Disclaimer: This is not your typical article about the 2016 election. I disagree with the results of the election, and think that the election had too many negatives to count, but there are actually a few benefits that nobody seems to care about. Enjoy!
It’s been long enough now to look back on the 2016 election and really reflect what we learned. Thousands of articles have been made about how “horrible” the election was, and how it was the worst time for America in over a decade. While there is some truth to that, I really believe that there are some positives that came out of it. Let’s talk about how the 2016 election actually benefited me and should benefit you as well.
For the few people that didn’t care about the election, this doesn’t benefit you. But for the millions of individuals that either cried happy or sad tears, from the election, this is the major take away that we should all notice. The major thing that I took away from the election, was that it was a great learning experience.
I am only 21 years old, and this was the first presidential election I could’ve participated in. I voted and didn’t get my way. I was really mad during that horrible night, but it took some time for the pain to heal. Our country went through a rollercoaster of a year and a half between two presidential candidates that couldn’t get a grip.
I went from really being behind Hillary, to really questioning her, to then picking her over Trump because Trump was (is) a trainwreck.
I learned so much from this presidential election and I’m actually grateful.
One thing I learned was that, just because your candidate didn’t win, you can still make a change for the better.
Trump is now our president, like it or not. If it isn’t his stupidity being apart of the headlines, it’s one of his many white “officials” being as corrupt as he is. This negativity doesn’t bring me down though. I actually learned to be a better human being. I have learned to be more open-minded because there is clearly a drastically different point of view on things in this country. Instead of just being resentful to Trump and his followers, I quickly tried to understand why they think the way they do.
I actually learned a lot through research and reading through personal posts and opinions. While I may not agree with their reasoning, I understand where they come from and that has made me a better person. The scary part is that there are thousands of people that continue to act like I used to act, and it’s truly despicable. I am moderately left on the political spectrum, and somehow, I have had more arguments on social media with liberals than I have had with the conservatives.
The far left likes to name call and shame anyone who doesn’t agree with them and it’s so sad.
We need to peacefully share opinions, and try to understand and reason why other people think the way they do.
The left can’t get that yet and hopefully they learn.
Another positive from the election was finding out where I actually land on the political spectrum. In high school, they try their hardest to show you the political spectrum, and then try and place you on it through questions. While they may think it actually works, people need to be thrown into it by themselves to see what they actually think.
As a senior, school taught me that I was really left, and I actually truly believed it. I thought and spoke like I was a socialist and I was only 18. The election came right after high school and I truly learned where I was.
If I had to put myself on the spectrum, I’d say I am moderate but tilting slightly left. It’s one thing to read on their official website that a standard democrat may be pro-choice. But it’s another thing to watch these candidates talk to people, deal with problems, and come up with solutions.
I learned through that year and half that neither side is 100% right.
There are aspects of both sides that are agreeable. It’s nonsense to ride or die with one side just because you label yourself as a “Republican” or “Democrat.” Both sides have valid points, and this country needs to become more moderate in order to be more understanding.
I have learned to be more open-minded and to be kinder to people regardless of their beliefs. While many people haven’t realized it yet, these positives have actually affected thousands of Americans and it should hit you soon. Whether it takes reading this article to understand or learning through your daily life, The 2016 election actually had some positives and I am grateful.
