I (23M) am becoming increasingly aware that my regular exposure to political content seems to be incompatible with my own mental well-being.
I was raised by two narcissistic parents, one of whom was violent. I have very few positive or loving memories. My trauma turned my brain into a 24/7 threat detector. I'm constantly thinking about everything and everyone that could kill me or take everything I have.
The Internet has taught me that the world is less awful than the hellish place I came from. But I've hit a wall where I can't get better because I am constantly being reminded by well-meaning people that everything in the U.S. is going to shit.
My trauma narrative eats this stuff up. It sees fascists on the streets, impending financial and ecological crises, the dangers of cars, widespread hyperindividualism, the decline of third spaces, and constant phone and social media use. Then it says, "Nobody can be trusted because capitalism makes everyone shallow and selfish. Going outside is dangerous because of cars and fascists. Most people don't want to socialize because they are too busy. There are no good places to meet anyone. Everyone who does socialize is just a fair-weather friend because support is outsourced to paid therapy and the eroding welfare system. I'll never be good enough for a partner because I can't build a stable life and dating apps are designed to not work. Any job I get won't last long because of the collapsing economy. Going to college is too financially risky. There is no stability. Nothing good ever lasts. My progress will be wiped out by systemic forces far beyond my control."
It seems like U.S. politics is about instability and collapse at this point, and because I have so few positive memories, it feels like life itself is about instability and collapse. Your money, your job, your social circle, your health, everything you've worked for -- all of it could just go up in smoke tomorrow. I can't take anything for granted or have any confidence in the future. I can't fully enjoy anything because I'm too busy thinking about how I'll cope with its inevitable loss.
Is this really what life is? Just watching every good thing disappear? Being born into a mostly-functioning society just to watch it fall apart? Knowing you'll have to weather every struggle alone because people only care about themselves? Being promised a stable life and career all throughout school only for the rug to be pulled at the last minute?
There has to be more to life than this.
Is staying on the Internet really worth it?
(Also yes I go to therapy, I'm working on myself but that shit is hard af sometimes)
I'd say if you are able to maintain steady income, friends, interests, don't live in an active war zone or other disaster area, and have a few other lucky circumstances like that, you can (at least for now) have a reasonably happy existence. You don't have to ignore or deny the terrible stuff going on elsewhere. There have always been wars and poverty happening, but it's ok to respond more to your sense of your immediate surroundings (where things are going ok) than to your sense of bad stuff happening in remote times and places.
The internet and political news reminds us that bad times may be coming for everyone due to global warming, AI propaganda from encroaching dictatorships, and all that stuff. Don't ignore that. Oppose it if you can. But, don't let it overcome your hopefully-reasonably-good existence in the present.
Certainly, if spending all day on the internet makes you neurotic, then try to cut back on it. Some people choose to eliminate it completely from their lives, at least for a while. I haven't done that so don't know if it helps.
Don't forget being straight and white, otherwise you're persecuted by religion and the government
It all depends on what kinds of privilege you have access to. If you’re a cishet (or at least bi and in a straight-passing relationship) white dude with a decent job, you’re probably doing just fine right now, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Barring some major catastrophe like war, there’s very little that politicians will do to disrupt the day-to-day lives of someone in that kind of demographic. It’s important to remember that “being able to disengage from politics because no policies will target you regardless of who is in power” is a form of privilege, and a rather large one at that.
As an American who has had to flee states due to political persecution, my saying of late has been:
"You can ignore politics. Politics will not ignore you."
As an American who has had to flee states due to political persecution, my saying of late has been:
"You can ignore politics. Politics will not ignore you."