In today’s world, it is easy to find literature all over the internet about how to lose weight, improve your diet, stop smoking or cut back on alcohol use. But what about becoming politically healthy?
For democratic societies to function well, they need informed citizenry that can objectively gauge multiple conflicting points of view. You can’t do that if someone is pushing on your amygdala all the time.
Getting back to a place of political neutrality bears some resemblance to overhauling a junk food diet. It takes time and concentration, … and a desire to grow.
Step #1 – Turn off the TV (cellphone, tablet, etc …) and slowly begin weaning yourself off any political media. Get rid of any biased Youtube, Twitter or Facebook feeds.
Why?
One thing to remember about CNN, Fox News, Facebook, Twitter, (and all the others, MSNBC, OANN, etc ….) in America, … the more outrage they generate, the richer they become. Every time you are incensed, … change jingles in their pocket. All large social media sites use very detailed mathematical algorithms to generate anger and drive your attention to divisive content.
Think about that for a second.
Are you a trained monkey jumping for banana chips upon command?
All these people have one thing in common; The more enraged you are, the richer they become. Why would they want to stop? Their fourth home can’t be paid for if you re-establish your political footing.
Does that mean that Anderson Cooper and Sean Hannity are evil? No. But then the mid-level executive working at the tobacco company to pay off his mortgage and get his kids through college is not evil either. I’m not trying to be crass but they don’t give a f$@! if you die in an assisted living facility at age 85 with a mind as black as night filled with hate for those on the other side of the political spectrum.
Watching a biased show or following a biased Facebook group has the same effect on your mind that a cigarette has on your lungs. Smoke long enough and your lungs turn black:
Your mind can just as easily over the years turn black (figuratively speaking) as it fills with hate and outrage. You get so used to hating the other side it becomes a nicotine fix. If the cable goes out or cell phone coverage drops, you’re pissed because you can’t hate during the outage. … Cue the banana chips.
In the end, to get to the place of a politically healthy and well informed mind, it is essential to unhook from the outrage rivers.
Step #2 – For thirty days, spend ten minutes of the time you used to fill with biased media just meditating on what is important to you and why? Do you really believe the government should have to balance its budget? Should marijuana use be a crime? Do you really need a gun for home defense? Should people attracted to the same sex be allowed to marry? Should health care be available to only those who can pay for it?
For many, these aren’t easy issues. A walk once a day for 30 minutes when no one is disturbing you can be an excellent introduction to re-examining everything that you hold dear.
Step #3 – When you decide to pick up an interest in politics again, choose five to seven sources, preferably print sources (reading involves more neuronal activation than passive watching) but make half of them organizations located outside the United States.
Why?
Because people living inside a fish bowl can’t see its limitations well. A reporter in Malaysia who is covering climate change probably doesn’t care too much about offending U.S. Republicans or Democrats. The same for a South African reporter commenting on gun violence. You will receive much more neutral and unbiased coverage when those reporting on the issues are not directly affected by them. From afar, you will begin to see the United States (or your respective home country) in a more nuanced manner.
Step #4 – Once a month, spend a few hours reading from a website, feed or newspaper that you would normally adamantly disagree with. Perhaps they have a good point. … One that you missed. It happens to me all the time. If you can, make this a lifelong habit.
Step #5 – Once every three to five years, take a trip outside of America or (your respective home country). And no, I do not mean to Cancun to party or London to see Big Ben. I mean head to Manaus, Brazil and actually learn something about the critical biodiversity of the Amazon. Or stop by the paper museum in Jeonju, South Korea to learn something of the unique minds that reside there. When you return to the United States, you will have a completely new paradigm from which to judge the strengths and weaknesses of your own country. Your thoughts and beliefs will be tested as you now have another template to compare them to.
Of course the critics reading this are going to say, ” … get f#$@#@! serious! I can’t even get my fat uncle to get out of his trailer or cooped up city apartment. A five step program, … pfff. People aren’t going to give up their favorite political programs for some bullshit ‘political reset’.”
So yeah, … sadly, … there is an element of truth to that. But many people are never able to break their smoking habit either, … and then they have plenty of time to enjoy it from their coffin. The choice is something worth considering.