I can remember when I was a teenager and had the music too loud in my bedroom, my parents would tell me to “dial it down a notch”. I said the same thing as an elementary school librarian when my students got a little too rowdy during class time. Have you ever had the pleasure of explaining what a “dial” was to a kid? Haha! It reminded me of when I had to explain to my son a few years ago what a manual window lever was. Oy! Haha.
The last couple of weeks have felt especially noisy to me. It’s to be expected, I guess, seeing that it is election season. However, this is much worse than I ever remember, and I’ve had the strong urge lately to “dial it down a notch.” I would be kidding myself if I didn’t admit that the events of the past couple of weeks have left me feeling very unsettled in my spirit. Maybe that’s what “they” want, whoever “they” is. I think anyone capable of feeling any emotion has to admit that the political rhetoric lately has been pushing the envelope, and that’s putting it mildly.
I’ve been on this earth for almost fifty years and first became aware of elections when I was six. That was the year Reagan ran against Carter. And while I didn’t pay much attention to politics until I was eligible to vote, I don’t ever remember this much amping up of everything. Sure, you always had a little mud-slinging, but nothing on this level. I want to blame it on the internet and news, but even the internet and 24-hour news are vastly different from 20 years ago, and not in a good way.
It amazes me that some people think of political candidates as almost religious deities. If I’m being honest, I’m amazed that of all the people in this country, it always boils down to two parties, and the choices often leave me wondering how that’s the best we could come up with. I know money talks.
I remember when you may have shared your political preference if asked but never volunteered it to the point of inviting an argument. I almost never knew who any of my friends voted for. We are in different times, of course. We have the internet now, and we all know how everyone feels about everything—this post included. Haha.
Being behind a keyboard makes it easy to be a warrior and say things we might not usually say to someone face to face. But what happened to civility? I’ve watched members of Congress on TV cursing one another out, people calling for terrible things to happen to candidates, and celebrating when it does. I don’t think I’ll ever get over these things being shocking, but sadly, to the younger generation, these things are just the norm. I’ve seen friendships lost and families estranged over politics. I think that it’s mighty sad.
But this feeling of heaviness is a personal choice at this point. This time is very different. This time is very overstimulating for me. I can keep an ear to the ground without watching the news 24/7. I can choose what to consume online. I don’t have to participate in social media when my feeds are full of opinions and vitriol from all sides. So, I’ve been using the last few days to dial it down a notch. If someone is being a little too vocal on my timeline, I can unfollow or hide them, and I have. I can stop visiting certain websites altogether. The TV stays off most days. It helps me to remind myself that I am in control of what I consume.
I honestly don’t know what to think about the whole election process anymore. I’m disheartened, for sure. I’m disappointed. I wonder each day what will happen next. And I really don’t think it should have to be this way.
Photo courtesy of TBIT.
Oh my word – love this so much dear Mandy and couldn’t agree more. I feel very much the same. It’s so sad we don’t listen to, or respect one another, the ways we should anymore. In that arena particularly. I just focus spiritually on the One who made me and He rules my heart and my mind and I pray for peace for the rest daily. Stay in that healthy zone of dialing it down my Friend. xoxo
PS: I had to laugh when you talked about explaining to your kiddo about what a dial is – I feel old! Lol
Yes, I have also vowed to remind myself that I am in the world but not OF the world. I know it will all sort itself out how it will. I love that you get that, too! Have a great week!
I find politics to be interesting. It reveals a lot about people and their beliefs.
It really does, Bless. My degree is in Political Science, but I never got to use it for that. This election just feels very different. Our world is just changing so much, and some of it not for the better. Or maybe I’m just getting way older. Haha!
Yep…I agree. smiles.
There’s my mermaid friend!!
I blame all of the media sources we have today, both legit and not. Each has to say something more outrageous to get attention among the throngs of “info” out there. No doubt our politics are a mess, and maybe worse than ever, but when you read about some of the goings-on in the past, say with Thomas Jefferson or James Garfield, they have frequently been bad. People just didn’t have easy access to everything going on.
Exactly! I think that’s why our world is so different nowadays. We hear and see SO much more than we were ever meant to. It can cause you to take on too much of the world’s burdens if you let it. That’s why I’m closing my circle in. I’m letting go of some podcasts and YouTube channels and people I follow online. It’s just all TOO much. One or two of each of those is plenty.
You are so, so right! We should be able to have a different opinion and still get along. There is so much hate it seems.
Yes! The hate is just SO off the charts. That’s what I dislike the very most. It’s just so sad.
I agree so much, my friend; I tell my kids I feel bad that they will never know how elections used to be. You could have a candidate you supported, but you still respected the office if he didn’t win. I had to stop watching the news. The news used to be that …news. Remember? It was one man—Walter Cronkite—and he just stated the news. Period. It is all hate toward the people you disagree with! Good post today, my friend!
Yes! It saddens me so much that this is what my kid will only ever know. Most days it just amazes me that THIS is the world we live in. And yes, I miss the news when it was just straight news. Great reminder!
Every 4 years I consider moving to Canada, ha! It does seem harder every 4 years. And it doesn’t end after the election.
Haha! Same, my friend! I just keep thinking this isn’t going to be good either way it goes.
I agree 100%. I am so over the “noise”. People are so nasty today, and it isn’t just politics. It is everywhere. I just wonder what happened in a generation or two. Something went drastically wrong – and I am not sure how to get back to civility.
Yes, the lack of civility is mind blowing! It seems like the last 20 years or so have just been a huge pendulum swing one way. It’s so unfortunate.
This is so well said, Mandy. I think the majority of people today feel the exact same way, even if they don’t say it out loud. Kindness and civility have left the building and it’s sad. I’ll be “dialing it down” over the next few months, too.
Sadly, I think it’s the only way to keep your mental health in check. I miss the days when people were kinder.