Like most of you, I’m outraged for 12 hours a day by the damage Donald Trump and his friends in Congress are doing to our country. My anger about what Gov. Jeff Landry and his flunkies have done to Louisiana takes up another four hours.
The other eight hours? I sleep. Fitfully.
I exaggerate, of course. In truth, I ignore Trump and Landry for long stretches each day. I’ve been finishing a new book. I volunteer in several ministries at my church, which keeps me occupied and feeling useful.
Still, like many of you, I find myself doomscrolling. Sometimes I get wound up, and other times it all depresses me.
Lately, whenever I feel my anger rise over some corrupt, racist, or stupid action by Trump or Landry, I pull out my stack of Postcards to Swing States and write five or six new cards.
It gives me a constructive outlet for my anger. I need those because outrage can eventually get the best of you.
In recent days, I’ve resolved to be far more intentional about it. From now until election day (and beyond), I pledge to:
Stop doomscrolling and find an escape. Instead of spending my idle time on social media, I’m reading more fiction. I read fiction because it’s a total escape into someone else’s world. It calms my mind. It builds empathy.
I’m also watching more movies and new streaming series (I just finished Widow’s Bay; it’s fantastic).
Spend even more time on creative pursuits. I’ve mostly finished my next work of nonfiction. I still have edits and rewrites, which will require another three or four months of periodic work. But I’ve also decided to try my hand at writing a novel. After four or five months of plotting, I started a first draft last week.
Give more to progressive candidates. When I get really angry about something Trump has done, I’ll make a campaign contribution to a Democratic House or Senate candidate. That includes Jamie Davis, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Louisiana.
Keep writing postcards. It’s something useful I can do to help Democrats elsewhere. This month, I’m writing 200 postcards to voters in Nevada. I swear, I can now write “Las Vegas” on a postcard with my eyes closed. It feels good. It feels useful.
Keep ignoring cable news. Unless there’s a major breaking story, I never watch cable TV news. It’s mostly there to keep you outraged. As someone who never turns on CNN or any other cable news program, I promise you can stay well informed about what’s going on in the world without spending hours watching cable TV. After a week or two of weaning yourself from the cable outrage machine, you won’t regret it or miss it.
Finally, I’ll recite this prayer as often as I can:
God, Grant me the serenity to accept that there are forces more powerful than I can change by my outrage alone.
Grant me the courage to do the work that is mine to do:
to make one phone call,
write one postcard,
encourage one discouraged voter,
support one good candidate,
attend one important public meeting,
correct one falsehood,
comfort one fearful neighbor,
and cast one faithful vote.
Give me the wisdom to distinguish between headlines designed to provoke my anger and the quiet acts of citizenship that strengthen democracy.
Keep me from confusing doomscrolling with engagement, despair with realism, or outrage with action.
When I feel overwhelmed by the daily spectacle of abusive power and ugly corruption, remind me that history is shaped not only by those who hold office but also by ordinary people who refuse to surrender their conscience.
Teach me to spend less time asking, “What outrageous thing happened today?” and more time asking, “What useful thing can I do today?”
For democracy is not sustained by heroes alone, but by millions of citizens who keep showing up, telling the truth, helping their neighbors, and refusing to give up.
Help me to be among them. Amen.
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