The events of the past few days have kept me alternating between sadness and outrage at the United States' re-election of a man whose party and policies are aimed at harming so many people across all groups. disadvantaged and those who are disadvantaged. voted for him.
I know that there are a lot of people who voted to stem the tide of unchecked crony capitalism and fascism, but what annoys me so much is that so many people don't seem to recognize them. what are you doing? are attacking the world or don't seem to care. Some things are based on very different belief systems, and some things are just aggravated nonsense. Do people really want the FDA to not exist, right when we are suffering from deadly diseases infecting deli meats and fast food—the things the working class most commonly eats?
We've seen the inevitable climate change happen at a faster rate than predicted and now we have an administration that doesn't believe it's real or knows it but would rather pay for it. their own and that of corporations and billionaires. Then there are those who escaped tyrannical governments in other parts of the world who either didn't seem to realize what was coming to them or believed they were safe because they were “good people.” Whether it is the myth of the model minority or the practical belief that a person's proximity to white people will protect them, I worry that too many people will realize that they are still considered “other.” .
For some people, a truly horrifying future is what they want. Others may focus only on what they think will keep them safe and secure. I understand that it's hard to think about bigger problems when things like the cost of a meal have risen to unacceptable levels. However, the outcome is the same and I worry for myself and those who will face challenges far greater than I am capable of.
In the monthly update post for November, I encouraged people to vote but did not in doing so make any recommendations. I feel like it's not my place and as long as I get my point across it's for the best. I underestimated how poorly real news reaches people compared to cable news propaganda and social media scams. People are living on a diet of conspiracy theories and misinformation, and they don't even realize it. Gen Z voted in favor of rights, and that's the saddest thing because it means we as adults have failed to educate them.
While not apolitical, I kept Ogiue Maniax relatively light on politics because I wanted it first and foremost to be a space to talk about my interests. That's still my intention, but now I understand how much actual factual information doesn't reach people. I thought I could leave that aspect of the fight to someone else, only now have I realized that I cannot take knowledge for granted. I thought that ignoring the issues would minimize their reach, but all that really happened was that the influence became stronger.
So even though my reach is limited, I feel that if there's a topic I can tackle in a way that I think can contribute to a better world, perhaps I should do it. I just hope I have the courage to always speak truth to power. And I'll try to do more outside of the blog, too—because I can rarely expect people to come to me.
