Election Night Sanity: Avoiding Media Manipulation
Plus, op-ed on truth & fact checking is getting big reactions
Two things are coming together to make Tuesday an even wilder emotional roller coaster than most election nights.
First, the incredibly high stakes for democracy in this tight election. I discuss this in a new op-ed for the biggest paper in a major swing state. The reactions are amazing. If you’re on Instagram, you can weigh in there:
The AJC does not do gift links, but my paid subscribers to this newsletter can most likely read it in full for free using the system I explained here:
And second, the attention economy. With so many news organizations clamoring for your eyes and ears, they’re all incentivized to make you think that every new batch of results comes with massive significance.
Obviously, listeners here in the U.S., be sure to vote for democracy and to get every voter you know to do the same. Don’t let anyone think that the polls mean anything! Every vote is crucial. But once the voting is over on Tuesday evening…
For your own mental health, I highly recommend you avoid falling for media manipulation. So in Episode 30, I offer you specific strategies for Tuesday evening.
Apple Podcasts:
Spotify:
Links to everywhere else here.
I also explain that I have some visuals to help you. Hence, the space image at the top. Here’s some information about it. And here are the “Pillars of Creation.”
I suggest that you try to plan some non-election related things to watch/read/do during the first few hours of results coverage. That’s why this episode includes a bonus section for you: an interview with the fantastic Fatema Al Harbi of Sharaka, a group doing crucial work that’s ignored by the big media. It represents an actual reason for hope no matter what happens in the election.
Think of it this way. If Kamala Harris can take a few minutes to enjoy, smile, and even somehow seem relaxed, so can the rest of us.
Fingers crossed for election results that allow us to continue this democracy.
As always, alert me to any media failures you see and want me to weigh in on. Paid subscribers - a note to you follows, explaining how you’ll be able to alert me to things you think I should report during live, running commentary for a major news outlet on Tuesday evening. Everyone else, there’s a form at my website you can use.
Big love 🇺🇸 ,
JL