It’s impossible not to feel the pull of pessimism when it comes to national politics. It’s hard to believe that we have the money, power, or influence to change the country for the better. how can we do that when our political parties, cable news (and other major media), and political influencers seem locked into battles of mutual destruction?
As a psychologist and a former journalist, we share this frustration. It’s hard not to feel very pessimistic about national politics. But that doesn’t mean you should give up. It just means it’s time to focus on where you can make a difference — in yourself, your family, and your community.
The first step in self-empowerment is to turn off bad influences. Twitter activists and cable news viewers sell polarization, but studies find that they make up fewer than one in six Americans. That means 85% of the country is just like us — real people who care about our neighbors, family, and friends. Once you throw out the idea that everyone is an angry partisan, the insurmountable problems facing each of us and our nation seem a lot more surmountable.
The next step is to replace bad influences with good ones. If you care about animals, geography, or history, lots of people share your interest. The History Channel averaged 780,000 primetime viewers in 2021, and National Geographic averaged 375,000 — about the same as some cable news shows. And if you care about news, make it local: in 2020, more people watched local news stations than watch even the biggest cable shows.
Other good influences can be found in your own backyard and neighborhood. Have you always wanted to improve your home and yard? Etsy and YouTube videos will help. Even better, ask the neighbors who have the garden you’ve always envied. Ask the neighbors who fix things as a hobby and will be happy to explain what to do.
Asking fellow parents for tips about navigating toddler tantrums is a good way to turn acquaintances into friends, and to be a better parent. And visiting friends and family for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic will remind you of all the good people in your life.
Once you’re healed from the poison of cable and Twitter by focusing on what makes you happy and more fulfilled, you’re ready to make a difference in your community. Studies show that volunteering with organizations in your community boosts your satisfaction with life, and that helping out locally can make the government more responsive to your community’s needs. Helping others can even make yourself physically more tenacious — it’s why running a marathon for charity helps you finish it.
Imagine that you’ve made a positive impact on yourself, your family, and your community. How different will the world look?
Will the neighbor who shoveled your driveway because you hurt your back be a friend, or an enemy because he or she disagrees with you on abortion or gun rights? Will you see the parent whose kids you watched while she went through a tough pregnancy as misguided but well-intentioned on racial matters, or as stupid and evil because she disagrees with you?
Will you still feel like what you do doesn’t matter, or will you be ready to deal with matters of life or death?
At the end of the day, the 15 percent of Americans who dominate our political discourse want us to feel angry and disempowered. But we can choose differently — we can choose to be intellectually curious and powerful — by improving our homes and our communities, to make the most important differences where they have the greatest impact.
Don’t let the political class fool you into becoming intellectually stunted or hopeless. Or angry. Go and be curious and powerful about what matters most to you.
Kurt Gray is director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab at the University of North Carolina. Dustin Siggins is founder of Proven Media Solutions and a former political journalist.
First Published: June 20, 2022, 4:00 a.m.
