Lessons Learned

Sifting through everything that has been shared over the past few days, these are the key things I've read that have stood out to me:

1) The sharp divide between city and country. All the rural parts of the country (mainly between the coasts) have a vastly different way of life than the urban areas.  It's like there are 2 distinct bubbles that do not overlap, aided by the echo chambers on social media.

If you have not driven through and seen the “middle-of-nowhere’s” in Iowa, Mississippi, etc., you will never understand the misery and hopelessness that these people encounter on a day-to-day basis.  Their lives’ destinies are confined to their town; often, their blue-collar job is all they have to pin their hopes on.  Unlike in the city, where the opportunities to venture on your own seem endless. Is the disparity in opportunity an unsolvable problem at this stage.

Regardless of who won the close election, there would be intense opposition and protest by the other side, much of whom would/will never accept the result.

2) Trump supporters took him seriously but not literally. The opposing side took him literally but not seriously.  Does this actually make sense...why is it one but not the other, for either case.

3) In the last few weeks, Trump heavily campaigned in what ended up being the key swing states while Hillary mostly stayed put to avoid media scrutiny.  His strategy team was led by non-political marketing experts aim to sell a product, not an actual candidate.  It seems that he straight up outworked/outmaneuvered Hillary.

4) Some of the losing side saying that they should strive to understand those who support Trump - is this the practical approach or just self-rationalization/a defense mechanism. Is this looking forward, or the first signs of Stockholm Syndrome in an abusive relationship.

5) The next few years will show the true extent of the president’s power as an individual.

6) We in the Northeast live in such as social media-influenced liberal bubble!! I totally lost trust in the news/Facebook in giving me an accurate picture of what's going on in the rest of the country. We are insulated from viewpoints unfamiliar to our own.