Every year has its ups and downs. We’d submit that 2023 was two thumbs down.
Between weather events in Vermont; repeated vetoes; war in Ukraine and Gaza; eroded trust in Congress after rip-roaring fights over leadership; and the run-up to another ghastly presidential race, the year had its share of blah.
The problem, of course, is that peering over the edge into 2024, we see more politics — local, state and federal — and no sign of peace in the world hot spots, and what feels like a six-month cycle now for weather events.
But let’s focus on the things we can control rather than obsessing over the negative. If we are taking an inventory of things we can all do better for the coming year, here are a few things that might accomplish more than you think:
— Be informed. Much of society has become quick to judge based on the lowest common denominator of facts. That has reduced discourse to heated exchanges of sound bites, when what is actually needed is a discussion (or it could be a debate) based on facts.
— Being informed means just that: Subscribe to a newspaper; read commentaries and essays; take out books from the library on topics about which you feel you need to know more. In the absence of information, we tend to fill in the blanks with assumption and conjecture. The result is no different than trying to complete a mathematical equation, or proof, with variables missing. Basic logic dictates that we cannot proceed to the next line without that full understanding of the previous.
— Be open. We need to open ourselves up to perspectives that run counter to ours. Seek them out. Don’t just dabble in it for a few moments in a token “I switched the channel and heard what they are saying,” but rather read and understand the points of view that shape the thinking — the tenets of the beliefs. You do not have to agree with what is believed, but understanding what is being said — and most importantly “why” it is being said — may reshape your thinking, and even bring us closer to a middle ground where the discussion can be had. The extremes get the most attention for being the most shrill, the loudest.
“We” think. Stop saying “they.” We resolve to push through the challenges ahead. And “they” are still our family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. The adage suggests we have more in common than not. Change your narrative to be inclusive. Shed intolerance, take a hard look at your biases and learn to understand how what you do may actually be a part of the problem.
— Be engaged. Commit yourself to an action. That means a lot of things. It ranges from taking part in public discussions on issues (hold a neighborhood potluck where you actually do talk politics; there need to be some ground rules on civility, of course) to making sure that you vote. The in-between can be volunteering for a cause or campaign; it could be writing letters to the editor; or it could be reaching out to lawmakers (local or in the congressional delegation) to let your concerns be known. It can also mean protesting, but have the answer ready if someone asks you: Why are you here?
— Vote. If you don’t like what your elected officials are doing, vote them out. We will suggest this one every chance we can. Too few Vermonters (and Americans) exercise this constitutional right. It is the most valuable tool we have for charting our futures and deciding what is best for the collective interest of our families and neighbors.
Politics usually gets in the way of this decision-making process, and it should not. What we decide in a voting booth is our decision alone, and we should not be persuaded by parties or agendas, but rather by who (or what) is most representative of our beliefs. No one will ever be the perfect candidate, but it is important for each of us to have a say.
— Be gracious. It is not about winning and losing. The needle never goes all the way to one side or the other — nor should it. History does not work that way. Revolution is always followed by a demise and another uprising. If you are banking on victory, you will always be disappointed. In fact, compromise, by definition, is all sides leaving the table without something they wanted.
Our station in life is not to stand idle. We need to be involved to make a difference. Resolving to be still only leaves us disappointed as the world pulls away from us. Some argue we invited the times we live in. There is some truth to that. Social media and the internet provide us the comfort of like-minded people. But that has also created an isolation that has changed us into spectators.
We must find our individual voice and use it. We must explore why we feel so strongly and convert it into action. And we must resolve to be more graceful around the jagged edges of history.
2024 could be rough, for sure. Ultimately, it will only be as hard as we make it.
