Every time there’s an election, my social media feed becomes flooded with posts criticizing political parties or candidates that people do not support. Personally, I don’t like to publicly reveal my political leanings, but I do think it’s valuable for people to express their political views in various ways and spaces.
While I occasionally see thoughtful political discourse, most posts are focused on bashing specific parties. Ironically, those aggressive posts have often made me reconsider my own political stance, even towards parties I previously supported.
The climax of this behavior, however, comes after the election results. It’s astounding to see those who championed democracy by urging others to vote and criticizing opposing parties suddenly lash out when their preferred candidate doesn’t win. They curse, talk about emigrating, and accuse others of being ignorant or mindless voters.
Is that what democracy looks like? If your opinion is outnumbered by the majority, does democracy give you the right to ridicule others and reject the outcome? Are the people who voted differently from you really clueless, as some claim? Is my perspective the only correct one, while everyone else’s is wrong?
In this recent election, my chosen candidate did not win. Yet, I applaud the elected leader and choose to place my trust in them. I believe that no president or politician in history has intentionally sought to ruin this country. I strive to approach things with a calm and rational attitude, distancing myself from baseless conspiracy theories and endless suspicion.
Going forward, I’ve decided to avoid social media during election periods. I will no longer allow myself to be polluted by the immaturity of certain civic behaviors.