Listen HereBy Clay Parlette
@claypar111
As the election quickly approaches, many students I talk to have given up on having political discussions and deciding on positions. Frankly, what used to be one of the most sacred traditions in our country has spiraled into an object of memes, sarcasm, and insults. I get it. Most people just aren’t passionate like I am when it comes to politics, and in this year especially, most levelheaded people would just prefer to remain neutral. More shockingly, many probably won’t even vote at all. But there’s an opportunity that lies in this mess. That is, even as the political hayday ensues, showing support for the first potential woman president may have its benefits in the—ahem—romantic world. So here they are: the top five reasons a vote for Hillary makes you a better date.
1. It shows you have self-control.
As the famous Buddha quote goes, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.“ You don’t need to study political science to know that Trump’s entire platform is based in anger—at the “establishment,” at the Mexicans, at “the corrupt media,” and pretty much anything that doesn’t bow down to his flossy towers. It’s an unattractive trait to have—especially in a relationship. By showing support for a candidate that has visibly displayed her ability to remain temperate even while being accused of the most horrible of things, you also prove that you too can keep a cool head.
2. It proves you recognize the complexity of the world.
Trump’s website lists a total of seven “positions” that he holds. While these “positions” are all acceptable topics for debate, the solutions given for each problem are notably bombastic and simplistic. Basic leadership courses teach that leadership isn’t about filling in the correct bubble, but the ability to make 1+1=3. While it may be in our nature to want to superficially “win,” a victory for the nation, and the world, is about working with others to achieve something greater than can be accomplished by one person alone. Leadership is an attractive trait that one candidate possesses, and the other merely claims to have.
3. It displays your respect for people that weren’t born and raised the same way you were.
HRC has embraced people from all walks of life—from immigrants to African Americans, LGBTQ families to Latinos, women to Muslims, and everyone in between. She repeatedly asserts that our differences are something to be celebrated in this melting pot we call home. What better way to showcase
your romantic side than by supporting the candidate who has long proclaimed her passion for a culture of love?
4. It shows you have an appreciation for history.
If Hillary is elected president, it will be a historic (or should I say HERstoric) moment that will be taught in classrooms for generations to come. Her accomplishments in politics and government far exceed any of her female predecessors. That’s not to say this should be the only reason to vote for her, but it sets aside any possibility that you might harbor any chauvinistic beliefs that history shames.
5. It asserts your ability to plan for the future.
Trump dismisses climate science as “bullsh*t,” a hoax created “by and for the Chinese.” He has called for the U.S. to return to isolationism, cutting necessary ties with rest of the world. Is it an impressive feat to flip off your insurance representative saying house fires are fictitious scare tactics created by the mafia? Perhaps not, just as it might raise eyebrows if you told your date you planned to move to Siberia to live in the tundra “because it’s safer.” Treat this election like you would a hot date, and vote strategically.
