A Nightmare

The presidential election is now just two weeks away, and I can’t believe I’m feeling the same fatigue I experienced four years ago. I made a few donations to the DNC in the past, and now their emails flood my inbox like a constant stream of DDoS or ransomware attacks. The volume became so overwhelming that I started automatically sending them to the trash. But then, one email caught my attention—it came from none other than Stephen King.

It was an alert for another nightmare from the lord of nightmares. His words were powerful and persuasive, exactly what you’d expect from such a great author. But did I end up chipping in more money? No. Despite my admiration for him (I’m currently reading "11/22/63"), my motivation was drained by the overwhelming fatigue. It’s likely because I haven’t seen a positive feedback loop—there’s no clear sense that my contributions are making a real difference. On top of that, many polls are pointing toward an outcome I don’t want. Whether or not the polls accurately reflect reality, their impact is undeniable—they demoralize so many of us.

This past Sunday’s 49ers game was a complete disaster. What was supposed to be the team’s best season in years is unraveling due to unexpected injuries and unfortunate circumstances, and they seem unable to adapt—at least for now. In a way, I felt that the game mirrored the current political climate. Despite historic fundraising, the “best” strategies being used may only be given birth from armchairs, detached from real-world results. Today’s NYT podcast highlighted the situation in Vegas, and it’s clear that Ds are struggling to convince people they are the institutional solution. Instead, voters seem to be leaning toward (chaotic) change. We don’t know what the outcome will be on election day, but I hope there’s still a path forward where institutional solutions have a chance—because a world where everyone is left to fend for themselves is too desolate.