Every election cycle, Americans argue about who to blame for the nation’s problems. Some point to the sitting president, others at Congress, and many at the media. But the harsh reality is that America’s troubles—division, misinformation, corruption—are not solely the fault of politicians or media moguls. They are a reflection of the people. A country gets the leadership and the media it deserves. If America is failing, it is because Americans have allowed it.
The Voters’ Responsibility
Elections are not a lottery where we hope for the best. They are a direct consequence of the choices made by the people. Yet, time and time again, voters elect candidates not because of their qualifications or track record, but based on partisan loyalty, emotional appeal, or media narratives. The result? A cycle of incompetence, corruption, and broken promises.
Holding elected officials accountable is practically nonexistent. Scandals come and go, yet politicians remain in office, emboldened by the fact that public outrage is fleeting. Americans talk about change but continue to reward the same patterns of behavior, re-electing those who serve their own interests instead of the public’s. Without a cultural shift where character and competence matter more than party affiliation, this cycle will never break.
The Media is a Business, Not a Public Service
The media—left, right, and center—is not designed to inform, but to profit. News organizations are businesses that thrive on controversy, outrage, and division. Every click, like, and share fuels an industry that benefits from keeping the public in a state of perpetual conflict.
Americans have become addicted to confirmation bias, seeking out news sources that reaffirm their beliefs rather than challenge them. The result is a nation divided, not by truth, but by competing versions of reality. As long as people continue consuming media uncritically—taking headlines at face value and treating political commentators as gospel—media corporations will continue to exploit this behavior for financial gain.
The Big Reset: A Nation That Thinks for Itself
So what would it take to fix this? A national reset, not of the government, but of the people. This doesn’t mean tearing down institutions or wiping the slate clean—it means fundamentally changing how Americans engage with their democracy and information.
- Voter Education & Accountability: Schools must prioritize civic literacy, teaching students not only how government works, but how to critically evaluate candidates beyond party labels. At the same time, voters must demand higher standards for leadership—refusing to re-elect politicians who fail to serve the public good.
- Independent Thinking Over Tribalism: Americans must stop treating politics like a sports rivalry. Instead of blind allegiance to parties, voters should analyze policies, demand transparency, and be willing to challenge their own beliefs. A healthy democracy thrives when its people think for themselves.
- Media Literacy: Citizens must recognize that media companies are driven by profit and learn to consume news with skepticism. This means verifying information, reading beyond headlines, and actively seeking diverse perspectives rather than relying on algorithm-driven echo chambers.
- Restoring Community & Dialogue: The divide in America is deepened by the loss of genuine, face-to-face discourse. Healing requires rebuilding community ties, having honest conversations, and recognizing the humanity in those with different views. Social media has turned politics into a battlefield, but real-world engagement can restore common ground.
What Healing Would Look Like
If these changes were made, America would no longer be a nation of angry, misinformed voters choosing between the “lesser of two evils.” Politicians would be forced to act with integrity because they would know the public actually holds them accountable. The media would have to shift from outrage-driven reporting to balanced journalism because the people would demand it. The national discourse would move from hostility to solutions.
America’s problems are not unsolvable, but they require an engaged, informed, and independent-thinking public to fix them. Until that happens, no president, no policy, and no election will ever truly change the course of this nation. The responsibility is not on Washington or the media—it’s on us.
