As you point out, nostalgia usually kicks in for times decades in the rearview, and often through a pollyanna lens that remembers the good while ignoring or sweeping under the rug all of the bad. But there is often at least something there to long for, even if things weren't as perfect as we imagine. But for the Trump years, all I rememb…
As you point out, nostalgia usually kicks in for times decades in the rearview, and often through a pollyanna lens that remembers the good while ignoring or sweeping under the rug all of the bad. But there is often at least something there to long for, even if things weren't as perfect as we imagine. But for the Trump years, all I remember is bad, and a constant dread. It's an odd thing to get nostalgic over.
Without thinking about it, I remember only the constant chaos and grinding sense of daily confrontation and antagonism, and increasing sense of polarization, constantly sapping my mental energy and will/desire to interact with other people for fear of irrational reactions and the unwillingness to have give-and-take discussions. That isn't political so much as it is the toxic personality of the man, magnified by the millions who were/are quite willing to go along for the ride as long as there is something in it for them.
I know people found some of his policies appealing, but even granting that, it's hard to separate that from the chaos and confrontation you mention. It's like someone chain smoking because they really like it, but ignoring their emphysema. Whatever good you may think the man did, it's very much overwhelmed for me by that other stuff, like a thousand to one.
We all have the capacity to self harm. I have a friend annually monitoring spots on his lungs who smokes early and often. He's quit before, but his partner finds it too hard to quit so he continues to puff away with her because he's in love. Trump pushes the right buttons for the people who are Trump curious, so over the cliff they go.
As you point out, nostalgia usually kicks in for times decades in the rearview, and often through a pollyanna lens that remembers the good while ignoring or sweeping under the rug all of the bad. But there is often at least something there to long for, even if things weren't as perfect as we imagine. But for the Trump years, all I remember is bad, and a constant dread. It's an odd thing to get nostalgic over.
Without thinking about it, I remember only the constant chaos and grinding sense of daily confrontation and antagonism, and increasing sense of polarization, constantly sapping my mental energy and will/desire to interact with other people for fear of irrational reactions and the unwillingness to have give-and-take discussions. That isn't political so much as it is the toxic personality of the man, magnified by the millions who were/are quite willing to go along for the ride as long as there is something in it for them.
I remember being so scared we were going to start a war with Iran, NK and Mexico at the same time.
I remember getting very familiar with 3 am, night after night. Slapped into awake realizing for the millionth time who the president was.
My sleep has really gone downhill. I literally cannot sleep through the night without melatonin.
The Trump years turned me into a prepper.
I know people found some of his policies appealing, but even granting that, it's hard to separate that from the chaos and confrontation you mention. It's like someone chain smoking because they really like it, but ignoring their emphysema. Whatever good you may think the man did, it's very much overwhelmed for me by that other stuff, like a thousand to one.
We all have the capacity to self harm. I have a friend annually monitoring spots on his lungs who smokes early and often. He's quit before, but his partner finds it too hard to quit so he continues to puff away with her because he's in love. Trump pushes the right buttons for the people who are Trump curious, so over the cliff they go.