I'm Burned Out This Political Season

...And Maybe You Are Too

As I am on vacation at the Turkish Riviera, I realize how burned out I've been this political season about all of the nonsense.

The media's manipulation tactics, the daily exaggerations, and the purposeful story misframings: I'm exhausted with it all.

Every day, we're supposed to focus on the latest video circulating that people will care about for 24 hours and forget it existed 72 hours later. Trump was almost assassinated and by the time Biden dropped out, we stopped talking about it.

I remember talking to someone older than me about Reagan's attempted assassination and they said it was at the top of conversations for over a month. Even something so horrendous as a possible public execution, we're supposed to move on to the next outrage story.

In my position as a commentator and writer, I'm expected to sink into the political bubble and act as I care about every ridiculous story that comes into circulation. We're supposed to pretend that this story will be the game-changer to wake people up: But it won't.

The truth is that most of the stories you hear about are embellished as to how important they are in the grand scheme of things. It's just political candy, filled with sugar but all it does is spoil your appetite and most people hate politics for this reason.

In the same way, a daily diet of political junk food will make you an unhealthy person and it's why I needed a break from it. I try really hard to balance my life with a healthy dose of "touching grass" but it's always difficult to manage your health while still consuming poison.

I used to be able to analyze the political landscape the same way that a sportscaster reviews a basketball game post-match: With minimal emotion to emphasize clarity for the game analytics. However, it's hard to keep this up when the economy of commentary rewards buffoonery.

Everyone has an opinion but very few have anything beneficial to offer. It's just gnarling of teeth and keyboards to piss off the opposition or to manipulate their followers into being paranoid about their future in this great nation.

The people you like tell you how America is great in one breath but 95% of the time they have nothing good to say about this country. It's because negativity keeps your attention and overly bitching about problems gives the impression that there is very little to appreciate.

The mainstream media lies about obvious matters that a regular nobody can see through and independent media often click-baits you to death because they're just financially poorer versions of the media they claim to hate.

The longer I stay in this game, the more I see it for what it is: There are too many unprincipled people who actually care about their audience long enough to not lie to them. For clarity, I'm a nobody and I'm not that important but I don't mislead or lie to people for gain.

I've been burned out for months and I needed this break to be honest with myself and the small audience I have that cares. Honestly, I don't even care that much as to who wins this election because I don't think the greatest nation in the world will end in four years.

Plus, I've been told "This election is the most important election" for about two decades of paying attention to politics. This manipulation tactic doesn't work on me anymore. I'll vote for whoever I want, you vote for who you want and just move on with our lives like we should.

If you think about it, we spend about a year and a half talking about an election to cast a single vote that'll take less than a day to accomplish. Kind of fascinating with how much time we waste on this stuff when we have the same amount of voting power as everyone else.

We could spend a year and a half focusing on how to improve ourselves, becoming better parents or friends or greater citizens in our communities. But no, we are enthralled with how much power someone else will have instead of empowering ourselves.

It's tiring watching one side ridicule the other side for a behavior they're actively doing. Morally flawed people finger-wagging other morally flawed people. Let's not forget the rationalization phrase that pays: "It's different when we do it"...ah of course it is!

I'm not special and I know I'm not the only person that feels this way. I'm not the only one who is tired of buffoons becoming thought leaders, political entertainment replacing political thoughtfulness, and the constant rewarding of the most unlikable people imaginable.

So, yes. I'm tired. I'm pretty burned out. This ecosystem often dirties my soul the longer I remain in association with the filthiest of propagandists. It's like trying to stay clean while working at a landfill: No matter how clean you are, you'll always be associated with trash.

There are better people who are more talented than me who struggle to have their light shine through because of the smog emanating from the mouths of boisterous beasts who reside at the top.

But I want no pity. I chose to get into this mess and one day I'll choose to get out.