Make Politics Boring Again!

At the time of this writing, the morning of Monday, September 16th, it has been confirmed that a second assassination attempt of Donald Trump has been thwarted. This time, at his private golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. To the surprise of many, but not all, the prediction that a second attempt would occur has come to fruition. Yes, it happened again.

And while there is still much mystery surrounding the first attempt, all the way back in July, naturally, details of this second attempt will emerge, a psychological background of the alleged gunman will commence, and because he is alive, one could expect a rigorous interrogation of the man by a pantheon of federal agencies. 

This event, as with every consequential event in this most bizarre presidential race, will undoubtedly add a layer of complexity that was previously thought impossible. One could provide a rather long list of cataclysmic events, that in any other time, would be considered practically unprecedented in and of themselves–that is to say, individually. If one were to write a film script about an election this chaotic, it would likely be rejected by Hollywood, for it would be too bold, too eventful, even for fans of the action-adventure genre. And to think of it, perhaps our politics has replaced Hollywood in many ways. 

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As many Americans have abandoned the Oscars, as well as their local movie theatre, it is the theatre of politics in which we most fervently engage. Our political candidates are virtually everywhere, and we are bombarded by daily takes from pundits, new polls suggesting this or that, commentary from strategists, and predictions about what consequence will emerge from either politician’s latest gaff, latest speech, latest social media post, etc.

This is not particularly new, but now with the many media mechanisms and outlets available to us, we are unable to escape, unable to ruminate, unable to determine much. It is a wonder that we even consider ourselves physically or mentally able to cast a proper vote, or to determine what in the hell we are actually voting for. 

Too, our foundational systems for determining even the immediate future are severely impaired. The word “prediction” has been rendered absolutely useless and the sport of prediction has no meaning, for every day there seems to be a plot twist that nobody saw coming. These are unprecedented times, indeed. But what would be the consequence if suddenly they were not?

What would be the consequence if these times were in fact setting the precedent for a future generation of high-octane politics, the likes of which we have never seen before? How long can the political energy, whether it be joy or rage, patriotic or bitter, sustain itself? How much of our daily lives, our thoughts aloud as well as silent, have we given up to a game which ultimately thrives on toxic entertainment? 

For instance, it was surreal to hear Donald Trump say “I never had sex with a porn star” during a presidential debate. Aside from the obvious lie, in many elections, it would have been perhaps the highlight phrase of the entire campaign. But, we shall forget. We shall move on. Similarly, his comment on the Haitian migrants consuming pets was remarkable. Whether it is happening or not, it does not matter. It will be discussed hotly for a while, and we will move on.

For the Democratic nominee, there was much said about her popularity rating, her lack of leadership and competence. She did not appear to be anyone’s first choice for anything. But after being praised and endorsed by our President, she suddenly became the obvious choice, with the full support of the party and its allies within the media. This was not long ago, but it will be forgotten, forgiven, and we will be expected to move on. In fact, mostly, we already have. 

In a merging of pop-stardom-with-politics, we also have given much credence to the endorsement of Kamala Harris by Taylor Swift. It seems that any mention of the mega pop stars name within a headline is considered a win. This is said to have driven up a rise in voter registration, the consequences of which, will only be determined come the election results. This, in fact, was fairly predictable. 

Because of the speed of information and the limitless areas of focus, we have become ill-equipped with determining value. Each data point is its own referendum. Each event, whether true or not, is an event––a talking point, a punch line, a comedic skit, etc.

But politics, the act of governing, is not truly an entertaining gig or process. Most discussions around policy, whether it be social, economic, international, etc., are boring. They require reams of data, analysis and much focus, that is to say, much sitting still.

We have largely replaced these boring discussions on policy, relegated them to behind closed doors, and instead, have sought out the type of Shakespearian drama that one used to associate with a soap opera or professional wrestling. And while there is much to debate, much to consider, the only real, burning question is: who will be our next President? All discussion leads to a winner, and therefore a loser. Of course, this is obvious.

What is not obvious, however, is where the energy goes after a winner has been determined? How does the side of the losing party respond? To those who find Trump detestable, what will you do if it is him that will occupy the White House for the next four years? For those who have unwavering support for him, what will you do if Kamala Harris claims victory?

I think it would be helpful, productive, if some part of our populace reserves a fair amount of apathy towards the outcome of the election. That is not to say it is not consequential. That is not a call to stay home on election day. It is a suggestion that the sky is not falling. That our response to the result of this election is just as meaningful, perhaps even more meaningful, than the outcome itself.

Americans have the opportunity to exemplify grace, some form of forgiveness, some form of care for one another. I am not all that optimistic, and I know it sounds rather naïve, but we are in desperate need of a break, a deep breath, a respite from our all-things-politics lifestyle and media cycle. So, I invite you to join me in a call of a kind:

Make Politics Boring Again!

Because the carnival act of today is leaving us blind, delusional, desensitized to one another, and ultimately exhausted. Something simply has to give. 

Good luck from Brasil.

JSV
2024

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author's own.