While skepticism toward the media and government isn’t new, the scale and strategy of disinformation under this administration are unprecedented, and yes, it does affect you.

The administration has done exceedingly well at pitting everyday Americans against each other. But where the president has been most successful is behind a podium or behind a screen, claiming that the media is “fake” when it challenges him.

President Trump has verbally attacked the media more than 100 times in just two months leading up to the election, according to Reporters Without Borders.

These attacks have become a scripted part of his public appearances. The goal isn’t just to discredit individual outlets, but to delegitimize journalism itself.

A report from the Committee to Protect Journalists outlines how Trump has called the press “fake news,” “the enemy of the people,” and “human scum,” while simultaneously prosecuting whistleblowers and interfering with media ownership.  

But regardless of my political views, I get why Republicans distrust the media. 

I watch the same speeches from the White House, I hear the same buzzwords, and honestly, I like what is said. I want to hear that the president’s name is not on the Epstein list and that America is better than it’s ever been. 

I understand Trump supporters because they have faith in the person they voted for. They trust the judgment of themselves, their friends and their family. 

But what is the final straw? How long until Republicans start to believe the media again? 

Democracy is still in the hands of the people, but it’s becoming clear that republicans would rather be ignorant than “woke.”

The media can certainly be biased, but it is not “fake.” 

Believe it or not, most journalists aren’t out to get a check. I can’t think of one journalist in Stanley Russ who is studying for a future of wealth. But to put it simply: journalists report the news, not create it out of thin air. 

And if the media doesn’t align with what the majority wants to hear, that doesn’t mean it does not exist. 

But what about social media? Is the flood of disinformation just part of the algorithm?

It takes minimal effort to differentiate what is posted on TikTok by user347564839 and what is discussed on credible news sources. 

If Americans can agree on one thing, I would hope that it is that America is a country where the people have a voice. We wave the flag of freedom and take off our hats at every football game for it. 

So why does it become clearer every day that Americans would rather distrust the voice of the people and blindly follow what makes them sleep better at night? 

No one is asking Republicans to switch sides, nor is anyone asking every Democrat to be a Greta Thunberg. However, paying attention benefits us all. 

If the politics you read in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal puts you in a bad mood, fine.

 In America, we have the choice to hear the voices of the people who don’t have net worths in the billions or private jets. We, the people, have the power to acknowledge indiscrepancies. If we can’t trust each other to do that, how does our democracy continue?