Christopher Ojeda's "The Sad Citizen"

Christopher Ojeda is assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Merced and a research affiliate at the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. His research has been featured in CNN, NPR, PBS, Slate, and Vox.

Ojeda applied the “Page 99 Test” to his new book, The Sad Citizen: How Politics Is Depressing and Why It Matters, and reported the following:

"...how we think about and engage with the political process is profoundly shaped by our personal relationships." So begins Page 99 of The Sad Citizen. Happily, the Page 99 Test touches on one of the key findings of the book! The Sad Citizen is about why politics is depressing, and nowhere is this truer than when political disagreement creeps into our personal relationships.

We often experience politics by talking with family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. Just the other day, a friend and I were chatting politics at a coffee shop when the stranger next to us chimed in. Suddenly, I was learning about geopolitical tension between Russia and China, the harm of generative AI, and problems with our local mayor. These conversations can shape our beliefs, keep us informed, and recruit us to action.

Talking about politics can be a source of comfort when everyone agrees. Agreeable conversations affirm our values and often inspire action. Disagreement, however, can undercut the social support we receive from loved ones. We may feel misunderstood, alone, or even hated, especially when disagreement comes to dominate a once loving relationship, and this can leave us feeling deeply depressed.

I interviewed therapists for the book and asked them about clients who felt depressed by politics. Nearly all mentioned political disagreements in the lives of their clients. I heard about an adolescent who was bullied at school for her political beliefs, a man who was certain his girlfriend would dump him if she learned how he voted, and a couple who bickered about politics whenever the news came on.

To be clear, agreeable conversations can sometimes be bad, and disagreeable conversations can sometimes be good. Echo chambers, a popular metaphor for agreeable conversations, allow misinformation to spread and extreme views to foment. In contrast, disagreeable conversations can challenge our assumptions and force us to consider new perspectives.

How do we balance the good and bad sides of political agreement and disagreement? This is just one of the questions I tackle in the book, and it is emblematic of what you can expect on other pages and in other chapters. Throughout the book, I consider the many ways politics is depressing as well as how we can navigate the sad side of politics as we try to be responsible democratic citizens.

Visit Christopher Ojeda's website.

--Marshal Zeringue