They Want You to Feel Hopeless. Here’s Why You Shouldn’t
The chaos isn’t an accident. It’s a strategy. But here’s the truth they don’t want you to see.
If you feel overwhelmed right now, that’s exactly what they want.
The headlines are exhausting. Every day, it’s a new scandal, a new attack on democracy, a new reason to panic. It’s easy to feel like everything is spinning out of control. But here’s the thing: this isn’t an accident. It’s the plan.
Steve Bannon laid it all out back in 2019. He admitted their strategy is to “flood the zone” with chaos, so much that the media and the public can’t focus on any one thing. That way, they can push through their most extreme policies while we’re too overwhelmed to fight back.
And it’s working. When we’re bombarded with bad news, it’s easy to skim headlines, assume the worst, and jump to doomscrolling mode. But that’s exactly what they want. Because when we feel like everything is hopeless, we disengage. We stop fighting.
But here’s what they don’t want you to know: we’re not losing. We’re winning.
They want you to think nothing good is happening, but the truth is, there’s a lot of progress happening right now. Here’s what’s been flying under the radar:
✅ More people are stepping up to run for office. Since Election Day, over 20,000 people have signed up with Run for Something to explore running. 7,000 of them just in the last month. More candidates mean more local elections where we can stop extremist policies before they take hold.
✅ Democrats are flipping seats. Yes, even in red areas. Just last week, Democrats flipped an Iowa Senate seat in a district Trump won by 21 points. That’s huge. In Norman, Oklahoma, a Democrat ousted a conservative mayor. Democrats also won two Delaware State Senate seats in special elections. This is real momentum.
✅ We’re winning on public safety. Despite the fear-mongering about crime, Detroit is on pace for the fewest homicides since 1965 and the lowest carjackings ever recorded. The narrative that crime is out of control? Not true.
✅ Judges are blocking Trump’s worst policies. A federal judge blocked parts of Trump’s executive orders restricting gender-affirming care. And in Missouri, courts are stepping in to restore access to abortion.
✅ More worker protections are coming. In Virginia, new legislation is moving forward to require farm laborers to earn at least minimum wage, a huge win for vulnerable workers who have been exploited for too long.
✅ Housing reforms are gaining ground. Cambridge, Massachusetts just passed one of the most ambitious rezoning laws in decades, making it easier to build affordable housing and fight the housing crisis.
So Why Aren’t We Hearing About This?
Because good news doesn’t generate outrage clicks. Because headlines are designed to shock, not inform. Because keeping us in a state of constant panic benefits those who want to dismantle democracy while we’re too exhausted to notice.
And that’s why we have to fight back, not just at the ballot box, but in how we consume and share information.
What You Can Do:
📌 Stop doomscrolling. Read beyond the headlines. If something seems catastrophic, look for deeper analysis from experts. A single court ruling or policy announcement isn’t always the final word.
📌 Talk about the wins. Share this post. Tell your friends and family what’s happening. The more people know that we are making progress, the harder it is for them to push the narrative that all hope is lost.
📌 Stay engaged. The 2025 and 2026 elections are already taking shape. If 20,000+ people can step up to run for office, we can all step up in some way, whether it’s donating, volunteering, or simply making sure people in our lives stay informed.
1429 days to go until Jan 20th, 2029
39 days until the Wisconsin Supreme Court race (April 1, 2025)
256 days until the Virginia Governor's race (Nov 4th, 2025)
620 days until the 2026 midterms (Nov 3rd, 2026)
The chaos is meant to make us feel powerless. But we are not powerless. We are winning elections. We are protecting rights in court. We are building momentum.
My next post will be a fun one. I give you a “Menu” of things you can do to calm the feelings of being overwhelmed, and different ways of getting involved.
It’s kind of a “Choose your own adventure” thing!
Stay informed. Stay engaged. And don’t let them control the narrative.
Thank you for this! I try not to lose hope, but I can become guilty of doomscrolling, too, especially when not researching and writing my Campfire Resistance Stories. This was my latest story about another fearless, intelligent Latina who gave others hope and encouraged effective resistance I discovered, who inspired me recently. Maybe her story will help some of your readers, too: https://www.storiesofresistance.org/p/the-tale-of-the-passionate-one-emma