A Post a Day in May 2019 #6: News junkie no more
I have pledged to write a new post for this blog every day in May.
I used to be a news and politics junkie. I loved reading, watching and listening to the news, being in the know, forming opinions, talking about the issues and the people and the strategies.
And then Donald Trump was elected.
At first, I remained that same junkie, reading a variety of international newspapers and magazines to stay current with the news and the analysis and, above all, to try to make sense of what the election of that man meant to the world and to me in that world.
In my daily life what it meant is that I lived in a state of increasing disbelief and anxiety, and yet I felt compelled to keep myself in the loop and in the know.
Then the SNC Lavalin scandal (affair? business? incident?) was uncovered and I fell over the edge. I, quite literally, could not bring myself to listen to the news. Naively, I was shocked that the Justin Trudeau government could/would be involved in such nefarious activities. And I was deeply disappointed. While I had nothing but low expectations of Donald Trump, I had high and hopeful expectations of Trudeau and his “because it’s 2015” gender-balanced federal cabinet. If he was going to disappoint me to such depths, what could I possibly gain from knowing the latest and next horrible headline trumpeting the details of betrayal, collusion and bullying?
So I turned off the radio. Shut out the news. Turned my back on politicians. Not entirely, but enough to feel less anxious, be less constantly angry and feel less consistently disappointed by the country’s political leadership. I know it’s not a long-term solution, and I feel it’s an abdication of my duty as a citizen, but I’m doing it anyway.
To keep my toe in the political waters, I’m involved in a very small way in a nomination campaign for my local candidate in Manitoba’s next election. That’s as far as I feel I can extend myself at the moment into a system that seems to breed contempt for the very people it is intended to represent.
I’m still watching, but one hand is covering my eyes and the other is holding my nose. And I’m not sure that even Elizabeth Warren can save me from these feelings of equal parts anger and impotence.
Where are you at with politics these days? Do you have any inspiration or advice for me?
Thanks for reading.
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ReplyDelete"So I turned off the radio. Shut out the news. Turned my back on politicians. Not entirely, but enough to feel less anxious, be less constantly angry and feel less consistently disappointed by the country’s political leadership. I know it’s not a long-term solution, and I feel it’s an abdication of my duty as a citizen, but I’m doing it anyway. "
I could have written this, not as well, but I'm pretty sure we were separated at birth. I haven't watched nor listened to the news in years now. I do scan the headlines and keep abreast of the most important things. If I want to know about the world, I stream Sky or France 24 or Deutsche Welle. Local politics are another animal, and the most important I think. It's a place where my one vote can make a huge difference.
Living in Panama which is a new democracy, I am heartened to see the civility of the election process, the large voter turnout, over 70%, and the fixed term limits for president (5 years). It's inspiring to see how positive people are here about building a future for their kids. There of course are cynics and the cut and thrust in social media is similar to what one sees in North America. There are many local daily newspapers, over 10 of them and also a very active radio and tv dialogue through news and talk shows. And of course WhatsApp is the medium of choice to like minded folks to spread and encourage participation. I do still remain completely fascinated with the political spectacles from North America. Keep writing!
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