I never used to swear...

I used to never swear on forums or anywhere - and now I’m so frustrated by our shit-hole society I find I can’t help it as few words can exemplify my extreme frustration. From unabashed white nationalism, to anti-science idiots.

Republicans are a cancer on society and mental well-being.

Fuck those fucking fuckers!

You follow too much news. You’re like a Fox News viewer of the left. Just ignore it, like I will do for this thread now. Your quality of life will be higher.

If you’re worried about others, cast your vote if you feel like that helps. Getting upset certainly won’t.

Good luck.

How can one enact change if they’re not informed? I interact with my representatives and try to educate those (family) who are grossly misinformed. Yes - I can see how my quality of life would be so much better and I’d be happier being ignorant of everything going on… but then I’m not much better than the people in Germany that never stood up to decry the encroaching Nazi machine. Too many silent mouths and all - you know?

I had a fun post, but it had Endgame spoilers so I’ll hold off.

Anyway, I’ll say something I hope is a lot more helpful instead:

Anger is natural. Not in an “embrace the dark side” kind of way. Just that it’s not something to be ashamed of. Swearing is pressure release for some, and if it works for you then go for it. It may not be the best or most useful approach, but we have to use what tools we have, not the ones we wish we had. But no matter what, don’t let the anger define you just as you wouldn’t let any other emotion do so. They’re all aspects, facets of you. So give each their time.

I would also say that while I wouldn’t counsel you to ignore the news, just keep in mind it can really have a confirmation bias aspect to it which causes more grief than is due. That being said, a LOT of grief is due imho.

Thanks @Dan_Theman . That’s very nice. I also haven’t seen Endgame so I’m glad you didn’t post spoilers :)

As usual, TimJames is fundamentally wrong and you should avoid his shitty advice. Your path is the correct one, Jeff. Let the rage flow through you. You will need it in the coming trials.

If only I had some force powers.

I am also struggling mightily with politics-induced and politics-increased rage and fury.

A certain level is appropriate given the present circumstances but in recent weeks I’m feeling like it’s a constant struggle to maintain an appropriate sense of concern and determination to vote in favor of change versus wanting the numbing apathy of burying my head in the sand on one side versus every post or statement I make bursting with righteous anger and furious indignation.

One specific thing that would help me maintain the right balance would be if I felt there were a viable strategy or path forward, which while not guaranteed to work, at least offered a reasonable hope of winning the good fight. Specifically, a minimally decent plan to strive for in my mind, even one that does not guarantee success, would at least put my energy into a contributing flow. However, in the last few weeks between the tepid response of Dem to Trump’s abuse of power and obstruction of justice and the Dem establishment taking what I view as a misguided and complacent “let’s just turn to the middle behind Biden and trust the system” approach, I feel like like there’s no positive conduit, no viable plan of attack I can get behind.

Anger is important but anger without guidance is dangerous and destructive. And right now the Dem leadership is not giving people like me a guide path for our anger that we think will work, or that truly addresses the sources of the anger.

So, I’m left angry. And I don’t like it.

Yeah my message to them is a pretty hearty ‘fuck you’. Joe can not and should not be the nominee. Tacking towards the middle is a fools errand.

Extremely well written post, and wow do I feel the exact same way. Republicans have declared open season on Democracy and don’t even care to hide it anymore. There about people who shrug and it makes me furious. People on both sides. Some who are like “whatever - whatcha gonna do”, and on the other side, those that furiously screamed Constitution this and that during the Obama years, now want to burn the edict in a fire and bury the memories of our founding fathers. The problem is evil has way too much money in this country. WAY too much money and it is hard to fight against multiple billionaires who simply want to destroy what the U.S. was supposed to stand for.

This is crazy. If you think getting even more progressive is going to get the people in the middle to vote for your candidate, you are very certainly setting us up for four more years of Trump.

You need the old people to come around on someone Democratic. If not, we’re fucked.

And if we go milquetoast centrism we’re fucked.

Or did Biden’s comments on pot legalization, climate change, and criminal justice reform not convince you he would continue to allow the Overton window to shift further right?

You’ve got to give people a vision to vote for and centrism sure as shit doesn’t give that these days. Saying ‘we’re going to fuck your less than the other guys’ isn’t a message that sells.

People in the middle care not one little bit for all three of those things. They really don’t matter to them.

Have the GOP gotten where they are by moderating?

If the lesson you’ve gotten from the last 25 years of the GOP going further right and the Dems going centrist has taught you that pursuing further centrism is the answer? Well I’ve got a bridge to sell.

There is no winning by trying to appeal to the middle. Doing so only suppresses your base. You need to drive turnout, especially with GOP vote suppression ongoing. You only do that by giving people a positive vision to vote for.

Biden doesn’t give us that path to move forward. He’s looking backwards. I want nothing to do with him. He is literally second to last in my preference, beating only Tulsi.

Fuck shit ass

Also if someone doesn’t care about climate change as a driving issue? Fuck ‘em. It’s too important to ignore. The appropriate answer isn’t to ignore it, but to show people why it is important.

I’m impressed he gave advice. Usually his posts on P&R are just to tell us in each and every thread that he is muting the thread.

I mean he still did that too.