Politics is a circus.
Social media is the sideshow.
And you? You’re in the front row, popcorn in hand, screaming at the clowns.
So during intermission, let’s lay down some common-sense ideas about discussing and observing politics.
1.The Loudest People Usually Aren’t the Smartest
And certainly not the most well-informed.
They’re just the loudest.
And don’t necessarily care to go to great lengths to provide full context for everything they say.
Sorry, *everything they scream*.
Babies crying on airplanes are loud, too, and that doesn’t mean they’re making great points.
You just hear them because you can’t ignore them.
That’s how social media works: the loudest voices dominate the narrative.
Not because they’re right.
Not because they’re wise.
Just because they’re loud.
And if you listened only to them, without critically thinking, you’d think everyone outside is marching with pitchforks and torches.
Spoiler alert: they’re not.
Step away from your feed, wave at a stranger, and odds are—they’ll wave back. That’s real life.
So put on some headphones, change the channel, and don’t confuse noise with absolute truth.
- Social Media Runs on Drama
Duh.
Why does your feed look like a never-ending episode of Jerry Springer?
Because that’s the business model.
Social platforms have one job: keep you scrolling.
And they’re really, really good at it.
You open TikTok for “one video” and suddenly you’ve time-traveled 41 minutes into the future.
What the hell man?!
And what’s the easiest way to keep you glued?
Drama.
Outrage.
Conflict.
Cue the loud voices again.
Don’t fall for it.
It’s not that the world is horrible.
It’s that billion-dollar companies profit by making you think it is.
And oh yeah…
Politics is you know… competitive.
- Lose the Us vs. Them Mentality
“The world would be perfect if it weren’t for them!”
Yeah, super peaceful mindset you’ve got there bub.
Here’s the deal: thinking your side is always right and the other side is always wrong doesn’t make you smart.
It makes you inflexible.
And kind of an asshole.
Neither party has a monopoly on being right.
Read that twice.
Neither party has solved healthcare, immigration, or the great pineapple-on-pizza debate.
Both parties have had bright smiles.
Both parties have had bruises.
If you think your side is perfect and the other side is evil, congrats, you’re not the smartest person in the room, you’re the most indoctrinated person in the room.
And if you study history for five seconds, you’ll see your team probably does the same shady crap you accuse the other side of doing.
We’re all hypocrites, the lot of us.
- Different People Have Different Ideas (And That’s Good)
Guess what?
Different people think differently.
Which is literally the entire point of education, debate, and democracy.
And if hearing a new idea makes you melt down like a snow cone, you’re not principled—you’re fragile.
So here’s a reminder: disagreement doesn’t make someone your enemy. It just means… they disagree.
And this happens all the time.
Your own family can’t even agree on what’s for dinner, and you think an entire political party is 100% aligned?
Please.
What’s being missed is that politics is basically like ordering dinner with two choices: steak or lobster. If someone orders steak, you wouldn’t scream, “They hate seafood! They hate water!”
That’s insane.
Yet that’s what the loud voices do.
And that’s what the crowd eats up without stopping to consider there’s a larger number of people who really wanted a hamburger, a pizza, or even sushi for dinner.
But that wasn’t on the menu, so now they’re ordering dinner based on who has the better sides.
Don’t you do that?
You’ll realize this if you just talk to people.
The truth is, even within parties, not everyone in a party carries the exact same beliefs: It’s a big tent, full of contradictions where one person’s “progress” is another’s overreach and vice versa.
And it will always be that way because fundamentally people think differently.
It’s a beautiful thing.
- Leave Your Echo Chamber
It feels nice to always be right.
After all, who doesn’t love a stroll down “I’m right, you’re wrong” avenue?
But this walk also makes you lazy, selfish, and completely incapable of growth.
Because in order to grow, you have to be able to at least hear something new. Then you get to decide if you agree or disagree.
If you can’t even hear a counterpoint, I promise you, you’ll never learn anything new.
You’ll just keep shouting the same dumb slogans until the day you die.
The truth is, people like politics because it feels like a fight without the bruises.
You get the adrenaline, the camaraderie, the villain speeches from leaders, the tribal chants from your side.
But this….
This is just a cheap high like Red Bull for your ego.
And if you really want to save the world, be kind.
Love your enemy.
And lighten up.
The Bottom Line
People in power want useful idiots.
Blind fans who fight, scream, and never question.
Don’t be one.
Think harder. Listen longer. Be tougher to manipulate.
And know there’s nothing new under this sun.
Because if you really want this country to work better, the answer isn’t yelling louder.
It’s stepping back and thinking clearly.
Please like, comment, share, and tell me what you think. Do You Agree? I don’t care who you voted for, nor will I ever tell you to vote for.
Never miss a blog post and follow me here too: Tonysbologna | Anthony Robert | Substack
I know as I said ‘I’m not on any side’. Not the desired declaration, clearly, but really the only even mildly sensible position. Another acquaintance told me I would appreciate Gadaffi as he had/has Tito like aspects. This only goes to show that friendships conducted over the air waves need to characterised as superficial at all times…!!! And yes it is about who has the biggest megaphone. What a shame.😳
It’s a damn shame- doing everything I can to take the pot off the kettle
https://thehealthexchangeblog.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/politicosober-the-ultimate-detox-from-the-political-frenzy-boysober-for-the-soul/
I watch/listen to very little news. I can’t avoid it all. And honestly shouldn’t. With this 24/7 access to news that we currently have; it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole.
Aren’t we all Alice?! Appreciate you reading my friend
🐰
Wait a minute . . . someone else might have a different opinion than me? No waaaaay. Ha, ha, great piece Tony. Best thing I’ve seen in weeks. We’re living in “interesting times.” I guess that’s a good thing. I definitely feel like things are upside down. Thanks for the few minutes of reality!
No worries my friend- I agree with you, interesting times indeed -,the best time to read a good book
Tony, THANK you. Really love your voice in this conversation. You do well, my word – friend.
I so agree. Well done!
That was perfect. Do you mind if I repost it?
Please do! I want the message to spread!
Also happy you enjoyed it
Absolutely , I agree to all the points and liked the most , instead of indulging in politics , if one wave the other person , he would wave back , and that’s what real life is. The world today needs to listen more such content so as to understand what really matters is “good sense of understanding.”
Thanks so much, I do think people won’t regret just being kind
Appreciate you reading!
I whole-heartedly agree with your post. I told someone once, “You have to question why anyone in their RIGHT mind would want that much power?” Thank you for calling the spades a spade. Peace to you in all of your endeavors.
Same to you! Yeah I wouldn’t want that stress
I know I’m in the minority here, but with all due respect, this sounds a bit too similar to the “there are very fine people on both sides” statement that was made immediately following the horrendous violence coming from just one side. The analogy of lobster vs steak implies that both sides are wonderful, when to my way of thinking one side lies, cheats, kisses up to demagogues, clings to the past, and values ostentation, while the other side promotes inclusion, peace, and honesty. I agree that critical thinking is a must in this world that more closely resembles 1984 (1954?) every day, but the “steak” side wants to limit critical thinking in schools , television, etc. and replace it with doctrine that tows the party line.
Hey Lori,
Appreciate you reading and sharing your opinion!
This is what it’s all about.
Using the lobster vs. steak analogy, my mind goes to, the lobster media side will do everything in its power to demonize the steak side but never / rarely acknowledge the times where they messed up.
And the steak media side will do everything in their power to demonize the lobster side but never/ rarely acknowledge the times they messed things up.
I’m basically saying, that’s inherently the problem, when the steak and lobster parties both have of plenty of examples of supporters being crazy. And supporters being kind. And the talking heads will tell half truths, and lack complete context.
I think the challenge is to view people just as people and not parties, because no two people in any party carry the exact same values. Also no person isn’t without flaws.
But back to it, as far as choosing the heads of the party, the average person id be willing to bet wouldn’t want to hang out with the heads of either the lobster or steak party, and think they would have handled things / said things differently if it were them.
Who’s hungry?
I agree with you but the idea of reducing this to whose side are you on very much misses the point and plays into the hands of those who seem to completely miss the point that it isn’t progressives who want to turn back the clock, take away minority rights and so on and so forth.
Hope I have contributed something cogent it is half ten at night here… 😬
Hey! Appreciate you commenting! (At night too—props for the night-owl energy.) As a minority myself, having lived through both steak and lobster party eras, I haven’t personally seen my rights limited in any fashion. And perhaps I’m lucky—geography, community, or just timing might play into that. But you’re right, it’s not that straightforward, and I get why it feels lopsided when the headlines scream one way. Here’s my two cents, though:
Plenty of minorities in both parties: We’re not a bloc—folks like me vote steak or lobster based on what hits home, not some script.
Not everyone in a party carries the exact same beliefs: It’s a big tent, full of contradictions. One person’s “progress” is another’s overreach and vice versa.
Racist/extreme people exist in both parties: And they’ve got megaphones on every side, spinning their noise into policy.
Both parties have messy histories: Rewinds, fumbles, triumphs—it’s all there if you dig past the talking heads.
But really, that’s kind of the point: you really only have two parties, when the vast majority of people might want a hamburger party, a sushi party—or something else entirely. And certainly, I believe there are ideas the steak party has that the lobster party does support (like how the lobster party has ideas the steak party supports).
Just know the loud doesn’t speak for everyone.
Nor should they.
Generally speaking, I think most people can agree that racism sucks, healthcare should be accessible (if not free), people want to feel happy and respected, and having a strong military in a world full of war-like folks is probably a good thing. Imagine if we started there instead of the circus?
It does seem like the Republicans especially the current administration have mainly done it on their ability to control the airwaves which costs money (a lot of money). I’m not American.
https://theruminationcompilation.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/civic-ineptitude-signals-in-a-nation-of-noise/
Civic ineptitude is at an all-time high; the idea that “the powers that be” want useful idiots is not in any way wrong when you really look at the content being pushed everyday (very loudly) and the way it’s on repeat.
My favorite line: “Babies crying on airplanes are loud, too, and that doesn’t mean they’re making great points.” Thanks! 😂
Hahaha thank you!
This!!!
“People in power want useful idiots.
Blind fans who fight, scream, and never question.
Don’t be one.
Think harder. Listen longer. Be tougher to manipulate.
And know there’s nothing new under this sun.”
I love when I can gather people and we all work together or they can do the same with me at work. Start small, start somewhere.
Thanks so much my friend! Very wise, you gotta start small and just hope people will listen because everyone being bent out of shape all the time is not it
D.Friend! I agree with you people have different point of view, Barrack Obama was cool, confident and friendly. He’s eyes was always filled with positive attitude.💐
An amazing wordsmith he is! I always appreciated that about him!
Great conversation! So profound and humorous at the same time. 👍🏽
Thanks so much! Appreciate you reading my friend! The world needs humor
You made some great points and I agree!
Thanks so much, I appreciate you reading!!
Don’t use the tools of the intellect or the amygdala in an attempt to scry out where one may rest the mind. Simply witness. Once you have enough data, reach into the toolbox of the intellect and use it, but don’t let that toolbox use “you.” If your tools are worn out, grab a few books, read them, and then patch the toolbox if you believe the data is useful. This works for me, but results may vary. As usual, take even this post with a grain of salt.
Couldn’t agree more my friend!
Apt.
Thanks so much!
It really is a mind virus. I’ve made plenty of posts that were mistakes. The safety of being behind a keyboard makes people say things they wouldn’t in person. I’m trying to learn how to use it for positive posts lately. I wanted to abandon it completely until I tried to become a writer and quickly learned that isn’t an option. There are good online communities out there but they’re far and few between WordPress has been very positive in my experience and Author Media is another site where people don’t bash each other (but behind a pay wall).
I know someone else said that we can’t ignore human rights violations, constitutional violations and so on as “differences of opinion” and I agree wholeheartedly. But I think you are calling for sensibility and calm in the face of craziness.
Even knowing that, being able to step back from the chaos and anger not being fluent every word and hung up on every article is extremely important for our mental health.
Everyone needs to take a step back for a bit and honestly ask themselves if foaming at the mouth hate and rage bating people ever made anyone change their opinion. It probably won’t, but after awhile it will make YOU feel terrible. And you are more important than the voices on the tv and online.
I admit I am very one sided politically and have blocked and deleted many from the other side. Not from just a simple difference of opinion, but a moral obligation that standing up for people who need our support, helping others, and helping each other are just not things I’m willing to compromise on. That being said, spending 2 months away from the country was the best thing for multiple reasons. Oh boy was it amazing not to hear about Trump and every insane thing he does to grab headlines. It’s honestly like a mental form of exhaustion.
We need to turn away from that and I think the first step is putting down our phones for a bit
So jealous you got a chance to get away. Really this is the for first time in human history we really have experienced being this connected. And we’re all navigating it.
But I am calling for sensibility and calmness to just process everything.
Take everything with a grain of salt, realize both parties do help and hurt people, most members of both parties do ultimately want to help people then go with what you think is best. I would argue most people are sensible, and most people don’t want the extremists on either side, representing them.
And I do agree, I think DJT really does intentionally troll just for media attention. I think most people want him to chill out at times, sometimes / well often times, he makes the situation worse and most people across the political spectrum seem to wish he would be better spoken at times and you know, not be so narcissistic.
Appreciate you reading!!
Well put. I mean, the one-sentence paragraphs get old pretty quickly, but all the points are solid, and they are exactly what people need to hear right now.
I love the opening line of this blog !!!!! Thank you for sharing your viewpoint !
Everybody on earth should read this- especially in the U.S.
I’m thanks so much man!
Totally agree!
If you want to share with your friends – it could be good to end this crisis
I am one that watches the chaos from the sidelines being thousands of miles away. It seems so chaotic there but it is just as chaotic as social media which affects us all. Some people are not privileged enough to realise the truths you have written about: that not all things on social media are true. Just this week a friend sent me a video from tiktok showing bloodied rivers around the world which they claim are signs of that Jesus is coming (plus the rapture which should have happened yesterday etc). As a scientist, I always pause to think when I see such things. I am also able to log off for days and just live my life off screen. But I feel sorry that people are so gullible, they lack the ability to discern the reality behind social media, the truths you highlight here. And like in the USA, we’ve had serious chaos resulting from social media propaganda targeting the majority gullible users who take it off the screen with their pitches and forks.
The scientist in me has hope that this will eventually settle down as per the laws of equilibrium. I have also been convinced by my therapist that initially we experience chaos but we find balance eventually if we are patient enough not to self destruct.
I enjoyed reading the writeup.
Liked this blog post! So true and insightful. I’m an independent. I grew up in a family that always told me to vote for the Dems once I turned 18. What I learned over the years is that I was an individual, free-thinking, and independent person that voted my own interest. The person with the with morals, respect, and policies that aligned with mine. I am a veteran but also an eclectic group of friends from various ethnic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientation, and ages.
At the end of the day we need to be open-minded, thoughtful, and kind. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Much enjoy your writing! Glad to see there are people who agree. Also, I was wondering what my neighbor thought about my racket!
Thank you so so so much!!!
Just because the vast majority of the party’s *members* are ordinary, basically-kind people, does not mean the party’s *leaders* are, nor does it mean that ordinary, basically-kind people never do horrible things. If I took everything you’re saying here at face value, it would seem to imply that totalitarian governments oppressive regimes are all hoaxes. Which I’m sure is not what you meant!
I will say that the best way to prevent totalitarianism is basically the same thing you’re suggesting: choose peace, choose empathy, choose to believe that your political opponents are fundamentally human rather than evil mutants. But never choosing to be violent or dehumanizing is not at all the same as never choosing to be angry or outspoken.