DEAR Jasminda,
Every time I catch up with my friends the conversation always ends up leading to our despair over American politics.
I catch up with them to escape negative things and sometimes I now leave feeling worse than when I arrived. What’s the answer?
Katie L.
Dear Katie,
It’s hard to fathom some of the things going on in the so-called “land of the free”.
It can be very easy to get caught up in it, particularly if you take an interest in world affairs and/or you have a shred of empathy in your body, which is all that would be needed to question the state of play in America at the moment.
Every day there seems to be another story of a policy punishing people in need while the filthy rich get richer (or filthier).
By comparison, regardless of your politician persuasion, Australia appears to be the grown up in the room.
Many people I speak to say that the lucky country feels even luckier and that they feel proud that they are living in a country that respects education, healthcare, community-minded people, a respect for others, laws that protect citizens, and politicians who know that they are not above the law.
It can be natural to want to let off steam and this is what your friends are doing, but it is important to take part in activities that offer some sort of positive release too.
Perhaps you can suggest that you spend the first 10 minutes of your catch ups discussing American politics if there is a burning desire to do so, but past that point it becomes an out-of-bounds subject until the next time you meet.
You can explain that it is really affecting you and that as much as you love catching up, you feel the subject matter is taking a personal toll.
There may even be other members of your friend group who feel exactly the same way and who have not been game to speak up.
Carpe diem,
Jasminda.
