July 29, 2024
As we enter the campaign's last 100 days...
Last week, I was texting with a good friend about the presidential race. Like so many, he’s become disillusioned with this election to the point of distraction. It’s not just the other party driving him mad. It’s his own.. to the point he might not even belong to that party anymore. As we talked, I shared the trick that’s kept me sane politically and, as I shared it with him, I figured I should share it with you.
I’ve mentioned it here more than once, but now that we’ve reached the beginning of the end of this contest — and since an assassination attempt can’t change the tone of things for more than a few days — it’s worth repeating. As always, if this makes sense to you, I highly recommend it. If it doesn’t, no sweat. It’s not for everyone.
So here’s my text to my friend. I apologize more than I can say for quoting myself, but sometimes what I write in two minutes is more cogent than what I write in two hours. That would seem to apply here.
I have to say that the best thing I’ve done to calm my mind politically is to stop paying attention to the criticisms one party has about the other. I will listen to the good things one party has to say about the other, which does happen from time to time. I will listen to the bad things party members have to say about their own party. But I won’t listen to one side criticize the other’s ‘actual’ beliefs, as if they have an interest in presenting those beliefs honestly… There are enough honest people in each party that I don’t have to listen to the parties’ politicians and pundits to get a read on the other side.
There endeth the sermon. Enjoy your start to the week.