Re: "Video games are too political now."
Hi. I saw your post. I agree with everything you said. I'm sorry you're pissed off ("frustratingly mad") about a dumb talking head.
You can't stop them. You can't save their viewers from them. You can't fix politics by listening to them or knowing about them.
If you want to do something meaningful politically or in society, you can.
You can email your city councilors and your state representatives. You can speak at public school board meetings about curriculum or transparency or bad shit they're doing.
You can advocate for changes at local businesses. You can volunteer with local non-profits or political groups.
You can build relationships with people in your community. You can listen to people, and understand where they're coming from (your neighbors, not the talking heads).
The culture wars aren't knew, and they're not worth paying attention to. Sometimes the drama is fun, but when they stop being fun, it's just not worth it.
There is so much important stuff, and it's the talking heads and the algorithms and the way we consume the news that makes us so mad.
My news sources have changed, I have learned, I have become more compassionate toward people I disagree with, and I'm happier because of it.
I've been getting my news via RSS, mainly from AllSides. And watching debates & speeches instead of news reporting after. And I've been choosing a lot more entertainment media lately (hulu shows, trackmania content, woodworking content).
For controversial issues, I recommend Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan on Youtube.
They go listen to people. And you have to listen too. If you start getting mad at somebody's opinion, remember that you just have to listen, and try to understand them.
While I still strongly disagree with a lot of republican voters on specific policy solutions, and perhaps where the political focus should be, there's just so much common ground and humanity that is missed when we only see uncharitable framings and dumb ass talking heads.
Most of us want safe communities, good schools, kind and helpful neighbors, and the freedom to determine our own futures.
Your Republican neighbor who's scared about the end of cash bail - they don't want themselves or you to be murdered. But they also don't want you or some innocent person to be detained unnecessarily because they're poor.
They're not stupid. They're not evil or cruel. They want a safe community.
The end of cash bail has seemed pretty successful in my state. But the propaganda spread around about how this would literally be the purge ... is scary as fuck if you believe it even a little bit.
Don't let the talking heads make you think people are so bad.
P.S. Also beware talking heads you like and agree with. They also will "other" people.