How politically anxious are you?

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How alarmed are you?

10
5
11%
9
5
11%
8
17
38%
7
6
13%
6
2
4%
5
3
7%
4
3
7%
3
3
7%
2
1
2%
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 45

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Kraken
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How politically anxious are you?

Post by Kraken »

World, nation, state, community, family...choose your own metric.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Drazzil »

I don't feel anxious. I feel doomed.
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YellowKing
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by YellowKing »

I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Remus West »

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 8:27 am I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.
This. Although I rated myself a 9. Having a daughter that is biracial doesn't help my anxiety level either as I see life becoming much more difficult for her than it has been for me due to both factors.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Skinypupy »

YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 8:27 am I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.
This
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by stessier »

I'm a 5.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by El Guapo »

Skinypupy wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:34 am
YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 8:27 am I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.
This
Same. It's not anxiety as much as it is despair and depression. We can pretty clearly see the doom in front of us, but it seems like there's no one who is both willing and able to prevent it.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by LordMortis »

Had to work between starting this post and finishing, so
YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 8:27 am I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.

I'm surprised. You always seem more the optimist than I do, and I peg myself at 7. My anxiety is definitely high but it hasn't ruled my life since Biden was sworn in. I'm guessing it ratchets up to 8 and hopefully not 9 as the midterms draw near. Once I get to an 8 that anxiety will start affecting my day to day life, nine would mean I really start to experience physical symptoms (again) and ten would be inescapable dread.

I was at Nine leading up to the 2020 election right through January 6th.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by YellowKing »

My optimism has been fading as it seems increasingly likely that not only will there be no January 6th investigation, there will be no voting reform. With both of those things on the table, there was still some hope for the Dems in the mid-terms. Without those, I foresee the GOP taking both houses, Biden's agenda completely nullified through 2024, and a contested presidential election in 2024 in which they install an illegitimate Republican president.

My optimism only extends through having open paths to the desired outcome. I'm not seeing those paths right now.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Kraken »

El Guapo wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:45 am
Skinypupy wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:34 am
YellowKing wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 8:27 am I'm at an 8. I don't let political anxiety rule my day-to-day life. I've got more immediate concerns - work, family, house, etc.

However, I don't see a way out of our current situation that doesn't end in bloodshed or A Handmaid's Tale. So there's an underlying sense of despair.
This
Same. It's not anxiety as much as it is despair and depression. We can pretty clearly see the doom in front of us, but it seems like there's no one who is both willing and able to prevent it.
Same general sentiment here, but I rank a 6. As an old white man with no kids, I don't have a huge personal stake in the survival of democracy until they come for my social security and medicare. Those programs just need to survive until I'm safely dead -- maybe 10 years, 15 worst-case. I hope I don't live to 80!

My DefCon would be higher if I were younger. When I was in my 20s I sounded a lot like Drazzil.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Smoove_B »

Yeah, I'm definitely a solid 8 at this point. I think its a function of a few different things, including having a teenage daughter and where we live in our state. I thought getting back to volunteering my time with local politics would help, but it's actually made things worse by reinforcing just how broken things are. Our state primaries are tomorrow and there's a Trump proxy running that has no experience and no business in public service, and yet somehow he's a viable candidate - enough so that the favored GOP politician has spent millions trying to discredit him. There are hardcore Trump pockets all over our state and I happen to live in a corner that is deeply Trump red.

To paraphrase Louis CK, I'm a middle aged white guy - you can't even hurt my feelings. I'm at a point where I clearly recognize this. I don't know how to fix any of it or even begin to address it. As the demographics in America continue to shift over the next ~25 years, I fear it's going to get much worse as those in power do everything they can to maintain their status.

I've already told my wife Canada is looking better every day, and I'm not even joking.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Kraken »

I forgot to mention one major contributor to my lower rating: Living in Mass. insulates me somewhat from the shenanigans in red states, and the coming federal meltdown.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Octavious »

I'm a 10. I'm always surrounded by Trump supporters no matter where I go and I don't see us getting out of this one. If they Republicans overthrow the election what recourse do we have left? I don't see anyone stopping them sadly.

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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Hamlet3145 »

Also an 8 here. And considering I'm a middle class white guy I can't even imagine what someone not in that demographic must feel.

I'll turn 50 the spring before the 2024 presidential election. 50 also happens to be the age when a number of retirement visas to low cost countries with sunny beaches become increasingly viable. Coincidence or destiny? We'll see.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Kraken wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:36 am I forgot to mention one major contributor to my lower rating: Living in Mass. insulates me somewhat from the shenanigans in red states, and the coming federal meltdown.
I live in a deep blue urban area in a mostly blue state. It does nothing to assuage the sense of doom. Mostly because I see every day that blue can be just as criminal and short-sighted as red.

It's like my 15-year-old anti-government angst self was right all along.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Little Raven »

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:30 amI've already told my wife Canada is looking better every day, and I'm not even joking.
Bad news, I'm afraid - this...thing...that's going around in the US? Political radicalization? Loss of faith in institutions? Steady uptick in the temperature of the rhetoric?

It's happening everywhere. Some places are heating up more slowly than the US, some places much faster, but whatever it is, it's sweeping across the globe. It's coming for Canada too.
There are other reasons to worry as well. A study released by the University of British Columbia's Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions this week found that, out of a sample of a million tweets sent to candidates during the last federal election, 16 per cent could be classified as "abusive." Concerns about the safety of MPs and their staff were raised even before a Canadian Armed Forces reservist crashed through the gate at Rideau Hall and allegedly threatened the prime minister.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by malchior »

I rate my anxiety at a 4. I've been preparing for this for quite awhile now. It's only at a 4 because I see people I know who are very anxious.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by hepcat »

I’m also at the low end. We’ve weathered smarter cult leaders than Trump. I suspect he’ll eventually do something that goes too far for even the rank and file GOP, and they’ll turn on him...even at the expense of losing his worshippers. But even those deluded fools will eventually dwindle in number.

We’ll eventually find something that binds us...at least for a while. Then the cycle will begin anew.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

hepcat wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:29 pm We’ll eventually find something that binds us...at least for a while.
A worldwide pandemic didn't do the trick and I'm not expecting the space alien invasion force any time soon.

9/11 happens today and it probably sparks off civil war. In a way, Guliani is the perfect metaphor.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Little Raven »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:42 pm9/11 happens today and it probably sparks off civil war. In a way, Guliani is the perfect metaphor.
One of the reasons my anxiety is relatively low is that I just don't see any roadmap to civil war. Civil unrest? Sure. But the military splitting?

I can't see it.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by stimpy »

I had to look to see what year this thread was created.

You got Biden in the White House.
Everything was supposed to be gravy just as long as....ya know....no Trump.
I can go back and find plenty of posts that said over and over that anything other than Trump would cause your worry and panic to lessen.
That things just HAD to improve to a manageable level.
What happened?
Last edited by stimpy on Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Octavious »

People like you. :P
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Little Raven »

There is a strain of thought among certain liberals (nobody here, I'm sure) that Fox News is a problem because it keeps conservatives in a constant state of near panic over the imminent and ultimate fate of the Republic, which is no doubt doomed unless drastic action can be taken. Fox News does this, of course, because anxious people are people that will keep consuming news which confirms their existing biases.

We are fortunate to live in a country where this phenomenon is limited to one side of the aisle.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Blackhawk »

9. And 5.

I'm starting to feel... resigned. Which is bad.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Kraken »

stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:47 pm What happened?
The R party doubled down on gutting democracy, and the D party can't/won't fight it. That's going to end badly for them.

Or maybe us libruls are just chronically anxious. :lol:
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by stimpy »

Octavious wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:47 pm People like you. :P
Nah....I've been here all along!!
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Skinypupy »

stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:47 pm I can go back and find plenty of posts that said over and over that anything other than Trump would cause your worry and panic to lessen.
It has lessened, significantly. I can only imagine the colossal shit-storm we'd be in if Hair Furor was still in the WH.
That things just HAD to improve to a manageable level.
They have improved, significantly. In many areas.
What happened?
Unsurprisingly, the derp brigade is still hell-bent on destroying democracy. But, of course, you know that already.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by stimpy »

So for you it's an 8, but has lessened significantly?
I'd hate to live in your head.....
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Kurth »

7 for me. I think post-Obama, I’ve generally been in the 6-8 range consistently.

And, I call BS on malchior’s 4, unless I’ve completely misunderstood 97% of his posts on this forum! :D
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Formix »

My anxiety is pretty low, 4. Mostly because I'm almost resigned to the shitshow of some sort of political and maybe literal nationwide unrest. I've joked about the Confederated States of Jesus before, but it almost seems like some sort of division is inevitable, hence the low anxiety since I don't think there's anything to be done about it. Also why I've been considering New Zealand, but I better get in gear since once I hit 55, they're not interested in letting me in.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by malchior »

Kurth wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 12:39 amAnd, I call BS on malchior’s 4, unless I’ve completely misunderstood 97% of his posts on this forum! :D
Oh I get the confusion. I have a strong point of view on things but it isn't anxiety.

I'm more pissed off than anything. IIf the question was how much is your political hatred of this system it'd be a 11. Years ago I used to say this is no way to run a country - when we had those idiotic government shutdowns. Look where we are now. :(
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by hepcat »

Octavious wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:47 pm People like you. :P
:lol:
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Little Raven wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:56 pm
LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:42 pm9/11 happens today and it probably sparks off civil war. In a way, Guliani is the perfect metaphor.
One of the reasons my anxiety is relatively low is that I just don't see any roadmap to civil war. Civil unrest? Sure. But the military splitting?

I can't see it.
I consider civil war to be citizens fighting citizens on a large scale. Military intervention isn't a requirement. I suppose you could call it large scale civil unrest but it's more than people vs. government that characterizes most unrest. I mean civilians targeting minority groups, citizens forming militias, etc. We saw it small scale last year. Won't take much to see it explode.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Holman »

I'm back up to 8.

During the Trump years I was at a near-constant 10. After January 20, my anxiety dropped down to 5 or 6.

Now that it's becoming clear that certain Democrats are willing to let the Republicans continue their destruction of the Republic, I'm back up.

Our only hope is that anxiety among Democrat voters is enough to get them mobilized for 2022. Complacency is what kills us in elections, after all.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by noxiousdog »

Little Raven wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:55 pm There is a strain of thought among certain liberals (nobody here, I'm sure) that Fox News is a problem because it keeps conservatives in a constant state of near panic over the imminent and ultimate fate of the Republic, which is no doubt doomed unless drastic action can be taken. Fox News does this, of course, because anxious people are people that will keep consuming news which confirms their existing biases.

We are fortunate to live in a country where this phenomenon is limited to one side of the aisle.
The poll on this page would beg to differ.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by stimpy »

Formix wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:32 am Also why I've been considering New Zealand, but I better get in gear since once I hit 55, they're not interested in letting me in.
Wait.....what?
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by ImLawBoy »

noxiousdog wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:08 am
Little Raven wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:55 pm There is a strain of thought among certain liberals (nobody here, I'm sure) that Fox News is a problem because it keeps conservatives in a constant state of near panic over the imminent and ultimate fate of the Republic, which is no doubt doomed unless drastic action can be taken. Fox News does this, of course, because anxious people are people that will keep consuming news which confirms their existing biases.

We are fortunate to live in a country where this phenomenon is limited to one side of the aisle.
The poll on this page would beg to differ.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Madmarcus »

I'm a 6 mostly due to a generally laid back attitude that could be labelled as resigned if you wanted to be less positive. It probably helps that my current situation geographically isolates me from the day to day stuff, I intentionally don't follow the news as closely as I used to, and I have been doing homework towards retiring overseas for years unconnected to any US political issues.

What was said upthread about Canada is clear though - many of the same issues are common around the world. Years ago I was a regular reader of John Michael Greer's blog. His thoughts on the last days of the Roman Empire and into the Dark Ages wouldn't have felt like a sharp divide to the people who lived through it have stuck with me. Everything simply moves faster now.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by Smoove_B »

stimpy wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 10:47 pm What happened?
Above and beyond all the traditional politics, now imagine 15+ states currently passing regulations and modifying existing laws that ultimately limit or remove elements associated with your entire profession. Anxiety doesn't even begin to describe it.
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Re: How politically anxious are you?

Post by YellowKing »

Also for clarification, I read this just as it sounds - *politically* anxious. In other words, what is your anxiety level about the current state of politics.

From a "general anxiety" perspective I'm probably about a 2. I tend to be pretty laid back and don't worry about much unless it's an immediate concern.
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