When's the last time you had a substantive discussion about policy instead of politics? Everything is now about horse races, political rhetoric, scandals—but rarely about how to solve real problems.
Deep in our brain is an organ called the amygdala. Visual and auditory input is processed through the amygdala before it reaches the higher brain functions. That allows us to jump away from a rattlesnake before we actually process that there is a rattlesnake. That’s helpful when we were hunter gatherers. Knowingly or not, politicians who seek power and not solutions take advantage of this. Biden is old!, they scream. Jews are evil! They are coming to get (fill in the blank)! The list goes on and on. That’s why people go to TFG’s rally — to have their amygdala activated (and why people go to horror movies).
Our collective ignorance of how our body works is threatening our lives and our country. Narcissists, who are the result of childhood trauma or neglect relied on their amygdala, and everything becomes a threat to the self. So they endlessly seek to fill the void that their amygdala has repeatedly created. Sensational news takes advantage of how the brain functions. Trump clearly is one amygdala activated narcissist. There simply is no reasoning with this part of our brain.
Thoughtful analysis, being comfortable with different people and contrary ideas requires mastery of the self, something that American does not value. Reading, rather than watching, allows us to process information and perspectives much more effectively. Yet, as a value, we no longer cherish and support reading and discussion.
Alas, we build huge (taxpayer subsidized) football stadiums rather than libraries. We need the next level fighter plane rather than investing in diplomacy (I am not against national defense, but not at the extent of failing to invest in the daily health of our collective society). We do not see the sleight of hand that those in power use over and over.
Might I bring your attention towards policy-focused groups like The League of Women Voters? They may seem stuffy and old fashioned, but depend on them to research policies, and to disseminate well-thought out recommendations. Also environmental groups, and others. It's always good to check out reputable issue-focused organizations.
One of the president’s policies that has been very successful is the rebuilding and updating of our nation’s infrastructure, largely because of the efforts and communication skills of Sec. Buttigieg. Women’s health and reproductive care has also been front and center, and policies affecting that care will likely be the single greatest determinant of who wins the next election. I wish that foreign policy and its effects on domestic policy could be covered in much more depth. To paraphrase from your book, everything affects everything else.
I mourn the death of the long form interview. Politicians like Margaret Thatcher, David Owen, Roy Jenkins loved having detailed policy arguments with the likes of Peter Jay and Brian Walden.
Now you're a British citizen (dunno what the suitable welcome greeting is but welcome in anyway new Brit!) you could cheer yourself up a bit by tuning in to the UK's most popular podcast The Rest Is Politics which is mostly about policy though there is a certain amount of slagging off some recent prime ministers.
A hard angry read, I agree with it and am frightened (it is fear) by the conclusions. I fear even more the spiralling inevitability of this decent, with communications so swamped by arrant nonsense. I am sorry you had to write this as much of your work has given me cause for a cautious optimism. It was necessary though, I believe, as much of the media noise does appear to attempt demoralisation and promotes avoidance of engagement, not to say an indifferent numbness in me. I will try to remain engaged.
Governmental affairs and activities are most often boring. Wars, of course, are exciting, so, yes, we attend to those, but as Klaas says, tax policies? Get outta here! Who cares?
Humans are particularly and egregiously bored by modernity. Thus, we crave and demand action, which is why ESPN is more watched than C-SPAN. Politics as a blood-sport, thanks to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and many right-wing shit-stirrers on radio, is now a big thing in our lives. It matters -- if there's a fight about it, but a calm, reasoned discussion going on for hours, days, weeks? No thanks. That's a headache or a sedative.
I don't see a solution for this problem, at least not for the masses. That's why we're the masses, i.e., we aren't specialists with great patience for detail and complexity. Keep it simple, right? We hate stress, ennui, and difficulties. So we seek the life of Riley; in fact, a lot of us are too lazy to hardly get off the couch, so we sit home and watch our screens as much as possible. Work is an annoying interruption. Yet I'm perhaps surprisingly not denigrating our attitudes, because it's who we are. Why kick against the pricks? If God or Nature had wanted all of us to be angels, political saviors to all mankind, we would be. However, we should listen to our "angels," men and women who seek the common good and try to make it a reality. The rest of us hear the beat of different drummers. (I most often hear John Bonham or Ringo Starr; I don't want to read the full Mueller Report, even though I have a digital copy of it.)
This is thoroughly exploited by corporations and institutions that wish to avoid regulation and by billionaires who want to impose their supposedly superior will on the country and the world. Big Oil and Big Tobacco at least had to manufacture distorted data and interpretations of that data in the past. Companies like OpenAI and billionaires need do so today.
I think the salary of our representatives should be reflective of the household income of their constitutes. US average household is $74,500 a year, but your area is only $67,000...that's what you make as a politician...only. (Screw the kick backs from lobbyist too). If you want to make more as a politician, increase the income of your area. That way policy would be tied directly to improving lives. And that's being generous - average income per person currently is $41,000.
Or, I wonder if we also wouldn't be better served by our peers, like juries are selected. Instead of a week or two of jury duty, it would be a year or two of full political service. No more parties, just concentration on policy and problem solving. After a couple of years of MTG, it's worth a try. A real Civics lesson for everyone 😏
Since retiring I’m ashamed to say, I have focused on the game of politics, not the substance of policy. I scan through at least ten news papers a day, read Substack articles, and stay involved with local activities. I spend far too much time fact checking articles, but I still get side tracked by The Game.
I can say that I did know about what US spends on foreign aid and I’m confident that i could step in and fill MTG’s seat capably.
I understand this but think it is pointless. The reason we focus on politics is because the biggest danger now is politics not policy. There are a large number of policy issues that would be useful and fun to debate but if one of the main parties in the country is now owned by thugs who aren’t interested in policy debates but in overthrowing the American system of government what’s the benefit to anyone of discussing, say, Ukraine or anything else. This was an essay looking for a topic
Exactly this. I've reached the point where I can't even read the news anymore. Everything is just grandstanding. All of it feels completely toxic, even the stuff I nominally agree with.
Yesterday Jonathan Haidt was on "Morning Joe" talking a out his new book " The Anxious Generation " which not only describes how social media is having a devastating impact on teenagers' mental health, , but recommends practical ways that parents and others can combat these. For information like this I put up with all the ranting, bloviating, and medical commercials on MJ. ( though often muting it, and reading from my emails, articles like this one, etc..). There is usually at least one segment per morning, including recebtly Brian himself, that I'm glad to have seen, amid all the dreck.
I'm glad I'm connected.
"PBS News Hour" has good, balanced policy discussions. And no psoriasis commercials.
Given the globalization of our current world, this US politics over policy performance is finding popularity in other countries as well. Too many wannabe 'mini' Trumps vying for the spotlight. Very concerning.
Deep in our brain is an organ called the amygdala. Visual and auditory input is processed through the amygdala before it reaches the higher brain functions. That allows us to jump away from a rattlesnake before we actually process that there is a rattlesnake. That’s helpful when we were hunter gatherers. Knowingly or not, politicians who seek power and not solutions take advantage of this. Biden is old!, they scream. Jews are evil! They are coming to get (fill in the blank)! The list goes on and on. That’s why people go to TFG’s rally — to have their amygdala activated (and why people go to horror movies).
Our collective ignorance of how our body works is threatening our lives and our country. Narcissists, who are the result of childhood trauma or neglect relied on their amygdala, and everything becomes a threat to the self. So they endlessly seek to fill the void that their amygdala has repeatedly created. Sensational news takes advantage of how the brain functions. Trump clearly is one amygdala activated narcissist. There simply is no reasoning with this part of our brain.
Thoughtful analysis, being comfortable with different people and contrary ideas requires mastery of the self, something that American does not value. Reading, rather than watching, allows us to process information and perspectives much more effectively. Yet, as a value, we no longer cherish and support reading and discussion.
Alas, we build huge (taxpayer subsidized) football stadiums rather than libraries. We need the next level fighter plane rather than investing in diplomacy (I am not against national defense, but not at the extent of failing to invest in the daily health of our collective society). We do not see the sleight of hand that those in power use over and over.
Sigh.
Might I bring your attention towards policy-focused groups like The League of Women Voters? They may seem stuffy and old fashioned, but depend on them to research policies, and to disseminate well-thought out recommendations. Also environmental groups, and others. It's always good to check out reputable issue-focused organizations.
One of the president’s policies that has been very successful is the rebuilding and updating of our nation’s infrastructure, largely because of the efforts and communication skills of Sec. Buttigieg. Women’s health and reproductive care has also been front and center, and policies affecting that care will likely be the single greatest determinant of who wins the next election. I wish that foreign policy and its effects on domestic policy could be covered in much more depth. To paraphrase from your book, everything affects everything else.
I mourn the death of the long form interview. Politicians like Margaret Thatcher, David Owen, Roy Jenkins loved having detailed policy arguments with the likes of Peter Jay and Brian Walden.
Now you're a British citizen (dunno what the suitable welcome greeting is but welcome in anyway new Brit!) you could cheer yourself up a bit by tuning in to the UK's most popular podcast The Rest Is Politics which is mostly about policy though there is a certain amount of slagging off some recent prime ministers.
A hard angry read, I agree with it and am frightened (it is fear) by the conclusions. I fear even more the spiralling inevitability of this decent, with communications so swamped by arrant nonsense. I am sorry you had to write this as much of your work has given me cause for a cautious optimism. It was necessary though, I believe, as much of the media noise does appear to attempt demoralisation and promotes avoidance of engagement, not to say an indifferent numbness in me. I will try to remain engaged.
Governmental affairs and activities are most often boring. Wars, of course, are exciting, so, yes, we attend to those, but as Klaas says, tax policies? Get outta here! Who cares?
Humans are particularly and egregiously bored by modernity. Thus, we crave and demand action, which is why ESPN is more watched than C-SPAN. Politics as a blood-sport, thanks to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and many right-wing shit-stirrers on radio, is now a big thing in our lives. It matters -- if there's a fight about it, but a calm, reasoned discussion going on for hours, days, weeks? No thanks. That's a headache or a sedative.
I don't see a solution for this problem, at least not for the masses. That's why we're the masses, i.e., we aren't specialists with great patience for detail and complexity. Keep it simple, right? We hate stress, ennui, and difficulties. So we seek the life of Riley; in fact, a lot of us are too lazy to hardly get off the couch, so we sit home and watch our screens as much as possible. Work is an annoying interruption. Yet I'm perhaps surprisingly not denigrating our attitudes, because it's who we are. Why kick against the pricks? If God or Nature had wanted all of us to be angels, political saviors to all mankind, we would be. However, we should listen to our "angels," men and women who seek the common good and try to make it a reality. The rest of us hear the beat of different drummers. (I most often hear John Bonham or Ringo Starr; I don't want to read the full Mueller Report, even though I have a digital copy of it.)
This is thoroughly exploited by corporations and institutions that wish to avoid regulation and by billionaires who want to impose their supposedly superior will on the country and the world. Big Oil and Big Tobacco at least had to manufacture distorted data and interpretations of that data in the past. Companies like OpenAI and billionaires need do so today.
It appears that the Know Nothing Party has been literally reincarnated.
I think the salary of our representatives should be reflective of the household income of their constitutes. US average household is $74,500 a year, but your area is only $67,000...that's what you make as a politician...only. (Screw the kick backs from lobbyist too). If you want to make more as a politician, increase the income of your area. That way policy would be tied directly to improving lives. And that's being generous - average income per person currently is $41,000.
Or, I wonder if we also wouldn't be better served by our peers, like juries are selected. Instead of a week or two of jury duty, it would be a year or two of full political service. No more parties, just concentration on policy and problem solving. After a couple of years of MTG, it's worth a try. A real Civics lesson for everyone 😏
Since retiring I’m ashamed to say, I have focused on the game of politics, not the substance of policy. I scan through at least ten news papers a day, read Substack articles, and stay involved with local activities. I spend far too much time fact checking articles, but I still get side tracked by The Game.
I can say that I did know about what US spends on foreign aid and I’m confident that i could step in and fill MTG’s seat capably.
Thanks for highlighting this problem.
I understand this but think it is pointless. The reason we focus on politics is because the biggest danger now is politics not policy. There are a large number of policy issues that would be useful and fun to debate but if one of the main parties in the country is now owned by thugs who aren’t interested in policy debates but in overthrowing the American system of government what’s the benefit to anyone of discussing, say, Ukraine or anything else. This was an essay looking for a topic
Exactly this. I've reached the point where I can't even read the news anymore. Everything is just grandstanding. All of it feels completely toxic, even the stuff I nominally agree with.
Does anyone, including you Brian, have thoughts on those outlets that inform, educate, and debate solutions where we can turn? Thanks.
Yesterday Jonathan Haidt was on "Morning Joe" talking a out his new book " The Anxious Generation " which not only describes how social media is having a devastating impact on teenagers' mental health, , but recommends practical ways that parents and others can combat these. For information like this I put up with all the ranting, bloviating, and medical commercials on MJ. ( though often muting it, and reading from my emails, articles like this one, etc..). There is usually at least one segment per morning, including recebtly Brian himself, that I'm glad to have seen, amid all the dreck.
I'm glad I'm connected.
"PBS News Hour" has good, balanced policy discussions. And no psoriasis commercials.
Excellent article.
Given the globalization of our current world, this US politics over policy performance is finding popularity in other countries as well. Too many wannabe 'mini' Trumps vying for the spotlight. Very concerning.