Political Grief- Who has won the Lottery
On June 26, 1948, the world was introduced to the literary works of Shirley Jackson. The Lottery, a short story, was published in the New Yorker. I just learned of this piece today from a mentor after talking to him about my workshop I will be facilitating at the Death and Dying conference in Alburquque next week. My personal story and the topic of “Political Grief” will be on the table.
Who hasn’t felt political grief at some time in their life? This notion of political grief is murky and on a larger scale, Dr. Darcy Harris defines political grief as “a poignant sense of assault to the assumptive world of those who struggle with the ideology and practices of their governing bodies and those who hold political power.” (Harris, D. (2022). Political grief. Illness, Crisis & Loss, 30(3), 572-589). She goes on to say that this is not only on a collective level, but also on an individual level.
Next week, I will be sharing my personal experience of being an elected official and the amount of grief I experienced in two years. When I listened (audiobook) to the The Lottery, I immediately understood why my mentor shared this story with me and how it correlates with political grief. In every community, you have the generational homesteaders, the gentrifiers, the immigrants, the people barely making ends meet, the middle class who are steps away from being the barely making it, and the wealthy and comfortable folks who at times, dictate what goes on. "The Lottery" is a chilling short story that explores themes of tradition, conformity, and the dark side of human nature. It takes place in a small, seemingly idyllic village where the residents gather annually for a ritual known as "the lottery." The story begins with a lighthearted and festive tone, as the townspeople prepare for the event on a sunny summer day. Jackson's story critiques societal norms and forces readers to confront the dangers of unquestioned rituals. It leaves a lasting impact through its stark contrast between the ordinary setting and the horrifying conclusion.
The ritual in my community can be seen as repetitive acts of who has the power to make the decisions; it also can be seen as the oppressive ideologies that keep certain people in their place. The ritual can be seen as the behaviors people display to harm people they don’t deem worthy. My husband often described my hometown as a Pleasantville, lily white area that has an eerie feeling of fakeness, yet what we consider ourselves is “friendly”. How can you be friendly when every year a new election comes into town and whoever draws the black dot, you stone them? Republicans vs. Democrats, and nobody really cares for the other parties until it benefits them. When are we going to grow out of these societal norms, confront our own biases, and deal with our political grief? When are we going to question the very public stoning, the stagnation of government? When are we going to do something about how money and power rule with a heavy fist and a glaring stare of oppression?
Real people voted for our current President and his administration because they felt what they felt. They, too, at some point, felt political grief, but what we are experiencing is affecting us ALL on an individual level and not just collectively. Hopefully, now you will wake up and not just pay attention when something happens to you, or like in The Lottery when your family drew the black dot, you will see these outdated laws, practices, and ideologies need to be burnt all the way down and be rebuilt. Change is inevitable; it is about time we embrace the change we all can benefit from and move the hell on, me included.
