Today is Election Day.
Step 1: Do your research. What the candidates say is not research. Fox News is not research. Joe Rogan is not research. Research involves facts and data, not speculation and unsubstantiated claims masked as questions to uncover the “actual truth,” because it never does.
Step 2: Question what you read. Don’t just stop at the headline. Ask, “Why?” Ask, “Is this really true?” And follow up. It was discovered a few days after a video surfaced that claims of an immigrant voting multiple times were fake. It was debunked that immigrants were eating pets. Extreme headlines and claims are designed to evoke anger and fear. It’s easy to get riled up by fear and anger. That’s why they’re doing it…because it works.
Step 3: Use critical thinking. This is a lost skill, but if we try hard enough and are open to the possibility that not everything we hear can be true, we can do it. It’s clear when there is a lack of critical thinking. There is no critical thinking when there is no listening. There is no critical thinking when responses to questioning claims are met by more rhetoric, more unsubstantiated claims, and more taglines. There is no critical thinking when being presented with facts triggers personal attacks or short circuits the brain.
Step 4: Vote.
This election is too important. Too much hangs in the balance for women, minorities, immigrants, children, healthcare, and the future of our country. If you can’t see that, are too caught up in anger and fear, or think that a fascist authoritarian cares about you and will do anything for you that doesn’t benefit him, you skipped one or more steps and should go back to step 1.