Orange Is the New Blue
(I totally stole my title from Omar Mouallem on twitter.)
This week, Alberta, the province that most people (Mark Ruffalo, for instance) refer to as the Texas of Canada, elected a different party. We went from being Canada's most conservative province, to one that elected a socialist majority government. What was once mostly Progressive Conservative blue bled New Democrat orange. Even my hyper-conservative riding in Edmonton's southwest elected a New Democrat.
And it's funny to me how seven short years ago during the federal elections, most people on my Facebook feed were disinterested in politics and were apathetic (you can read about that here). Now, seven years later, all anyone can talk about is politics. As Dustin so cleverly said on Wednesday (the day after the election), "Today, all my Facebook friends become politicians."
And they all did. Or, rather, all (the majority of) people on Facebook can do is argue about whether or not we're going to regret electing the NDP, regardless of who they voted for.
I find it hilarious and annoying (both at once) because Alberta elected a majority NDP government; the people spoke and they insisted on change. To argue that people are going to regret their choices, or to argue that we're going to sink even deeper into economic uncertainty is fruitless.
It's done.
It's changed.
For better or worse, we Albertans made a decision. So I don't understand why people insist on making those who voted the way they did feel bad or afraid of their choice. I don't understand why people feel the need to justify their decision to people who, ideologically, won't see eye to eye with them.
And it's funny to me how seven short years ago I was complaining about people's apathy and now I'm complaining that people won't shut up about politics.
Life is a funny little thing.
This week, Alberta, the province that most people (Mark Ruffalo, for instance) refer to as the Texas of Canada, elected a different party. We went from being Canada's most conservative province, to one that elected a socialist majority government. What was once mostly Progressive Conservative blue bled New Democrat orange. Even my hyper-conservative riding in Edmonton's southwest elected a New Democrat.
And it's funny to me how seven short years ago during the federal elections, most people on my Facebook feed were disinterested in politics and were apathetic (you can read about that here). Now, seven years later, all anyone can talk about is politics. As Dustin so cleverly said on Wednesday (the day after the election), "Today, all my Facebook friends become politicians."
And they all did. Or, rather, all (the majority of) people on Facebook can do is argue about whether or not we're going to regret electing the NDP, regardless of who they voted for.
I find it hilarious and annoying (both at once) because Alberta elected a majority NDP government; the people spoke and they insisted on change. To argue that people are going to regret their choices, or to argue that we're going to sink even deeper into economic uncertainty is fruitless.
It's done.
It's changed.
For better or worse, we Albertans made a decision. So I don't understand why people insist on making those who voted the way they did feel bad or afraid of their choice. I don't understand why people feel the need to justify their decision to people who, ideologically, won't see eye to eye with them.
And it's funny to me how seven short years ago I was complaining about people's apathy and now I'm complaining that people won't shut up about politics.
Life is a funny little thing.
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