take away his civil rights (because he’s a minority), or restrict his ability to make health decisions (because he’s a woman), or tell him who he can and can’t marry (because he’s gay), or feel welcome in this country at all (because he’s an immigrant).
Honestly, I’m surprised this hot take got through the editorial board, even at Grandex.
What’s thicker guys, 5OClockShadow’s white privilege blanket that was draped over him at birth or Robin’s white guilt quilt that he picked out Junior year of college just to get in a girls pants?
Just because some people over use the term, doesn’t make white privilege fake.
I think there’s an assumption that all whites experience white privilidge, which I would argue, from personal circumstances, is fake.
“It was ultimately Steven Avery’s white privilege that feed him from prison after serving 18 years under a wrongful conviction.” -Robin, probably.
Robin’s linked public Instagram page may or may not feature a multi-week European vacation this summer. He may or may not want to be a little more careful with the casual “draped in privilege” comments.
Why you gotta bring the Insta into this, Rico?
Honestly, I’m well aware of my privilege. I was born a white male in the USA to upper middle class parents; I won the fucking lottery. But it’s also why I feel the urge to stick up for those less fortunate than me when I read articles like this who make light of politics because it’s inconvenient for their Facebook news feed. Politics matters. I just thought this article was insensitive and as a publication I enjoy reading on a daily basis, I think we can do better.
We all experience what I consider to be white privilege in that you’re less likely to be hassled by cops for no reason, you’re often not pandered to, people don’t ask to touch our hair etc. It’s not even really a privilege. It’s just shit that should be normal for everyone. I agree that we’re not all born on third base.
I’ve gotten to try Asian Privilege, it’s definitely the best on average. They’re more well off than white people, commit the least amount of crime and hate guns so the police never bother/fear them, and get to take advantage of all the minority programs even though they’re most likely to succeed.
I think you were on your way to Jezebel or Slate and took a wrong turn.
Your shot in the dark most likely hit it’s target but I don’t think he’s saying to stop giving a shit. Definitely watch the debates, read the news, inform yourself, and vote. I think what he’s saying is to stop sharing articles, wearing your heart on your sleeve, and bringing up politics in every conversation (especially when you know you’re amongst people on both sides of the aisle). Most people already know their priorities and made their decision months ago. Doing the aforementioned things only alienates people from each other who would otherwise get along, work together, or be friends. You raise valid points but I think you may have incorrectly interpreted the column. I might’ve misinterpreted too so feel free to let me have it.
– A Hispanic PGP user.
I appreciate your sentiment and I agree that was his intention, but I think it came across a little more insensitive.
You’re going to get downvoted into oblivion because you used “White male” and “privilege”. I probably would have come at it from a different angle, but you’re not wrong. It’s easy to ignore politics if the consequences are minimal in your daily life. But, in 5OClockShadow’s defense, I think he means your weird uncle yelling about politics in all caps on Facebook. Which I myself am sick of.