The political landscape over the past decade has become increasingly polarized and hostile. Gone are the days of good-faith debate and respectfully agreeing to disagree. As the left and right drift ever further apart, the discourse becomes more toxic, and we retreat into our own echo chambers, secure in the knowledge that the other side consists of simply “bad people”.
This has permitted an ugly political tribalism to take root, creating a world where one little opinion is all we need to know about someone. A single misstep is enough to label someone a “Far-Right Nazi,” rendering them unworthy of employment to feed themselves.
It’s little wonder, then, that lazy politicians have latched onto this idea.
Why bother running a campaign that involves planning how to run a country and making promises people want when you can simply “cancel” your opponent?
Over the last couple of election cycles, I have noticed more and more politicians (primarily those on the left, although the right is not innocent either) running almost entirely on a campaign of “My opponent is a bad person,” coupled with a lack of any real substance regarding policy or election promises.
If we look at the U.S. right now, could you name a Kamala Harris policy other than the “fact” that Trump is “weird”?
Watching the Labour Party in the UK in the run-up to our election, you’d have seen post after post on the Conservatives’ transgressions, of which, admittedly, there were many, but very few promises regarding policy.
Even now, months into their term, they continue to waste our time and taxes labelling their opponents as bad people, busy making videos mocking the Conservative leadership contest while the country crumbles at their feet.
But of course, it’s not “our fault”; it’s because those bad people used to be in charge, you see. As we witness their policies unfold in real time—emptying prisoners onto our streets, arresting people for tweets, and taking away pensioners’ winter fuel allowance—we can rest assured that the Tories are bad people.
As they harp on about surprise “black holes” while shovelling cash out the door to other countries’ climate policies and into Net Zero nonsense, we can be sure it’s all someone else’s fault when you’re cold and hungry this winter.
And as scandal after scandal hits the headlines over donations and bought access within the Labour Party, Labour, in a hilariously ironic twist, are busy pointing towards the Conservative leadership race and demanding donation “transparency”. Whether it’s a case of being so utterly clueless that it truly was the best campaign they could come up with, or a sinister obfuscation of policies they knew the public would reject, is unclear. Regardless, it is treated as a mandate to do whatever they please, as they only promised not to be the other guy.
Ultimately, this cycle of negativity and tribalism erodes the very foundations of democracy. As voters, we deserve more than hollow rhetoric and personal attacks; we need leaders, ideally on both sides of the political spectrum, who prioritize meaningful policies and genuine solutions to the pressing issues we face. Is the other side perfect? Of course not, but that should not be allowed to stand as any politician’s main campaign stance.
If our political landscape continues down this path of blame and division, we risk losing sight of the critical conversations that are necessary for harmonious societies. It’s time to demand better from our politicians and reclaim a discourse rooted in respect, accountability, and a shared commitment to the future.
About The Author/s
Discordia
As a female gamer, I do not exist.
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