I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with anxiety about the election outcome, just like many others around the world. From my perspective, there is only one choice since the current occupant of the White House has made terrible after terrible decision on every front, but especially with the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is a complete mystery to me why would people so blindly follow someone, particularly someone who lies with a straight face over and over, and still they just take that someone’s word, even over what their own eyes see. I want to understand. Is there really no chance of dialogue at all? Why are our realities so different? We all have jobs and we all need medical care, for instance. What is really so scary about not having to pay for private medical care? Nobody is a stranger to owing a lot of money to an insurance company or hospital because your insurance plan did not cover such and such, so why such a strong negative response? More importantly, why is it not possible to have a civil conversation about it? Just a conversation, no policy to move forward, just a conversation to brainstorm how can the current situation get better. And I have the same questions about all those big topics that have been used to polarize people: abortion, education, guns, immigration, etc.
What is needed for an actual conversation? I understand that there are different and even opposing political views. But it seems to me like today, those views have almost become dogmas and people are just not willing to talk, on both sides. I know I have been guilty of this at times. But I do believe a country is lost if its people cannot question their politicians.
M. A. Peña-Guerrero, PhD 