It’s election season— again.
The presidential primaries are underway, and the stage is being set for what will likely be a bad rerun from 2020.
Campaign signs are in the highway ditches— many of which market candidates who are running unopposed, which begs the question: why spend the money?
As we find ourselves once again immersed in the throes of another election cycle, it's hard to ignore the collective sigh of exhaustion from political bystanders.
Unending elections leaves us all feeling drained and weary.
Have our democratic processes become victims of their own longevity?
It often feels as though the last election ended only to make way for the next one, creating an unending loop of political advertisements, fundraisers and rallies.
Incumbents are always campaigning, leaving little time to govern. The result is a diluted focus on policy discussions and an increased emphasis on political maneuvering.
Candidates, pressured by the need to stay in the public eye, resort to sensationalism and mudslinging rather than engaging in substantive policy discussions.
Who cares about policy when there are likes to be gained on Instagram and culture wars to be fought on Facebook.
Technology has taken hold of political discourse in the form of social media and we are all being held hostage by it.
The late Neil Postman was a cultural critic and media scholar. He coined the term "technopoly" in 1992 whereby he warned of the dangers of a culture dominated by technology.
In doing so, Postman defined “technopoly” as a society where technology is the dominant force in shaping the culture and values. It is a state where technology not only permeates all aspects of life but also becomes a governing ideology.
He said there would come a day where technology would replace religion.
He warned that in a technopoly, there would be a tendency to adopt technology without concern for its consequences. He said, we would become enamored with technology and fail to question its impact on our lives.
Postman worried that the rise of technopoly would lead to the erosion of traditional cultural values.
He suggested that technology could lead to the dehumanization of individuals. The focus on technological solutions would undermine human connections and relationships.
Furthermore, the abundance of information and entertainment would distort reality, making it challenging to distinguish between meaningful and trivial aspects of life.
He said there would be a shift from a focus on meaningful discourse to an overwhelming influx of information.
Postman encouraged us to critically assess the impact of technology and resist the idea that technological progress is inherently positive.
Though Postman did not advocate for rejecting technology, he suggested we engage with technology, question its effects and ensure that it serves our values rather than dominate them.
Postman's prophecy of the technopoly, (again) first published in 1992, has come to pass and is especially pronounced in our political discourse and our elections.
Candidates feel the need to entertain rather than inform.
Postman believed our democracy would be in jeopardy when entertainers became policy makers and, in turn, our policy making became entertainment.
I fear we are there.
This focus on theatrics over substance among our policy makers has eroded public trust in the political system and has diminished the importance of critical issues facing the nation.
So, what do we do about it?
We should silence the noise and focus on the issues that matter.
We should ask the tough questions of our political candidates and hold them accountable to answer the questions fully.
We should get involved. We should vote.
The best way to get involved is to attend a city council or school board meeting. See for yourself.
Take your seat at the table. See how the sausage is made— and many other colorful cliches.
But I should warn you, if you attend too many of these meetings, you might feel the urge to run for office.
And that’s okay. Too many local elections are cancelled due to lack of opposition.
Get involved, ask questions that matter, write letters to the editor, advocate your point of view and remember the filing deadline for city council and school board elections is Feb. 16.