Why Narrowing Focus Is Admitting Defeat (And Why It Is Necessary)

The only positive response I have seen from anybody to Donald Trump’s victory in Tuesday’s election is the idea that we all need to focus more on smaller communities and support those groups with even greater vigor. And by communities, they mean all kinds — towns, cities and states, but also friends and family, and identity communities, such as interest identity, ethnic identity, religious identity, sexual identity or gender identity. There is no question that many of these groups that are a part of our lives will need greater support over the next few years.

I’ve already seen inspiring memes and hashtags, particularly the one that takes from Avengers: Endgame, “#onyourleft.” In other words, know that when things look the worst, I will be there to help you out. There’s no question some of the communities above will need that level of help to literally simply survive.

While I completely support this increased level of localized community support, I am also having a hard time accepting the undeniable fact of this kind of retreat from the national scale — it is admitting defeat.

Narrowing the focus happens in every aspect of life after a defeat. After a losing season, sports teams declare that prior to the next season they will “focus on the fundamentals.” After losing a job and the income from it, many will tell their friends they need to “focus on surviving” until the next job. Ideally, they will find out that good friends will help them through that survival period. On your left.

Right now, everyone needs that support. Even the idiots who voted for Trump will realize they need it when inflation spikes to an unprecedented level after he implements the across-the-board import tariffs. It’s not for me to say whether or not they deserve that support, but those people in your communities whose very existence will soon be denied, such as your transgender friends, absolutely deserve it and will need all the support you can give them.

My problem is that I can’t see how any of this will fix the problem of our country being run by a group of fascists, and toadies to said fascists. OK, my real problem is that I am having a hard time accepting that there isn’t a fix — at least not that I can see as of right now. Trump has four years, a sympathetic Congress and a corrupt Supreme Court for him to be allowed to run in 2028. He will. We are at the beginning of a fascist dynastic presidency. In the face of that, narrowing our focus is the only sane thing to do.

Admitting defeat has always been very, very hard for me. So please, help me accept the fact that all we can do at this point is narrow our focus and support those people most dear to us and in most need of support.