Less than a week after the election, I was sitting at my computer, logging into a website, when there was a sudden “POP.” Instantly, my laptop and the external screen I had plugged into it went black. A few seconds later I noticed a strange smell, like fried onion rings that got too crisp. Attempts to reboot the computer failed.
I was frustrated, and disappointed, but not panicked. I have a good backup system, thanks to my beloved tecchie husband: I use an external hard drive running Time Machine software, and since I know I can’t trust myself to remember to run the backup regularly, I use another piece of hardware called a hub, set up so that whenever I plug my computer into power at my desk, the backup drive is also plugged in. Time Machine then runs automatically. I also store most of my files in Dropbox, so they are copied to the “cloud.” If my house were to burn down, taking the computer and external drive with it, I’d still be able to access the files. (Time Machine has the advantage that it backs up all the software and configurations, so that you can restore your whole working environment as well as your files onto a new computer. It has the disadvantage that you have to “undock” the external drive every time you unplug the computer — a short pause that is worth it to me, for the reassurance of my data being protected).
I share all this detail in case you don’t have a good backup system and are looking for one. After all, technology failures are inevitable, even though we don’t know when they will strike. I’m a poor student of history, but I have the sense that failures of democracy are probably at least as inevitable. Our Founding Fathers tried to build in backup systems and fail-safes – checks, balances, idiot-proofing, etc. I’m not as confident they’re working as I was with my external drive + hub + Time Machine + Dropbox system.
I had a few days without a working computer after sending mine in for diagnosis. I decided it was a sign I should go ahead and make the persimmon-and-orange-bell-pepper salsa I’d been fantasizing about since impulsively grabbing a bag of each from the reduced-for-quick-sale bin at the food coop. It came out quite yummy!
Then, I tried to restore my backup onto an old laptop of Don’s that Sam was planning to use someday. It took a couple of days to finally decide that computer wasn’t working. At that point I gave up and bought a new computer. On the day I got my backup restored onto it, I got a call saying my old computer was fixed! It turned out that despite the sensory drama of the crash, it was just the sound card, which when it fails apparently interferes with the rest of the functioning. So, I wish I’d been a little more patient, and just taken advantage of the computerless window to do some more cooking, or something.
I’m not sure if there’s an analogous kind of patience to apply to our political system. I do want to revisit the final chapters “Resistance” and “Endings” in the must-read book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat. One item I highlighted the first time through was the story of Ekram Imamoglu, who won the race for mayor of Istanbul in 2019 by using the power of positive emotion rather than fear and hatred in his opposition to strongman Erdogan. His campaign manager said they had two simple rules: “Ignore Erdogan and love those who love Erdogan.” Ben Ghiat says:
Imamoglu turned the strongman’s politics of aggression and arrogance on its head. Instead of the mass rallies that stage authoritarian leader-follower dynamics, he walked the streets to ‘engage people directly, no matter what their ideology,’ greeting voters in cafes, mosques, and parks. Instead of menacing repression, he gave hugs.
Here’s praying that with patience, persistence, positive psychology, and maybe some persimmons and peppers, we will get to a better place in our country and world.
Wonderful!! And here I was that honking that an advanced clandestine AI had fried your computer.
Yes, let’s boost goodness and kindness, wherever we detect it, in others, in ourselves!
Yes we need hopeful stories from everywhere, so thank you. I’m also laughing because of the name “Time Machine” for your back up system. It infiltrated your entire brain and caused you to write a novel! Laughing and hope are so crucial. 💕
Thank you! Your voice, this message, welcome freshness in the midst of so much beleaguered noise. Praying we don’t ever become so embattled and so embittered, that we forget the healing power of patience…and peace. (Unwittingly adding to your ‘p’ word alliteration at the end. 🤩)
Your voice is important. Happy I get to hear it.
I would enjoy persimmons and peppers. 🙂 Thank you for this essay! I’ve been sharing an article from Waging Nonviolence, “10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won”. The author initially wrote it before the election, but revised it once Trump won the nomination. I find a lot of great ideas and resources mentioned at each step. I hope you and others find it of use.
https://wagingnonviolence.org/2024/11/10-things-to-do-if-trump-wins/