November 8, 2016

On November 4, 2008, the United States of America elected their first black president. It was a historical day in America's history.

This Tuesday November 4, 2016 will be another day we will remember, no matter who wins the presidential election. While every election is important, this one seems to be more significant than others throughout my short lifetime.

This election has been more than just the issues. Actually, one can possibly say it was less about the issues. It has become a competition of whether who can convince voters that the other side is (more) awful. In the past few months, I've seen endless political Facebook posts full of distorted statistics and biased "facts", all without any context. I wish I could say the majority of people question every post, but I know that is not the case.

We are in the transition of moving towards a more evolved digital world. Just look at Facebook or Twitter and you'll see the wild west of political discussions that do not rely on many facts. Previously, I wrote about how technology will change how we gain knowledge. This election emphasized just how critical it is for people to differentiate reliability of information on the internet. We must create a better internet where the truth is not dominated by viral posts that are based on selective data/stories that support their cause.

In March, I wrote about what we should expect from the President of the United States. I stated, "We should expect the President to work with Congress to make the nation as best as possible." We must remember that the control of Congress (House and Senate) is to be decided Tuesday as well. The presidential and Congressional elections will affect who will be appointed (or the lack of) to the Supreme Court, including the seat that has been empty since February. The elections will directly affect all three branches of government in a significant way.

Yes, we need to expect more from elected officials. But I would also say that we need to expect more from ourselves, the citizens. We all need strong opinions weakly held. We should not blindly trust select sources and have empathy for those who may not have the same views.

Here are quotes I've picked from The West Wing that I think are applicable during this election week.