Maybe it was…

Rumination on a significant turn of events

Maybe it was Biden, with his oldness, the “garbage” comment.

Or maybe they should’ve kept Biden! With his appeal to the white working man.

Maybe she should’ve gone on Rogan.

Maybe it was sexism.

Maybe it was woke! Biological males in women’s sports. Free sex changes for illegal immigrants. Children transitioning in schools without their parents’ knowledge.

Maybe it was just inflation. Maybe Americans are a practical people.

Or else it was immigration. Gaza. Underselling the CHIPS Act.

Or maybe it’s the principle of it! America. Freedom. Victory. Whichever principle, transcending any figure, stat or practicality.

***

Maybe it’s Trump. The man. The legend who built a golden tower in the center of the world and dodges bullets. Who inspires both love and loathing. Maybe Americans are a people of extremes, who prefer a polarizing figure to a bland one.

Or maybe he’s a bigoted fascist propped up by a cult of personality.

Maybe everything’s going to be terrible. Apocalyptic. Drones and barbed wire fences and police dogs barking under gloomy skies that always seem to accompany a fascist takeover.

Maybe this fascist takeover will have blue skies.

Maybe it won’t be fascist. Maybe it won’t be a takeover.

Maybe Trump will make America great again. Maybe Trump is a sexist asshole.

Maybe Trump is a sexist asshole who will make America great again.

Maybe Trump cheated. Maybe the Deep State cheated in 2020 but this time it was too big to rig. Maybe whatever shadowy cabal pulls the strings decided that Trump would better serve their nefarious ends.

Maybe all that’s all nonsense.

***

Maybe it was covid. You know, the global pandemic that just happened.

Maybe it was the lockdowns. Business closures. School shutdowns.

Maybe it was the suburban moms pissed at kids spending two years staring at screens instead of learning.

Maybe it was the ones who refused to get vaccinated. Who lost their jobs, ignoring sanctimonious calls from “experts” to “follow the science.”

Maybe covid bubbled up subconsciously. Maybe being told to ignore Biden’s dementia to save democracy (until - nevermind, Harris!) opened festering psychic wounds.

Maybe, for many Americans, being called evil and stupid by coastal elites will do nothing but provoke furious backlash. Maybe that button will never work again.

Or maybe none of that really matters.

***

Maybe it was the million tiny things.

Maybe it was the one big thing.

Maybe we exist within a story. Maybe Trump is the protagonist and we’ve entered the climactic third act where his mettle is tested, his arc realized, and we all emerge victorious.

Or maybe this is a tragedy where Trump’s hubris gets the better of him and the kingdom falls.

Maybe the Shadow side of our psyches bifurcated the universe during the election and we were pulled into the Trump reality because we have the most to learn here.

Maybe Jon Stewart is right and we all died during covid and this is all “some strange surreal purgatory.”

Maybe we’re just atoms bopping around, saddled with brains, and the story is in us. And this one is compelling, and a lot of us just happen to be paying attention, even though it low-key sucks in some ways.

At least it won’t be boring. 

Or maybe another Trump presidency is the most boring thing that could possibly happen. Maybe we’ll all be shocked by how boring it is.

Maybe…