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Why we should care about politics

Capitol building
The Capitol Building 
Jonathan Ort / The Daily Princetonian

Over the weekend, I read the New York Times exposé regarding President Donald Trump’s finances. I learned about the remarkable and shocking truth of the ill-begotten means of his fortune, which he had acquired only through the help of his father, as well as his criminal actions and continual avoidance of the law by not paying his taxes. However, instead of feeling outraged or angry, I could only feel numbness. Sometimes I go days without checking the news, simply because everything that comes in is a constant cycle of depressing stories. 

Unfortunately, this is a rather common occurrence. Most of the people around me have taken to no longer keeping up with politics, trying their best to forget that it exists and affects the world around them. They choose instead to focus on their daily tasks and day-to-day lives — meeting with friends, watching new TV shows, and completing their work.

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Others immerse themselves in the goings on of this country and the endless amounts of bad news that seems to radiate from our news channels. They throw themselves into protests and outrage, diving into the comment sections of various websites, taking on trolls and engaging in battles with faceless names on their computer screens, and lamenting to anyone who will listen about how much of a dumpster fire the world has become.

Neither seems to be a particularly healthy option to me. Following the latter strategy can lead to severe burnout and a sense of hopelessness. There is a particular sensation of futility in these people as they wonder if anything they can do will actually make a difference and whether they are truly doing enough. Those in the former category seem stuck in a sort of limbo — they understand that they should care about the world and the awful things that are continuously happening, but these events have become so normalized that they have very little sense of what is truly happening or how outraged they should actually be about it.

To both I say, I understand. The world seems particularly terrible at the moment.

It is important to stay informed. There is no universe in which we can simply bury our heads in the sand and act as if everything is okay. To be silent is to be complicit, and although it can be hard, we owe it to ourselves to understand what is happening around us and why it is happening. On the other hand, feeling burnout is very real, and the fact that awful things are happening should not mean we let it take over our lives. This leaves us with very little ability to actually be helpful allies in this battle.

It is a very fine line between these two states, but the most important thing that you can do is pick your battles. It can be hard to be outraged about everything. Understand what will actually matter in the long run and what are simply sensationalist statements made to distract the public from the real issues. Setting aside an ‘action hour’ may also be useful. Use this time to take concrete action for causes that you believe in. This can mean anything from donating to Planned Parenthood, to assisting the numerous groups paying for lawyers for immigrants at the border, to calling your senator or representative to let them know your opinions. If you have a politician representing you that you agree with and believe represents your views well, try sending a thank-you letter that includes personal anecdotes. They may be able to use these anecdotes while campaigning for certain bills in Congress. When your hour is up, put politics aside and do something that does not stress you out. Most importantly, the midterm elections this November will be a crucial time for this country. Registering to vote may be the single most important thing you can do. Fall at Princeton is a particularly busy time, but registering to vote takes 15 minutes and can make or break an election. 

Sometimes, we worry about so many things that we become paralyzed with indecision and end up not acting at all, even regarding the things that matter to us. This is self-destructive behavior, but taking everything in a day at a time and breaking things into doable goals can help break this cycle. We are living in a time of great divide and turmoil. It will become increasingly harder to pretend that nothing is happening and go on about our daily lives. Sometimes it’s easier to simply retreat into yourself and try and forget there are things happening outside of this Orange Bubble. But the bubble is going to burst at some point, and if nothing else, it is our responsibility to create the kind of world that we want to live in. So stay informed. Be active. Vote.

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Anika Yardi is a sophomore from Gaithersburg, Md. She can be reached at ayardi@princeton.edu

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