How can anyone possibly be expected to stay productive during these End of Times? With tiny snaps from his nubby little fingers, Donald Trump has managed to, in just two short weeks as US President:
- Fire thousands of federal employees, including those serving as watch dogs against corruption
- Cripple vital government services for every-day people
- Piss off our Canadian neighbors
- Piss off our Mexican neighbors
- Piss off the Danes over threats to invade Greenland
- Piss off Panama over threats to confiscate the Panama Canal
- Withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Accords
- Withdraw the US from the World Health Organization
- Withdraw the US from the United Nations Human Rights Council
- Launch a series of tariff wars on foreign goods to raise prices even further in the US
I’m sure there was more, but these are the big ones that stand out for me. And I promise this isn’t a post ranting about Donald Trump. If he had promised one thing and delivered another, maybe that would warrant a rant. But this isn’t that, because he’s doing everything he said he would, so there are really no surprises here. He’s not catching anyone off guard. We all knew what was coming.
But rather, this about what to do now that the world is collapsing. There are the obvious things, of course: dig a bunker, buy a thousand bottles of water, stack up cans of dry goods, empty the store shelves of toilet paper, stockpile ammunition. You know, all the usual activities we’re all experienced with from those last four years of chaos. I’d say, “Go out and vote!” but that did us no good this time around. And depending on which state you live in, you’re probably in the slim minority of people who still actually cares about things like, oh you know, facts and democracy and law and the Constitution anyway. The majority of the voting population in this country made it loud and clear that they actually want anarchy to reign. That’s the platform they voted for. So here we are.
And since we’re all here, now what? I mean, what do we do?
I can’t tell you what you should do, but I have some thoughts about what I’m doing. In a nutshell, it’s nothing different. I have zero control over what the President and his billionaire oligarchy henchmen decide to do. He controls the courts too, and Congress, and the House, and the Justice Department. But over here in Ohio, in my county, in my city, on my street, on my property, in my house. . . ? I have no say or voice in any of that beyond my vote and my daily interactions with people. Which is no different than it was before. I’m still going to work. I’m still working on the house. I’m still writing and submitting. I’m still trying to be a better person. I’m still learning fun new things and figuring out what makes me happy. I’m still taking vacations and traveling to new places.
Certainly we shouldn’t put our heads in the sand and do nothing. I mean, you could, I suppose. That’s one option, and lots of people did just that back in November. Only fifty-eight percent of the eligible voters in this country actually participated in last year’s election. At a time when our nation’s very future is on the line, 110 million people decided they just couldn’t be bothered enough to show up. So there’s that.
But if you want to keep your sanity and emerge from your bunker in four years without going crazy, might I suggest five ways we can all be more productive and survive the Trumpocalypse with our minds still intact?
Focus on the things you can actually control and forget about the things you can’t.
Listen, Trump does enough raging and complaining for all of us. Let’s not add to it. You can’t control what he or anyone else does. You can’t control the impact his poor decisions have when the consequences finally trickle down over the country. But you can do a little planning and preparing now to make sure the impact is blunt rather than sharp. If you have financial investments, maybe it’s time to safeguard those, because the markets are already reacting to news of his tariff wars and isolationist policies. Stock up on some basic supplies. Save up some money. If you were to suddenly lose your job — like so many government employees recently have — make sure you can ride out several months of unemployment.
Get off social media, or at least limit your time.
It’s no secret that Russia and China use social platforms to engage in propaganda against the US. They use sock puppets and fake accounts to manipulate public opinion, cause outrage, and sow the seeds of discontent among us. But it’s not just Russia and China. It’s also extremist “news” agencies right here in our own country. Whether it’s slanted coverage or conspiracy theories or purposely misinforming their viewers (Rupert Murdoch and Faux News were forced to pay $787 million last year as a settlement for all the lies they told their viewers about the 2020 election), there are several organizations and online influencers whose sole purpose is to make money off the number of hits and advertising dollars from their sites. They couldn’t care less about telling us the truth, as long as we turn on and tune in and make them money. If you must watch the news to stay informed, make sure you’re watching a wide variety, with different kinds of coverage, and then — and this is critical — measure all that information against some moral yardstick to help you make up your own mind. Don’t just rely on other people to tell you what to think. And don’t just repeat everything you hear without doing some basic fact-checking first.
Focus on what makes you happy.
Writing makes me happy. Photography makes me happy. Building models makes me happy. Traveling with my family makes me happy. Doing fun things together with friends makes me happy. Being outside and hitting the trails with my backpack makes me happy. Scuba diving is something new that I’m learning that (I’m hoping) will make me happy. Unless I drown. We’re planning a family scuba trip to Cozumel later this year. Unless airplanes keep falling from the sky because a certain new President keeps firing TSA personnel and gutting the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. We do enjoy traveling though, and we’ve made sure everyone in our family has a current passport because, you know, immigrating to a foreign country might have to be a thing.
Channel your negative emotions.
Notice that I didn’t say suppress them or ignore them or distract yourself away from them. Listen, we’re in a real mess right now. Our government is on fire, and the 77 million people who voted for Trump are all holding lighters and gasoline. And it’s only getting started. You should be angry right now. You should have a rage in your heart. If you’re not already, you likely will feel sadness and fear. I get it. I’m there with you. I’m still in a state of shock and disbelief and probably will be for a long time. I’d be worried if you didn’t have all the feelings, because it would mean you’re one of them. You need an outlet to move all that negativity out and away from you and hopefully towards the people who can actually do something about all this. Don’t pick fights with your family, friends, or neighbors. Don’t argue with strangers at the gym or grocery or office. When’s the last time you wrote your state representative? Honestly, I never have. I would, except that I live in Ohio, and all my government officials are warming their hands over the fire. But maybe you can. Take all that anger and channel it into a letter and let them know how you’re feeling and what you want to see done. CAUTION! DANGER! AWOOGA! Do not threaten your congressman or any other government employee! Trump and his Reichstag generals would like nothing more than to identify you, track you down, and round you up. Be polite. Be solution-oriented. Remember that this person isn’t your enemy (hopefully). You can also volunteer as a poll worker to help in the election process. Get involved in local government. Do what you can. If all else fails, there are various forms of meditation to help you deal with your emotions. Or therapy. Hey, now’s a good time to start.
Pamper yourself.
When’s the last time you went to bed early? Took a long bath? Got lost in a book? Cooked a delicious new meal? Got a massage? Bought some new clothes for yourself? Ate some damn ice cream? Whatever it is, whatever you want, DO IT! It’s hard to be kind to the idiots running our country. It’s hard to be kind to the idiots who voted for him. It’s hard to feel good towards the strangers at the grocery store, who you don’t even know, but you know they voted for him! But you can be kind to yourself. All that anger and stewing and repression and bottling up your emotions takes its toll. Your body is tense. Your muscles are tight. You probably lie awake at night wondering if the world will still even be there when you crawl out of bed in the morning. It’s hard to get anything done, hard to even think about getting anything done, when your brain and your body are just exhausted. Reserve that massage appointment. Take that long, hot, steamy bath. Head to the store and update a few pieces in your wardrobe. And yes, 100%, by all means feel free to enjoy some ice cream. Always wanted to lose twenty pounds but never felt the motivation? Do it. Wanna join the gym and build some muscles? You can do it!
It’s important to take care of yourself right now. Control the things you can control. Limit the time you spend doomscrolling on the socials and news platforms. Enjoy hobbies that make you happy. Focus your energy in positive ways. And pamper yourself with things that are good for your body, mind, and soul. Do it. Do it now. While you still can.
