Stolen from a blog site on metaphors: ”In moments when you feel lost, confused, or angry, the mind begins to spin incredibly detailed plans about what you should say or do to alleviate the unpleasantness and set your life straight.”
Or, let’s face it, the lives of everyone around you.
We live in a corrosive and divisive time. Period. You can choose to bulldoze your way through the political minefield or to navigate through or around it.
I chose four areas in which I may be able to offer solid advice.
Social Media
Oh, the DRAMA!!!! I get sucked in, just like everyone else. Let’s take a measure of your Social Media Temperature.
You see a meme that drives you bananas. It was posted by someone you know. Do you:
- Post a comment – or a few – making sure you hit the “fake news” button.
- Send a private message to your friend telling him/her how incredibly stupid s/he is.
- Post a comment with a divergent opinion.
- Scroll on by.
A family member posts a picture of you from your wild years as a flower child. It has a caption meant to drive your misspent youth (and your current religious and/or political views) into question. Do you:
- Reply with the absolute worst dirt about that family member.
- Send a private message to that family member telling him/her how incredibly sick/evil/twisted s/he is.
- Post a comment that insists the photo has been digitally enhanced by that family member who is, of course, an IDIOT.
- Send a goofy card through snailmail and mend that fence.
Something hot-hot-hot is going on and you see at least twenty news posts favorable to your position. Some are skewed; some are on point. Do you:
- Share every single one with a long, drawn-out opinion.
- Share some or all of them via private messenger to people who do not share your views.
- Share all or most of them without opinions.
- Read one or two from solid news sources, share one if you must, move on.
You don’t need me to help you take a score. You can tell if you need to lower your blood pressure.
Here are a few tips to save your sanity. And keep a couple of friends.
- See a meme that drives you bananas? Scroll on by.
- See that old pic posted by a family member? Send a goofy card through snailmail and mend that fence.
- See several news items about a hot issue? Read one or two from solid news sources, share one if you must, move on.
Television News
If national news gives you a migraine, but you want to know what’s happening in your local area, turn to a local station – any local station – during regular news hours. Watch through the weather. Then turn it off. (Tip: some news stations give a brief weather clip early on and slip in national news before the longer weather bit. You might want to turn it off as soon as the first national clip hits the air.)
Political Advertisements
Know where the “mute” button is on your remote. I would say change the channel, but commercials occur at about the same time on every channel. You’ll just get the same ads on another channel.
Put in a DVD/Blu Ray, or change to a streaming channel to watch movies, series or documentaries.
Watch PBS.
Family Dinners
Pass the turkey and keep your mouth shut.
In Closing
Some days, it seems the world wants only to drive you crazy. Don’t let it. Practice deep breathing skills. Take a walk. Take a nap. Get a cat. Avoid the quicksand.