How are you going to cope?

The usual ways. Friends. Walks. Gardening. Birdwatching. Knitting. Learning another language and reading. And less media and social media.

I'm finally deleting my Twitter/X account, something I should have done a long time ago. It's a time suck, and now it's a toxic time suck owned and gamed by a rightwing maniac. I look forward to gaining more time in my day. (Some of the time I gain back will admittedly probably be added to the time I spend on DL.)

I don't need an endless scroll of Trump updates.

Probably will avoid cable news for the next couple of weeks. I work remotely so I can just focus on my job during the day. After work, I will probably go for walks, watch movies, or old tv shows or listen to audiobooks. I attend a liberal Methodist church so I will take whatever comfort I can find there.

[quote] And less media and social media.

I will probably reduce my use of social media. I use Facebook Messenger quite a bit to communicate with friends and relatives. I'll keep Facebook, but won't check it as much.

I honestly don't know.

I think Trump and Elon will oversee the collapse of the dollar and that means mass upheaval and potential starvation on a global scale, so I'm not expecting to be able to just grit my teeth and ride it out the way I did last time.

If the above does not come to pass and climate change and global war don't take us out, it's still going to be a new and much more evil and violent world we are ushered into.

Frankly, I want to see my mother out (she's 82) and then I will probably commit suicide. I don't have kids or a partner and never wanted either, so stepping out while I can leave on my own terms will be okay. (For anyone Marying this, I have severe health issues that if Trump makes health coverage a thing of the past will be physically unbearable and probably fatal).

I had hoped to leave something behind, but I no longer think anyone wants it.

Perhaps there is a heaven.

Perhaps there are monarch butterflies there.

I did love the butterflies.

Yeah, I did promise myself I would delete Twitter after the election, so that won’t be hard to do.

Don’t we declare the outcome fraudulent and attack the Capitol Building?

Looks like some of you are coping by blocking those saying Harris wasn’t the right choice…

I should say that I am not advocating suicide, just that my own situation may make it the best possible choice under the circumstances. I cannot live without Medicare and if that goes, I have to make that decision.

I didn't think Harris was the right choice. I thought she tried hard and did the best she could given the situation. I think the Democratic leadership failed us all (I have written this elsewhere, so forgive me for rewriting the same thing here). I think Biden needed to step aside like he said he would. I swear these people get close to power and cannot give it up. I didn't don't as much as I usually do, because I thought the whole thing was a folly. If the Dems can actually be serious about winning, then that would be wonderful.

I’ll have to work until I’m 80. But I’ll probably just pull a Thelma and Louise.

Nah, R10. It’s more that the majority of Americans embrace the “my life sucks and it’s immigration’s fault” grievance. They voters to deport 12M people, immediately.

Believe me, I live in the UK, I saw it with Brexit. It has nothing to do with what the Democrats were offering. They couldn’t compete with small-minded racists and misogynists who only feel comfort with the patriarchy, no matter how destructive it is.

And again, believe me, nothing good came from Brexit. Nothing at all.

I’m like you OP, I’m an ex-pat. I’m going to brush up on my Italian. I’m actually considering canceling my trip to the states for Christmas to see family. If Trump imposed tariffs it might be good for my business which is selling luxury goods at lower prices to clients in the U.S. MY mom, who is a Trumper and on Medicare will have to come here to see me if she wants to. I can’t afford to help her out. So she literally dug her own grave.

What country are you in, R13?

R14, have a guess.

I’m not sure, R15. I’m thrown by the “I’m going to brush up on my Italian” line. Are they in Italy? The EU?

What do you think?

R16, I think they're in fucking Staten Island and think it's a separate country, you fucking idiot.

I'm halfway through Zola's Rougon-Macquart novels and it's been so worthwhile, OP.

Frankly, I moved out of the US because I found (and find) American society too cruel and inhuman to "the other". I spent high school in AIDS wards, and had personal things happen that had me see how terrible American society can be to people who don't fit the mold. When I came back from Paris to live in SF, I thought it would be an exception. It wasn't. And 2016 made it clear I had to get out again. The way America handled COVID sealed it. American culture is not something I can change in the one lifetime I have, having lived long enough to see how long real social change takes, and what I can do given my age, the privileges I have (earned and unearned), and position in the world.

I am going to handle this by zooming in, similarly to OP, filling my life with books, walks, non-US travel, loving my husband, home/pet keeping and extremely limited exposure to current media. If I was 10-20 years younger, I would fight more loudly and volunteer like I did in the 90's.. I am stunned by how fast things are going as I age and need to make sure I focus on my lived experience and family, not giving it away to Trump. Homophobes who left people like us to die took my teens. They won't take my midlife.

[quote]I'm finally deleting my Twitter/X account, something I should have done a long time ago. It's a time suck, and now it's a toxic time suck owned and gamed by a rightwing maniac.

This is what I'm going to do too R2. I kept it for the election but now it's time to leave it in the past.

Amen, R18. Witness R17 (or don’t).

I completely agree.

I got most of my news from Twitter. I had a WaPo account but canceled it when they didn’t endorse Kamala.

I want to cancel Twitter too but where is a decent place for news? News sources will now not just enable Trump they’ll publish whatever he wants or he’ll shut them down.

Reddit

ProPublica

The Guardian

BBC, with caution

You can try, R18, but I don’t think it’ll be that easy to shut out the world when gays are one of Trump’s main targets.

I think you'd be right if I was still in the US, but I'm not.

Thanks, I’ll try ProPublica. I am on Reddit for some non political interests of mine but want to avoid the crazies when it comes to news.

Reddit is honestly full of insane people R22.

Mother Jones is still a decent site

So is Datalounge, but we manage.

I hope some of the YouTubers like MeidasTouch, PoliticsGirl, Brian Tyler Cohen, and others will be some kind of comfort.

I really feel bad for PoliticsGirl aka Leigh McGowan. Leigh is an immigrant from Canada and really embraced the U.S. But, she is pretty level headed, she has called out the far left just much as the far right. I watched some of Brian Tyler Cohen's election stream and he was heartbroken.

That’s what I did last time, loaded up on podcasters who wittily demolished Trump. It wasn’t so bad if we could all laugh at him. But now I’m thinking like OP, just turn it all off and drop out.

His winning the popular vote means there are women who voted for him whose daughters and granddaughters will die from pregnancy complications, Latinos who’ll get rounded up in immigration sweeps just because of the color of their skin, middle class parents whose kids won’t get scholarships and government loans to go to college because the Dept of Education was disbanded. Retirees whose social security checks are late or missing because there’ll be a hiring freeze at the agency. Children who will die as vaccinations won’t be required to attend school, they’ll be the innocents who suffer because their venal parents voted for Trump.

Who will they blame?

In the short term, self care, doing what i love which is my work (some of you might want to consider that)

In the long term, ride Josh Shapiro as hard as possible to stop making PA a cesspool

Wow, long time no see, Philly Snoop!

I deactivated Twitter and deleted it from my phone.

I'm going to deep clean my house, plant some bulbs outside, and focus on getting through the initial shock.

This is insane.

I'm not.

A bottle of pills.

You will because we are here with you R34.

Don't even joke about that R35.

I will do nothing different.

I just couldn't vote for Harris. I live in California so it didn't matter.

So this is how you cope? Letting us all know? Okayyyyyyyyyy.....

24/7 binge sofa humping porn

By accepting the things I cannot change...no one would feel my hatred but me...why should I do that to myself. he isnt worth ruining my health over

Namaste.

I'm okay, you're fucked up.

Namaste.

I spent the last 8 yrs hating on the orange turd...look what it got me (us) R41

I'm blocking everything and moving to Tasmania!

First thing:

I'm blocking my ears from ALL CRIES AND WHINING from women!

Women are the majority of voters and Trump ONLY won with their tens of millions of votes .This will be a good lesson for them, and we must allow them to learn it. Yes, some will die, but that is Democracy! That is what they voted for!

Not going to lie - but having a French Exit plan has crossed my mind. I know that sounds dramatic but it's going to be BAD for a long time.

At least I live in California.

[quote]I didn't think Harris was the right choice. I thought she tried hard and did the best she could given the situation. I think the Democratic leadership failed us all...

THIS reply is the ultimate corporate media/Andrea Mitchell take on this. Pure nonsense!

Kamala was a fantastic candidate. Biden was going to get buried as well, probably worse. The problem is the American electorate, ignorant, venal, racist and tribal. You can't ask a political party to find some degraded ghoul bad enough to "relate" to the voters they hope to attract. That's only a GOP thing. We can't make voters want Democracy if they've clearly rejected it already.

I predict the disaster will be deep and wide enough to affect us all, but Americans are too stupid to see the cause of it. Themselves.

R14, I am in Italy. And R18 is absolutely correct when he said "I moved out of the US because I found (and find) American society too cruel and inhuman to "the other.'"

It is so true. I was planning my exit from NYC during COVID and the Memorial Day George Flyod riots in NYC sealed the deal. It was too much. If America was still dealing with racial issues in the same way it was fifty, one hundred years before, nothing was going to change in my lifetime, in my mind. America has become so aggressively rude right now and inhuman in so many ways that you don't realize until you actually live somewhere else. And we are talking modern, evolved cities with so much to offer that are still human and treat each other with civility and a level of kindness not found in the States anymore. Even stupid little podunk small towns are filled assholes in the States. There are still lines you don't cross in most societies outside of the US. It really has a HUGE impact on the quality of your life. It is not easy process full of its own particular challenges. But if it weren't for my family, there is absolutely NOTHING about the US that I miss - especially now.

Its funny to hear you all tall about getting your political news from X. For me X has the absolute best porn. It's not the same tired stuff you see on ever site over and over again.

We will see an array of international criminals coming and going from White House-all friends of Trump. This win means all those Trump sycophants are emboldened to do as they please-most own automatic weapons-I can’t go on.

R38: For this, you shall drink bitter waters.

As of now no where is safe.Good Luck R48-Trump will encourage Putin to take all of Europe.

Hookers and cocaine.

R5 and R9 I’m with you both-Uncharted dangerous waters and the navigating may be too much for me. Stress induced heart attack might be a welcome event.

R52 Trump is 78 years old and on mental decline. There will be no one to replace him as the great front man to the evil going on behind. I think I am good for the next four years at least.

I don’t know how I’ll cope. Right now I feel like I have a huge knot in my stomach. I’m terrified, worried, and depressed. It’s like the end of the world but I’m still alive.

I love Biden and really like Kamala. Knowing we could have had her for president but are stuck with Trump is devastating.

OP can I just come stay with you? Your method of coping sounds idyllic.

TRANS TRANS TRANS!

WOKE WOKE WOKE!

Honestly my plan is to just lose myself for awhile in books, TV shows, and films. It's going to be a hellish 4 years unless I learn to disconnect.

I'm still in shock. He's probably laughing his ass off.

I've canceled Thanksgiving. Don't really care if it causes an argument at home. Fuck the Trumpist in-laws.

I'm going to file to renew my green card now so that processing gets done under a Biden administration. If it's a Trump team working on it, good luck.

I don't know. Ireland is expensive and has a little Palestinian problem these days, but I could go back. Got an old dog; I'll wait things out with him.

I'm not going to second guess much else today. This country is going to get what it has asked for and what it deserves. Popcorn Time..?

I'm in the same boat at R60, and others in this thread who feel a sense of shock. Although it's little solace my historical blue state, stayed blue (barely), I thought those in states where they stand to lose a lot wouldn't gleefully throw their rights out the window.

I'm going to have to learn detachment or I'll go insane. Any tips are welcome.

Cable news has got to go and this is the only place I'll go other than a quick headline podcast.

R63, try the serenity prayer.

Also, this won’t be hard but we all need to ignore Trump. Cancel subscriptions, stop watching cable news, change the channel. Don’t give him our attention.

Part of me feels like we should just stop being the resistance - it just plays into their grievances, etc. It’s going to hurt anyway but we should just be like, “It’s your gig. You’re all in charge. It’s all on you.” Make them own this, whatever the cost. No protests, no attention, let them have it. Because right now, if we keep playing this role, then we’re part of the problem.

The have the House and the Senate anyway. We should just have our reps vote against everything but be like, “You don’t need our votes. They elected you. You own it. You provide the solutions.” Let them cheer at their accomplishments and how great they are while American’s quality of life go down the drain. It’s the only way.

There is no”Cope” it about waiting for them to come for us…

This is how the Irish handle the British. They largely don't care about their politics because it's their mess.

Exactly. Our reps should just say, “We wouldn’t want to stand in your way.”

To the press they can say, “Well, this is what the majority of American people voted for so…we’ll just have to wait and see.”

[quote]“Well, this is what the majority of American people voted for so…we’ll just have to wait and see.”

I'm going to say that to every woman "bleeding out in a parking lot" unable to get proper reproductive care. Bitches had TWO CHANCES to gain first class citizenship and chose the rapist both times.

Fuck 'em!

Best thing to do is play the game as designed. Pour as much money as you can into an S&P 500 index fund. They will never allow it to crash. Ever.

It’s cynical and cold but the market is what separates the haves from the have nots.

The irony, of course, is that most of his followers don’t have the resources or the savvy to do so and will financially suffer the most.

But that doesn’t mean you have to.

Earrings

Caftans

Follies

Same thing we always do. Fight em until we can’t.

On the serious, hunkering down in NYC, going on a complete media detox, making sure that I tell all my friends I love them. Possibly trying to convince my husband to reconcile. Safety in numbers and all that.

Maybe it’s just because I’m better medicated (legally and otherwise) but I actually feel less destroyed this time. Maybe because it’s clearer this time that it was the candidate that failed us, it was the electorate. Easier to aim my ire.

I am unable to eat, can't sleep, extremely sick to my stomach. I feel fatally ill. With no family, no resources, and hardly able to afford rent and a month of groceries on disability, I suppose I am .

At a certain point, I think I've reached the phase "Fuck around, find out" for the electorate. They can't say we didn't warn them.

I hope Trump causes a huge stock market dip sand his voters' 401ks take a massive hit. I have rage for everyone.

I will interview in late 2026 for a busboy position at Gay Internment /Re-Education Center 705 in Ohio. The uniforms will be cool, and there will be a TikTok studio setup.

[quote]How are you going to cope?

I'm done done with the 24 Hour News Cycle. I'm just going to ignore the next 4 years of Trump. No marches, no donating to candidates, no volunteering. The people have spoken, let the mother fuckers wallow in it.

[quote]I hope Trump causes a huge stock market dip sand his voters' 401ks take a massive hit. I have rage for everyone.

I pray for the same. The 'everything bubble' we're currently in is long overdue for a correction anyway, so I'll be happy as a pig in shit for it to all come crashing down on his watch.

Yet another expat. For me, it's simple. I emigrated from the US during the last Trump term, not for political reasons but because I knew a better life awaited me here. And the reality had been better than the expectation. Moving back to the US has never once seemed a possibility, and even visiting has no appeal at all.

The last Trump years in office, COVID, and a growing ugliness and ignorant-and-mean-proud-of-it attitude in the US and the prospect of uglier things ahead might give me pause about moving back to the US -- were I ever to entertain the prospect. But it's not fear or disappointment of the US that keeps me away, it's delight in my good fortune to be where I am and the pleasure of everyday life. It's the happiness with where I am that is greater than I had in all my years in the US.

I have friends and family in the US, but follow the news at a distance, principally from European news and other sources at a sort of arm's reach. I have followed the US elections of course, even contributed to Democratic candidates, but what would be the point of me following every breath and "what if?" I can't obsess over the news and commentary in a place where I no longer live and won't ever return to. I'd rather focus on things in my own life that I have a hand in, the people around me, and the news that affects my interests. My interests and life are in another part of the world, and now I pay the same attention to what happens in the country of my birth as to the news of Ukraine or Palestine or China.

Optimistically it will take many years for the US to right itself in another direction from its current disaster with years of the same ahead. What purpose would it be to make that a major worry and steal time from enjoying my life in another place?

Are you in Paris?

♪ Que sera, sera ♫

♪ Whatever will be, will be ♫

♪ The future's not ours to see ♫

♪ Que sera, sera ♫

♪ What will be, will be ♫

The snotty "I've figure it out using a better angle than you, you peasant" tone tracks.

I’m coping just fine and I’m actually quite peaceful. I’m drinking tea, going to the gym, reading, cooking nice dinners and going on walks with my dogs.

My eczema is flaring the fuck up. Because of Donald fucking Trump!

Where did you resettle R79 - after my mom dies (she’s 86) I’d gladly move to Europe if I can make it work.

I like the US too much to move out. Europe is full of marvelous places but has its own much more lethal right wing vibe; anywhere else would probably be too challenging for me in terms of climate. The US still has a wonderful landscape and some fabulous cities and for the most part people are broadly civil to each other (DL'ers talking about how mean Americans have become have never tried to ask directions in Switzerland, Hungary or Holland).

Emigration isn't for everyone, obviously R86. Different people have very different ties and levels of connection to a place, and aversion or attraction to big changes.

I've moved 20-some times in life and have always welcomed a change of scene and new experience. I moved to a new country without hesitation and could do it again (and I'm not young.) For me, it's always exciting to move to a new place. For others, it's sometimes not possible, too complicated, not a priority, or simply not an agreeable prospect.

[quote]DL'ers talking about how mean Americans have become have never tried to ask directions in Switzerland, Hungary or Holland

Americans place high value on appearances, including the appearance of being a good person in ways different from people in other parts of the world. Tipping culture; those hyper-effusive greetings when encountering an acquaintance or friend or colleague in the street; the bright and cherry greetings to strangers walking a dog or crossing paths on a sidewalk; the instant familiarity (the "Hi! How are you today!" to a shop clerk with whom you've never before crossed paths); the venturing of opinions and personal questions ("You look a little tired today - didn't get enough sleep last night?"). That sort of HR Department veneer seems about 90% or more of American niceness, a desire to see a smiling, happy, nice reflection of oneself. The meanness and contempt they try to keep hidden away. But it's there and it can run deep.

The street level of smiley effusiveness of Americans is different from the more self-contained street brusqueness of people in other parts of the world. I think the fellow DLers were referring instead to a deeper meanness of spirit (and sometimes seething contempt) that has grown like a cancer beneath that facade of sparkling good American cheer.

Americans like to present themselves as good people with a sparkling exterior. Europeans prefer to save the effusiveness for actual friends and family. It's a tradeoff between chatting up strangers or having friends you actually like.

If one can get a visa that allows one to stay in a country for 3-6 months or a year, is healthcare available for a temporary stay?

R88 Yes.These expats are on it. But you can get heathcare in most countries with only a tourist visa. I did.

"15 EASY Countries for Americans to Move To RIGHT NOW (some WILL surprise you)!"

R87, I didn't want to make things too dark, but the levels of racism I experienced in Switzerland and Hungary were beyond anything I have witnessed anywhere in the US (and I am of Hungarian ancestry, so the latter was very painful to encounter - and was not directed at me). The Swiss were so vicious my NYC-based firm refused to take on Swiss clients, as they would only talk to our white employees.

Holland it's less the fact that they are "brusque" and more the fact that they will make a very elaborate point of being so. The British are much the same. I call this "assholeism" and I don't think I have to respect it as some fucking cultural trope.

Oddly enough, the French appear to be much more polite and generally civil (if you meet them half-way).

I’m going to listen to A LOT of music.

Instead of listening to hours of Trump’s bullshit, I’m getting back into my record collection. There’s so much good music to listen to.

[quote]I am unable to eat, can't sleep, extremely sick to my stomach. I feel fatally ill. With no family, no resources, and hardly able to afford rent and a month of groceries on disability, I suppose I am .

I feel for you, R73. I wish there was a way we could to Go Fund Me's for our struggling DL brethren while keeping it anonymous. I don't love this for you, I feel worried and I hope you can find support and get through this rough time.

Masturbation, cooking, gardening...maybe all at the same time.

I've got 3 surgeries coming up, and I'm dreading it. I don't listen to the news, not even entertainment news( because it's shit.) So, I'm sewing, drinking wine and listening to music. Beyond that I guess I'll just have to deal.

R93, this rich, creamy garden salad dressing I serve to all my Trump-voting friends...

All of my distractions - news, DataLounge, Reddit - is filled with Trump shit.

I'm watching stand up comedy on Netflix and may go to the library to pick up some books.

There's nothing I can do - and the worst are all of these threads with people pontificating and pointing fingers at Dems and how they were at fault.

The reality is - 15 million fewer people voted this year. And those who did vote stupidly thought the tight economic situation with inflation would be helped by Trump.

It's very similar to Carter. But everyone has all of these other ideas that they're pulling out of their ass to make them look smart and know more than Dem party leaders.

Working out, therapy, renewing my ties to people I care about.

Cutting Trump voters from my life, both friends and relatives.

Ignoring the news, including print media. I know that if something is important enough, I'll read it here.

And honestly, preparing myself to for the utter catharsis of watching these people who voted for Trump hurting when he does exactly what he said he was going to do.

Listening to Yacht Rock channel - it's calming and takes me back to a simpler time.

I’m disassociating and trolling every non-black, Jewish, or LGBT group that gets what’s coming to them from Trump. Everyone else’s wanted chaos, let them enjoy their decisions.

Damn has trolling on other sites with my “I told you so” has actually been fun. I know get why people troll

I’m doing the exact same thing, r98!

Smoke copious amounts of pot, silly!

R89- I wouldn't call it trolling - it's unwelcome truth-telling. There's a big difference. Trolling is unnecessary - but what you're doing is needed.

R94 I feel for you. I hope your surgeries go well. I’ve had 4 (two were minor) in the last few years.

[quote] I got most of my news from Twitter. I had a WaPo account but canceled it when they didn’t endorse Kamala.

I considered cancelling but Bezos made multiples of the value of WaPo the day after Election day, he wouldn't have even noticed it. The only people who would suffer are those that work for a living.

No more political podcasts or TV/streaming news. No more Twitter. No more clicks for media sites that sold out for Shitler. Time to get into all the books I put off reading. If anyone has some recommendations for fun, breezy reads (especially memoirs), go for it.

I’m hoping the internet doesn’t run out of cat videos.

[quote]If anyone has some recommendations for fun, breezy reads (especially memoirs), go for it.

If you haven't read Maria Riva's book, get to it!

[quote]I wouldn't call it trolling - it's unwelcome truth-telling. There's a big difference. Trolling is unnecessary - but what you're doing is needed.

Exactly, concerning the need to inject reality into DL. It’s not what some want, but it’s what they need. It’s not good for people to only look at news that supports their view. People who come to mind are those who were screeching every time a poll was posted that showed Trump ahead. It was real. People should disconnect their internet service if they want to escape from reality.

We are trashed even on DL for expressing our disappointment but if dump had lost his criminals would have taken to the streets with guns.Hypocrisy Wins

R101 must be in the ‘’Canabizz’’- he’s always pushing weed.