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I voted for Kamala, and was/am implacably opposed to Trump…but I see some silver linings in this election result 1. Republicans have a very clear mandate, so both their successes and failures can be directly attributed to them Either way, we’ll learn which policies work and which don’t, and in the next election be able to judge this administration’s performance without them scapegoating the other side 2. Democrats went way too far vilifying others and exaggerating the dangers of a Trump presidency, so they should be rebuked for it. This obviously won’t be the end of democracy Their strategy hasn’t worked for a long time and this disastrous performance may force them to reinvent progressivism for the 21st century, which is sorely needed 3. The huge rightward shift among minorities could reinvigorate the Republican Party, which is important because we need a healthy conservative movement that honors tradition and the family And who knows, maybe the influx of Latinos and other groups into the party will moderate its worst tendencies, like racism and groupthink 4. As deplorable as some of Elon Musk’s means may be, his ends are undeniably important for humanity’s future. We urgently need to transition to an electric vehicle fleet, automate driving, make internet access ubiquitous, develop a space-based economy, further popularize solar power, etc. I think he’s proven himself enough that he deserves a shot at remaking government agencies to enable these endeavors rather than hinder them 5. Incumbent governments around the world lost voting share, for the first time since WWII, and that is broadly a good thing. The post-World War II era has run its course and we badly need new experiments and new thinking in governance It’s good that the US is in line with this trend, otherwise we run the risk of our country as a whole becoming the incumbent that everyone is trying to dismantle! 6. The regulatory state has grown out of control, and definitely needs to be cut back and reigned in. I feel it as a tiny business not doing anything particularly innovative or risky. I can’t imagine what it must feel like for those taking on bigger challenges and markets and really trying to change things It’s so important that we remain a country where people can take moonshots and have a real chance at birthing entire new technologies and industries. That possibility is more likely to save the planet than more rules 7. Despite Trump’s endless lies and negative character traits, there is a seed of truth his behavior is pointing to: that we live in a post-truth and post-morality era The world isn’t black or white anymore, we can no longer rely on received wisdom from the past, and the rise of AI and artificial realities means that we have to deal in shades of grey and socially constructed narratives, both of which he excels at. We can learn from him and use those capabilities for more noble purposes 8. Trump puts the final nail in the coffin in the idea that people make decisions based on logic, or that society will simply “follow the science” That’s never been true, and now we can just be honest with ourselves about how people actually live their lives: based on tribal identities, in response to perceived enemies, emotionally and intuitively, based on sacred values even when they don’t serve their own self-interest. What a relief to stop pretending 9. Trump’s win means that this will be his last presidency, which means he’s effectively a lame duck. His shadow won’t loom over his party or the country any more. It’s better to know when the Trump era will end than to have it extend indefinitely into the future