I’m a big arbiter of “gut instinct.” Even though we rationalize it at the time, the truth is that most of us make life-changing and financially-expensive personal decisions based upon our gut (which is usually driven by our emotions): Your mate, your job, your home, your car, your confidants. After all, when something goes wrong, what do you frequently say? “I should have listened to my gut.”
Reckoning that our gut frequently does point us in the right direction, why shouldn’t a gut check work in this critical election? For one reason: this election is critical, and, for another, those candidates you’re watching and hearing about on TV are not who you think they are. You don’t know them. They’re performers. The real people you think you’re voting for shelved their true personnas. These are just actors on a stage, playing the character that their team has created in order to appeal to the most voters. They’re going for a buffo box office, just like any other actor does. “Be indignant.” “Be funny.” “Be sarcastic.” “Be humble.” “Be a baiter.” It’s in the script.
How, then, do you decide what’s real and what’s manipulation? In this election, above all others, do yourself (and the rest of us) a favor and get the facts. Not innuendo. Not hearsay. Not what Mary who told Johnny who told Alice told you. Not what you think is true, but what you know to be true.
Check out www.factcheck.org, a non-partisan site that is trying to keep our candidates honest and the rest of us truly aware by pointing out the facts from the falsehoods — in ads, circulating emails, ad infinitum. I’ve been surprised that many of my assumptions were wrong, and I bet you will be too.
Invest some time in understanding the true issues for our country, the track record of the party, and the character of the people asking for your vote — rather than the character each candidate is playing.
Then, after November 4th, go back to depending on your “gut instinct” — in your personal life — where it really will play an important role.
Here’s to keeping up with all the stuff being thrown at us,
Harriett
