The way that people choose presidents has changed. The election of Donald Trump is an effect of the change in how we consume media and how every individual in the free world is now empowered to create media.
The way our country assigns and accepts authority has radically changed. The most important media outlet for the successful presidential candidate was not television, it was Twitter. The “establishment” candidate launched her campaign on YouTube. The candidate endorsed by every media outlet did not win. The candidate who was not even whole- heartedly endorsed by his own party won the vote of the majority of the American voting public.
Consider what gave Donald Trump the authority to win this election. Consider how this power can enable us to make and to be the change our country needs so badly. Though it may be ironic, the real lesson of this election is that every American now has more power to dramatically influence public opinion than ever before.
Is the new media more powerful than the new president? I’m not sure. But the new media landscape has proved to be more powerful than a former Secretary of State, First Lady, Senator of the wealthiest state in the country, and the authority of every newspaper, major television network, and political authorities from both parties.
I don’t want to belittle the feelings of hurt and fear many feel in the shadow of this election. But let us not excuse ourselves from the power we now have to make good, effective, non-violent change. There has never been a time in history when individual Americans had more power to have more effect on one another. Rise to the occasion. The truth in our power lies in organizing and acting with intelligence online and in person. Let’s create that change now.