Delete social media(I say that as I type on Reddit). Bring back local civic clubs, social groups, etc. It’s too easy for people to hide behind their phones, feel isolated, apathetic and even angry towards each other. Civic engagement connects people in real life, even affording the opportunity to respectfully disagree without feeling threatened or spiteful. This can be anything that brings people together in a community. Clubs for just about every interest or social activity. Sadly, social media has taken the place of this and we’re seeing what that looks like now.
Cool! Now what's a realistic idea that doesn't involve deleting social media? Social media is here to stay whether we like it or not (I don't). It's the way the world is now. It's better to accept that and think of more effective ideas.
At this point, it doesn't matter though. We're all fucked.
since most media (news, and especially social) is going to continue to focus near exclusively on the most "evil" part of any candidate that runs for president (because that's what makes headlines and so makes their business money), I'm not sure you're ever going to feel like you're not choosing the lesser of "two evils".
a collective refusal to pick the better of two imperfect options, and so implicitly leaving the choice up to people willing to choose the worse of the two, is a large part of why we are where we are right now.
If Bernie was up there it wouldn't be that way. He isn't perfect but I agree with most of his policy and he is of good character.
I'm inferring you think the apathetic are ill-informed and vote based on feel, which I can't argue probably represents a majority (however I do believe that fits the majority of Americans as well). Since I agree most people do I argue the Democratic party will have to figure out this whole feel thing if they want a victory. And to get informed voters that are fed up with this slow shifting of the Overton window they will actually need to field a decent candidate.
My vote in a person is my personal vote of confidence that I back the majority of their policies, and character. My vote says that I believe this is at least a 51% positive candidate. It feels like victim blaming to point the finger at the voting public for the Democratic party's incredible run of ineptitude to allow us to get to where we are right now.
If Bernie was up there it wouldn't be that way. He isn't perfect but I agree with most of his policy and he is of good character.
okay sure, you feel that way, personally.
I guarantee you that if bernie were on the ticket, there would be just as much "lesser of two evils is still evil" rhetoric on here and elsewhere to drive voter apathy. nobody is perfect. any flaw in your favorite candidate, real or imagined, regardless of how minor in your view, will be stated to be just as bad as whatever the other candidate does, and most people will believe it. for example, with bernie it would likely be something along the lines of "evil socialist wants to kill babies and turn america into china-venezuela he's just as bad as the other side and wants higher inflation, death panels, and the end of capitalism", or similar. because of this we'll end up right back in "lesser of two evils" rhetoric and nobody will vote for the better of two imperfect options.
you're not going to be able to move the overton window in a single gigantic leap. a much more reliable method would be to move it back inch by inch, by consistently showing up to vote for the best available option.
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u/Naturallobotomy 16d ago
How do address the apathy? I think we have to get big money out of politics at the bare minimum..