It sounds like you fully identify with with one of the very vocal political tribes so popular today. That’s OK. There are a lot of people in the same boat. The problem, of course, is an attachment to the doctrine of whichever group you have attached yourself. It’s as if they are the legitimate holders of truth and all others are manipulative charlatans.

That’s too bad because it prevents any investigation into the nature of reality. If the truth is already established there is no tolerance for challenging the doctrine.

I know how hard it would be to detach yourself from the in-group with which you identify — it would be like losing a part of what makes you, well, you. That’s too bad, because it means that everything you say is absolutely true. Trump and republicans are evil, everything is negative, the world sucks, etc. I’m so very sorry your see the world that way. I really don’t know what to tell you, other than there are other ways to see the world than what the various tribes dictate.

Rather than looking backwards and cursing the evil people, why not explore some new ideas and think about possible positive futures? I know that is inconsistent with the social norms of the groups to which you attach yourself, but it’s a lot more uplifting than sitting in a sea of negativity.

Read some books — recent ones by Pinker or Factfulness by Rosling. These books point out the incredible positive accomplishments that have occurred in recent decades. I know this is not a topic you are drawn to, but the discipline it takes to get through them could be life changing. I encourage you to give them a try.

I’m sure this is not the kind of response you were seeking when you posted your response to my article, but these are my most honest and heartfelt thoughts. I hope they help. The world can be whatever you make of it, and making it a little less negative can reveal more than you might think.