In little more than 10 hours, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Whatever your thoughts are on the election, its aftermath, the Trump Administration, or everything in between, we're here now. The Trump era, for better or worse, ends tomorrow.

Will there be residual influence? Sure. I hope so, at least in some ways. But exactly what that looks like is something we'll learn more about in the less immediate future. For now, our attention will be on what those in power decide to do with that power. We've had hints at some of this, though I suspect that which will have the largest impact is yet to be revealed. Could be health care related, or something connected to education. Such speculation isn't tremendously valuable at this point in time.

I've been trying to put my finger on the disconnect I experience when reconciling my belief that the federal government isn't that important or influential on our day-to-day lives (See: the impact of individual state responses to Covid-19 as compared to each other) is met with a deeper feeling that doesn't see that as the whole story. In other words, I know that state and local governments are more important, but my gut tells me that the equation isn't simply Local vs. Federal Government. Rather, it's something closer to:

Policy impacting your life: Local vs. Federal
Non-quantifiable social factors based on "Who's in charge": Has Power (real or perceived) vs. Does Not Have Power (real or perceived)

The recent alarming actions taken by big tech are illustrative of the point. Who is in charge of the federal government doesn't simply impact what types of legislation and policy comes from the federal government, but virtually every other sector as well. The tech companies did what they did because their "team" is gaining power. As such, their fear of consequence has diminished significantly.

We've already started to see how the shift in power has emboldened some. The question is, how will it embolden others? This is the feeling in my gut that lashes out whenever I get the urge to dismiss the importance of the federal government. I don't know the answer as to what comes next, but I know that it's beyond foolish to sit around and wait for something to react to. I know I keep beating this drum, but it once again warrants repeating: what this new stage requires of us remains unchanged. In The Black Swan and Antifragile by Nassim Taleb, the concept of optionality and antifragility to negative events is the central theme. Taleb's thesis revolves around the idea that we don't necessarily need to know what obstacles might arise or what black swan events might come crashing down on us. Rather, we simply need to know the areas where we are weak to something happening, and remove the weakness. Be it from a financial standpoint, to a supply chain of food and home goods, I'd strongly encourage each of you to become antifragile to disruptions. Covid did a good job of helping people see where their weaknesses were in this regard. Hopefully you were able to adapt, or begin the process of adaption in the era of Covid lockdowns and supply chain disruptions.

I'd also encourage you to stay connected to what is happening. As I've suggested before, download the NBC News and NPR News apps for your phone. You don't have to click and read every story, but the "news" updates they send you will give you a good idea of what the prevailing narratives are. I've been doing this for years with a variety of news outlets, as a way of keeping my finger on the pulse of the mainstream propaganda. Stay on Twitter, it you can. Not only does this allow you to see what is "trending" via tech encouragement, but it also prevents that space from being completely taken over by the Left. I understand that many people want to bail on all these social media platforms, and I respect those who do. My personal conviction is that I won't leave until they literally force me to. In the meantime, I'm going to continue to stay there and represent different ideas in a way that hopefully exposes them to people who would otherwise remain sealed in a proverbial echo chamber.

One thing I have yet to mention is the need to be prepared to lose relationships. Many of you have already experienced this, some have not. The time for sitting on the bench has ended, unfortunately. As I said in December, we must steel ourselves for what is to come. This includes social pressures, be it from family members or our friends. This doesn't mean we should be the ones to sever these relationships, or initiate such things. It does mean that we should be willing to provide pushback when appropriate (including when its difficult), and be prepared for others to sever ties with us in response.

I'm not comfortable with the ways in which "Christianity" and "Conservatism" have become conflated, but I once again find the easiest metaphor to be religious. When I became a Christian, my life radically changed. My friends and family could tell there something different about me. I had a strong conviction to find the sweet spot between not shoving my faith down their throats, and also not hiding my beliefs or their implications for my decision-making. I believe the same mindset is required here. We must figure out how to live in a way where it is obvious that we are not on board with many of the new prevailing narratives and socially-approved ideas, while also not being unnecessarily provocative or alienating in the process. We have to be unapologetic about where we stand, while also making room for those on the other side who haven't completely drunk the koolaid to feel comfortable asking us questions. Remember, the amount of "True Believers" in Far-Left Orthodoxy are few; most are misinformed but well-intended, or simply too afraid to speak out and question the new narratives. Through boldness + humility, we can simultaneously embolden and encourage fellow dissenters, while remaining approachable to those who would be inclined to do so when experiencing doubts of their own.

As of right now, the power of fear and abusive silencing gives the other side de facto superior numbers. The only way we can turn the tide is by making converts and emboldening those whose silence is contributing to the perception of superior numbers. We will do neither of these things through inaction and keeping our heads down. I know, this sucks. I get it. The vast majority of us didn't ask for this. Fair or not, it's where we are. In summation:

-Stay informed, but keep your cool.
-Don't migrate to echo chambers. Instead, intentionally pursue news and ideas you disagree with.
-Become antifragile to the slings and arrows of our time via increasing optionality in the areas where you're weakest.
-Become an immovable object in the path of Far-Left Orthodoxy when it comes to its spread in your respective sphere of influence. Speak up. Don't wait to be imbued with supernatural comfort or courage. Is this scary? Yes. So what? Do it scared.
-Be prepared for people cut you out of their lives. Don't reciprocate their attitude- remain available and open. Proverbs 22 describes kindness to adversaries as akin to heaping "hot coals on their head." Not only does it make them look bad, but it also removes their moral authority by showing how unwarranted their actions are. The opposite is to reciprocate hate for hate, providing post-hoc justification for their actions. Deprive them of fuel for their rationalizing.
-Additionally, don't confuse kindness for compromise. We can remain unmoving in our beliefs and uncompromising in our values without sacrificing common decency. It's remarkably difficult, but possible all the same. Whatever it looks like for you to thread that needle, do so.
-Don't lose hope. Apathy, nihilism, and resentment have a strong appeal right now. Fight the urge. Do so by regularly doing things that make you smile.

That's all for now. If you have any suggestions of your own, please leave a comment. Otherwise, I'll talk to you soon 🤙

PS: Like it or not, Joe Biden is about to be our president. Threading the needle includes rooting for him as leader of the country, while vigorously opposing harmful legislative agendas. I'm going to give Joe Biden a chance, and I hope you do the same. The "Not My President" rhetoric is damaging to the social fabric, regardless which end of the ideological spectrum it's coming from.