Jim VandeHei: Advice for liberals

A year ago, millions of MAGA voters would have voiced many of the same concerns Democrats have today. So this feeling is only spreading.

• I've put a Finish Line spin on Douthat's questions to help push the thought process forward:

"How do you love your country when it's governed by a man you hate?"

• This is hardly a new phenomenon. It's easy to hate people you disagree with or who hold power you wish your side held. You can rage against reality. Or you can direct that energy and emotion into the parts of America you find less aggravating, like your community or faith. And you can volunteer and vote to try to shift things two years later.

"Can love and friendship coexist with profound political divisions?"

• We all know people who plainly believe you can't love or like your political enemies. You see this in polls showing a sharp rise in people who refuse to date or marry those with different beliefs, or see the other side as evil and a threat to democracy. But being curious, not judgmental, about massive chunks of neighbors who see the world differently — and who are willing to explain their views, and hear yours out in good faith — is a step toward better understanding what you now see as the enemy. You can't change someone's mind if you don't understand why they feel the way they do.

"What makes life worth living if the course of history isn't what you thought?"

• Few things worry me more than hopelessness. It leads to apathy, indifference and bad things. But while politics matters, it isn't all of life. For some groups, it's threatening their health care, rights and livelihoods. For others, it's not. But we have escape routes we can take if and when politics is soul-sucking. They include family, service, community, faith, nature. Think deeply about what matters beyond the politics of today.

"If everything feels like power relations and power has slipped from your fingers, where can you find the good, the beautiful, the true?"

• Another good way to ponder Douthat's question above.

"What makes humanity a blessing on the world rather than a blight?"

• We'd all benefit from reflecting on this periodically, especially now. The loudest voices on the biggest platforms often amplify the worst of humanity. AI promises to challenge and expand our views of humanity. Anchoring ourselves in what is good, vital and transcendent about people in general feels not just wise, but urgent.

I'll toss out a bonus, more actionable question to ponder: What are the changes you can make today — in what you read or think about, or in allocating time — to find and spread meaning outside of politics?

The big picture: At Axios, we live by a foul-mouthed axiom: "When shit happens, shine."

• It's meant to inspire your best work with smarts and grace in the darkest, most difficult hours. Another axiom: "Do the next right thing." That's meant to make big problems smaller and more solvable because it emphasizes your next specific action.

🎧 Take 15 minutes to listen to New York Times columnist Ezra Klein react to widespread condemnation by fellow liberals for his column praising Charlie Kirk's willingness to debate ideas calmly and in unfriendly settings. Ezra offers a compelling way for both sides to think about conflict differently and less violently.

📱 Let Jim know what you REALLY think: [email protected].

• Coming soon from Jim: Advice for conservatives!

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