[ja]cobdavis

I don’t talk about politics often unless someone else starts the conversation. For a few reasons, I wanted to put this together and maybe help me feel better about it all.

When someone says we live in dark times, or that the world has gone insane I can’t get on board. I feel like saying “these times are crazy” is a paper-tiger excuse to wave off a reality. Times aren’t crazy; times couldn’t be more subdued: crime is down nationwide, more people are insured (yes, costing more but besides my point), unemployment is at a manageable level (yes, can always be better), housing market rebounded, interest rates have been perpetually at rock bottom, I could go on. I can’t put the entire blame on the republican candidate’s rise on the media’s love with exploiting the ludicrous fringe and the non-narratives built from almost non-existing problems (i.e., immigration & stateside terrorism) culminating into the wavering joke that knew no end – they are here to make money, fear and sex sells. I can’t blame the supporters either; their fear boils over into seething hate by the fuel of 24-hour news and the insular echo chambers of social media. You keep piling wood on the fire, don’t be surprised to get burned. Let’s not lay the dead sheep of “media’s” snarled grins at our feet then point our fingers at the hearts that beats inside them; it’s a fun house mirror reflecting only the dregs of our souls. We tune in to the circus, we turn blue links purple, we click and watch and soak up the blood and tears that is squeezed from this election. The “crazy times” are bound to those who cannot see past the bloody teeth & torn sheepskin and see them for what they are: beasts. We get caught up – I say “we” because I’m as much to blame – it’s hard to see past the first paragraph, the headline, we take for granted the papers lead line is honest, we walk into our offices, homes, gyms, bars and ask “did you hear what s/he said” or did. The absurd is the car crash on the highway and we’re all slowing down to take a look. While we gawk, we slow everyone else down. The nation isn’t different from it was yesterday, we weren’t suddenly this way, the light has just been turned on in the shadows. Only crazy part is the media gave the mic to the those crawling out, but again who could look away?