With Election Day less than a week away, a look back at three pieces that still ring true today:
Election 2016: Clinton, Trump, and 3 Keys for Wading Through the Battle Royal:
We love the idea of lower taxes, but don’t want to deal with the dirty work of actually cutting services.
Too many people want to live in a world where they can have their cake and eat it too, so the truth is a dish best served by politicians who care not for re-election.
Read here: https://justtaptheglass.com/post-152856403045-election-2016/
Lessons from Election 2016:
There’s no bigger impact on a kid’s chances for academic success than family involvement. A child’s home environment plays a critical role in shaping the environments they spend their formative years in.
Do your parents give you an earful if you score less than a 95 or are they satisfied as long as you stay academically-eligible for the basketball team? Is your mom on a first name basis with your teacher or would she struggle to pick her out of a line-up?
Read here: https://justtaptheglass.com/post-152994801303-lessons-from-election-2016/
Slacktivism: The Problem with Social Media Movements:
A trendy hashtag or a few “likes” on social media might make people feel good and demonstrate that a message is being heard, but it doesn’t mean it has created change.
Activism that resides purely in the social media space is the worst kind of low-hanging fruit; take a bite and it falls apart in your hand.
Read here: https://justtaptheglass.com/post-109205123403-slacktivism/
The title picture is a still shot from the 1991 WWF Royal Rumble. Given that much of what we see in politics is theater designed to push narratives and elicit specific responses, that image remains a fitting metaphor.
Red vs. Blue, Democrat vs. Republican, class warfare, fallout in local elections; battle royales, rabid fandom, the storylines of the characters. Donald Trump’s media-driven heel turn once he transitioned from television boardroom executioner to not-sure-what-to-make-of-this political candidate.
I was a wrestling fan in the 1990s and I never need an excuse to draw on obscure references for (my own) entertainment.
Even if you have no idea who is featured in this picture, the “Politics as Professional Wrestling” comparison just…..fits.
(And if you do know the wrestlers, the nostalgia factor alone puts a smile on your face.)
One candidate is seeking the rare second non-consecutive presidential term. The other, a last-minute pinch hitter, the beneficiary of a right-place-right-time stumble.
This contest is filled with subplots.
Two presidential election cycles later, some of the themes explored in these articles will still determine whether we will “Make America Great Again” or prepare for “A New Way Forward”.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
These reads offer some insight and unconventional conversation points that anyone can appreciate—without the slightest interest in politics. Jokes, team-building strategy, self-advocacy tips, persuasion best-practices, leadership development, winning as an underdog; anyone from any walk will find something that resonates.
No Donald Trump or Kamala Harris support required to enjoy these ones.
Eight years and some internal growth later, I still find myself nodding my head as I re-read these articles.
Do let me know what you think.