Following politics is negatively impacting my life (or, ignorance is bliss)

[JeffersonChick]

There was a time when, I didn't much follow the news, and could better tolerate Republican bitchiness, because I wasn't so aware of the impact they have had. I just chalked it up to, "Well, everyone has a right to their opinions." I focused on my own life, and felt hopeful about my own "pursuit of happiness."

Ever since I started watching the news years ago, and following politics (with increasing horror), I haven't been able to get back to that place of serenity. All I can see now is how our nation is being dangerously threatened by ignorance, or even evil, on the right. Particularly because of corporate power and conservatives being either in cahoots or entirely unaware of it.

I am outraged and shocked by the outrageous, propagandist behavior of conservative pundits. I read the forums at DU, and Huffington Post, and the effect on me is anger, rage, hopelessness. I used to believe in the intrinsic goodness of people, and that illusion has been shattered.

I strongly feel that it is my civic duty to do all I can to participate in and contribute to the effort to help protect our country from tyranny. I have been planning to actually make it my career by going back to school to study politics and psychology. But that would mean keeping up with news, politics, and current events, when all that is doing is making me angry, all day, every day.

I don't know how to handle this. I've heard of the concept that "what you focus on expands," and it has credence for me. I guess, a lot of it is fear that conservatives will undermine and negate all that liberals do.

How do you deal with it? How do you manage to keep a positive attitude, to be happy? :shrug:

[RKP5637]

1. I have exactly the same difficulty with it... the proportions of outrageousness

have grown... and after eight years of Bush I though the entire population was looking for a fresh start, but much of it seems business as usual.

[bobbolink]

2. People who are involved, and know reality pay a price. Sad, but true.

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." James A. Garfield

AND, he also made this wise observation:


"Nobody but radicals have ever accomplished anything in a great crisis. "
James A. Garfield

It truly is up to us to "accomplish something", and know that we will pay a price.

How to mitigate that price? BALANCE.

Remember to smell the roses.

Have good friends, enjoy laughter and celebration, and have creative hobbies that give you pleasure and release.

There are also ideas like this..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8523144

Besure to look at that first link... VERY creative!

Peace! :pals:

[havocmom]

3. Favorite bumper sticker: Reality sucks. I'm looking for a comfortable delusion

Well, I just can't go there, much as I would like to sometimes. Being oblivious looks like more fun. Sadly, that is what the bad guys have counted on, and it has worked rather well for them.

Read a couple articles about a study on depression, back before I knew about the internet. The study suggested there was strong evidence that a lot, if not most, of depressed people were actually much better grounded in reality. People who were generally cheerful and happy seemed to be least in touch with reality.

Most of us are domestic animals. There are some wild wolves among the population, those who really did grow up instead of just wearing the trappings of adulthood. Dogs are pets and nice to have around, but they have given up a lot of the native intelligence in their original genes; the native intelligence of the wolf, who knew he had to take care of himself and his pack, not believe that everything will just work out OK without vigilant and active participation in his own life.

Really paying attention to politics is a bit like being aware that we are in the wild and there are some nasty ass predators who do not give a shit about the welfare of the pack. Most people just stay on well beaten trails and say, 'oh, isn't it all so pretty?' as they skip along, blind to the dangers just beyond where they look.

[RKP5637]

6. +1, n/t

[krabigirl]

4. I agree, and I think the reason those in power can get away with so much (more)

is because most people do not pay attention, or really do not care.

That being said, I still believe in the intrinsic goodness of most people. I think though, when people get stretched, whether financially, emotionally, or physically, they can fall prey to the worst traits in humanity. I keep positive by focusing on my husband and kids, and other hobbies, and helping people when I can. Lately though I've been pretty down..like I am sure most people are after seeing the destruction in the Gulf.

[walldude]

5. Drugs...

Think I'm kidding? I'm not. I self medicate with Pot. Have too. If I didn't I'd be in the loony bin right now. Anyone who looks at this for too long, who stares into the abyss and sees reality for too long will go insane. Anyone who doesn't is too cold hearted to feel anything anyway.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. "Getting into politics is like stepping in dogshit." From "The Motorcycle Diaries"

[bobbolink]

8. Dog shit can be cleaned off. Politics, on the other hand.......

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Unfortunhately, the politicians keep throwing dogshit at us.

[KittyWampus]

9. Have you ever noticed how DU'ers gravitate towards the negative and ignore the positive?

It's one thing to follow the news and be informed.

It's another thing to seek out the negative and reinforce it.

Too many people who post here are unable to help themselves and are essentially addicted to negativity. There are better, more balanced Leftie political websites out there than DU and DailyKos.

[BeFree]

12. Yep

There are many 'leftie' sites that have their heads buried up their you know what.

I have tried to tell myself that everything is fine, and it is, as long as I keep my head buried in the sand.

[treestar]

36. You've shown by that you have an essentially negative view of life

It seems that things can never be good.

[BeFree]

37. You have good news?

Lay it on us. We could use some good news.

[femrap]

17. I can tell by your avatar

how cheery you are.

[bobbolink]

19. .

:applause:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

22. It's not DU, Kos or the people who post on them. It's how our brains are hardwired

We're designed to more easily fixate on the negative rather than the positive. It's called the brains "negative bias."

Our brains negative bias is the reason smear campaigns work. It's not that we want to only see the negative, it's that negatives more easily overshadow the positives and stick with us.

[RKP5637]

25. I often wonder if that's hardwired survival of the fittest too... generally IMO

going back eons negative things were imminently dangerous, whereas positive things required less focus for survival. I guess what I'm trying to say is caveman instincts focused on negativity for survival, hence it's pretty much hardwired is why hate AM radio, Fox News and the like are attention grabbers and for some so successful.

Come to think of it, am I saying republicans have caveman mentality... well, now that I think of it...

[KittyWampus]

30. Thanks for that, I'll check out that term 'negative bias' later on. Very helpful!

[Hannah Bell]

38. i've noticed how some DUers like amateur psychology &

playing kill the messenger.

[JeffersonChick]

10. I would like to be like Rachel Maddow

In spite of everything, she seems to have such a good attitude. She's always smiling, laughing, good-natured, mocking, and coming across as empowered, unaffected personally: treating it like stupid antics that have no power over us. That's the attitude I want - to view it as the inanity (is that a word?) it is, and not feel the least bit threatened by it (while still doing my part).

[femrap]

15. She is one of the lucky ones....

who is actually EDUCATING the stupid people. I love her sarcasm. She has a fabulous job! But those jobs are few and far between.

In Hyde Park in London, England there is a soap box where anyone can stand upon and spout whatever. I have longed to have that in this country. If I said what I wanted, I'd be arrested.

We have no Freedom of Speech, really.

[RKP5637]

26. +1000 +++ n/t

[loudsue]

11. I was just about to post something similar. I can only read a part of a thread at a time

anymore, because of the outrage/depression quotient. I have to go play computer solitaire after reading a thread or a few posts. I formerly could read DU all the way through, everything all the time. That was a LONG time ago, and when the site was smaller. But through all of these experiences, I, too thought that things might get at least a LITTLE better after the dark ages of bush. The disillusionment has made the "change" even worse. I held really high hopes for a Dem pres. and legislature. fffttt. The only "change" was one I didn't hope for. "yes we can" shine a light on just how corporate owned our country and politicians are. Both parties. All those in charge.

[RKP5637]

27. Frankly, I have to admit I'm a bit depressed by it all. Bush really got to me, I had expected

some combination now of FDR and JFK. What I see is a country moving more RW and clearly corporate owned.

[femrap]

13. After the 2004 Election,

my life wavered between Rage and Despair. I gained 30 pounds in 2005. In '06, I worked my ass off to get Dems in the House and Senate. Door-to-door in the rain, dog bites, and people screaming at me to get off their property.

But we prevailed. I naively thought Justice would prevail. Nothing happened. I wanted Impeachment so bad I could taste it. I was betrayed.

I had little 'hope' for 'change' in this last election so I was not disappointed. I won't be fooled again! (thank you The Who).

Trying to get politicians to help We, The People isn't going to happen. The real enemies are the Multi-national Corporations. That is where our energies should be focused. The Banksters, in particular.

Don't bother going back to school...I have undergraduate degrees in Psych and Poli Sci. What good do they do? Nothing. I went back to school so I could get a job...ended up w/ a Masters in Ind. Engr. What good did that do? Nothing. I was offered $8/hour at a new retail store opening up in the area last week.

Higher Education is just another financial 'bubble' as far as I'm concerned. If you can afford to go to school and learn simply for the value of learning, then fine. But hell, I'm from the Abe Lincoln School of Thought...just go to the Library and read the texts that they reading in colleges.

If you want to make a difference....all of those jobs pay nothing or next to nothing.

I have become such a cynic...but I do have some good laughs at the expense of the mess we have. The world is fucking insane. Corruption and Incompetence Rule. You have to laugh at it or else you'll go insane as well.

The only time I am happy is when I get out in the country and enjoy Mother Nature. Or when I listen to some great music and dance. I forget for a while how far we have fallen into an abyss with no end.

Maybe I've reached a stage of Acceptance...a place where I've had all the happiness a person is lucky to have had. And the attitude is simply one of gratitude to have a roof over my head and food on the table.

Once you take off the blinders, there is no going back. The Truth is there and yes, it hurts, but I'm glad that I don't watch 'American Idol' and when I get in line at the check-out counter at my local grocery, I don't know any of the faces on the tabloids....they're all strangers to me. And I never see a 'Time' or 'Newsweek' there. Best to keep the Willfully Ignorant in their little state of bliss.

Sorry I have nothing better to offer you.

Take care.

[RKP5637]

28. Quite right, the world has become so F'en ridiculous and insane I laugh at

it too sometimes. I often internalize too much of what it going on, and then I catch myself and say, you know, I'm going to F'en end up a wreck with this stuff and none is going to really care, certainly not politicians.

And then I tune it out some. As one poster on DU said someplace, life is too short to deal with stupid people. The sadness is they are politicians. I feel like I'm watching a slow motion train wreck, but each of us has to do a little something to keep it together.

I used to surf to see what was happening, now I surf to see WTF happen while I was asleep, if the world is still intact, and also what's the latest dumb thing politicians/corporations have done.

[MerryBlooms]

14. Gardening, arranging flowers, trying out new recipes, no brainer books ...

I get outdoors pretty much daily, no matter what the weather is like and that always helps. I've been cutting my roses and bringing them inside for a couple of weeks now. After this gray and rainy Oregon winter and spring, the scent and beauty of the roses make a tremendous difference in my outlook. I also love to cook, so some days it's easy to shut out all the negative, playing in the kitchen.

My pets are also a critical part of my life balance. Taking time out to goof off with them, brush, whatever - very relaxing for me.

The TV stays off during the day. I listen to progressive radio and/or read instead. I believe cable news is an energy vampire and I stay away from it as much as possible.

I think you have to have balance in life. We can fight the good fight day in and day out, but without some form of joy, beauty, recreation, etc ... the fight will beat you down.

[Carolina]

24. "cable news is an energy vampire"

I am stealing your line... LOVE it! And so true, I turned it off on a regular basis ages ago and haven't missed a thing!

And I agree about gardening; I absolutely love getting outside with dogs (see my post down thread) :hi:

[RKP5637]

29. +1000 +++ I agree so much, cable news is an energy vampire!!! n/t

[mahina]

16. I know what you mean, and agree but can share an idea that helps me.

Rather than feeling that another time would have been better, or being upset to live in this time rather than some utopian version of the past, embrace the present. Thank God we're living in this exciting time, when we have a chance to really help make the changes happen that must be made for the future.

Accepting reality without surrendering to the fatalistic line (which is also false) that 'one person can't really make a difference', etc. helps.

Think of yourself as a warrior for peace.

Thanks for caring!

Also don't bother with the people whose minds you'll never change. It's a waste of time and emotion. We all only have so much energy every day and have to conserve it to use where it will make a difference.

For my part paying attention has cost me physical wellbeing as I need to sit less. Much, much less. Going for a walk...now!

[azul]

20. My wife is about ready to kill me.

I got drawn into the fray and discussion when the 2000 election was stolen and then the resulting HAVA made a mockery of the voting system. Before that, I was not delighted with the corruption and creeping MIC-oil wreck, but thought we would muddle through somehow.

I say to her, when she starts swinging, if I and regular people don't say and do anything, who will? The money interests win the day, and the plants and animals and the world balance lose. No mercy.

It makes us outraged and unhappy, that is why we have deal with it. Thank you for bravely displaying your conscience.

[liberaltrucker]

21. See my sig line

nt

[Carolina]

23. I have been where you are and find myself

slipping there again, especially since my once beloved Democratic Party has abandoned its roots and principles and Obama has proven to be an empty suit.

Now for solutions:

- turn off the corporate news or at least take a rest from it
- turn off the TV period and listen to classical music instead
- garden or putter around in the dirt, avoid the chemicals... I actually enjoy weeding by hand!
- work with animals in some capacity
- get up just before dawn, before the world awakens... meditate or my favorite, go for a walk
- declutter your living space... makes you keenly aware of all the stuff we all accumulate and don't need, also helps avoid the mindless habit of buying unnecessary stuff... which is good for you and good for the planet

Finally, I am not a zealot but each day I awaken, I am grateful to be alive and I say: "This is the day that the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be happy in it."

It does help.

[Geek_Girl]

31. Focus on the positive personal things in your own life

Realize there has always been tyranny, ignorance and greed in this country. The US has committed some pretty horrible things throughout it's history and it mainly had to do with economics and greed. The masses have always followed along ignorantly. Take heart in the fact that you are now someone who wants to make this country a better place and are no longer someone who just blissfully goes with the flow.

Focus on the positive things in your own life that have nothing to do with politics and do what you can to make things better.

For me I vote and contribute money to candidates that might make a difference. My main contribution to the world is my only child who I am raising with a social conscientious. My primary number one goal is to provider her with the best education I can and raise her with progressive values.

I live in the reddest part of a red state in the south east. Making any real change in my town is pretty much hopeless for me. I'm a hispanic 40 something female and no one takes my opinions seriously so I just ignore the wing nuts and hang out with liked minded people and do what I can. My kid is great and I believe that she will grow up to be a kind hearted citizens who deeply cares about the environment and her fellow man.

[RKP5637]

40. +1000 +++, n/t

[zanana1]

32. I asked my therapist to help me deal with it...

She said "I'm sorry, but I feel the same way". True story.

[KonaKane]

33. I'm thinking of taking yet another vacation from it.

Especially after watching the daily escapades on this site. I am so sick of people mostly getting what they wanted, and whining like little children to the degree that they are setting themselves up to lose everything again, real soon.

I am much happier not even watching all this.

[dorkulon]

34. Feel the same way. In fact, I'm trying to stop caring.

Especially now that the buyer's remorse is really setting in. Democrats are insufficiently better. It's all just too much, people are so fucking ignorant and I'm powerless to change it, giving a shit doesn't seem to matter at all. It's really killing me inside.

I just want to get the hell away from here, move to New Zealand and stop caring about the future of humanity, because it's a foregone conclusion. Why torture myself?

[JeffersonChick]

35. You know what we need? A cruise!

Wouldn't that be great? An all-Democrat cruise, where we can get away from it all and hang out by the pool, party, laugh, and recharge our batteries. Um, not anywhere near the Gulf of course, LOL!

[tavalon]

39. I'm about to jump ship, actually

I'm going to say goodbye since I adore many people here but I need a sabbatical in which I know nothing about the world and just focus on my family and learning the skills I believe I will need very soon to live in a very different world, the kind of world where the corner store just isn't there.

I don't have cable and I'm going to take a three month or so sabbatical from the whatever constitutes the news (DU etc.). I may even skip the next election. That will be a first in 30 years. I'll decide that just a little bit later.

I am burned out.