The illiberalism yet to come: two things not to do, and one thing to do
Suggestions on how to avoid mental and emotional exhaustion
The new Republican presidency-congress in the United States as well as developments in other countries mean that in addition to the illiberalism we have had so far, there is more - perhaps worse - to come.
So how should liberals respond?
Here are three suggestions, humbly put forward.
Do not respond, if you can, to catastrophism. You are going to think how bad things can be, and will project this on to the other side. You will then react to what your mind has conjured up. Even if those projections are plausible, this will exhaust you quickly. You will have little energy or focus left for what they do come up with.
Do not respond, if you can, to what the illiberals say they will do. They will goad you and frighten you, as they enjoy “owning the libs”. They like the sound it makes, the reactions they can get. Again, even if these threats are plausible, reacting to each bare threat will exhaust you quickly. You will again have little energy or focus left for what they do come up with.
Respond, if you can, to what they actually do - not what you fear they will do, or even what they say they will do. What they actually will do will be bad enough, and will need your energy and focus. The illiberals will hope - and expect - that all the noise and fears under (1) and (2) will mean that by the time they do put measures forward, they will have little opposition.
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As Margo Channing in All About Eve said, we are are in for a bumpy ride.
We don’t need to make it even bumpier for ourselves.
Thank you for your very sound advice. And, thank you, too, for being the voice of sanity for us in these unusual times.
But don’t stop reading and thinking about it.