The 2020 election is the most important election in my lifetime, they claim. It actually means less than ever before. In fact, if we really think about elections shouldn't really matter much at all. If you are obsessed about who wins in November, you are either a sports fanatic or a leech. I declare my independence.
I think that it is a reasonable perspective that any individual should try to remain as independent from external institutions as possible. That doesn't mean we shouldn't interact through institutions, but we should not rely on institutions to provide for us in times of greatest need as much as possible. It is nice when they do, but such a relationship generally only works when the system is carried by strong individuals rather than a society of leeches. The institution with too many dependents dissolves from a structure that empowers cooperative people into a structure that funnels resources and power from the vulnerable to those in control of the institution.
We can see this effect occurring in both the public and private sectors. Governments are run by bureaucrats that look to write the rules in favor of their donors and themselves. Rich corporatists look to maximize their position in their company by undermining their employees (through competition and outsourcing) and by sacrificing long term sustainability for short-term profits. The people at the bottom of these structures suffer the most even though it is them that needs the help the most. The problem with institutions though is the temptation to help oneself by exposing others' dependence on that system.
If the electorate and employees had a zero-tolerance policy for manipulation and had independence, they could simply leave the institutions and they would fall apart or be quickly restructured by the shift of the actual power in the system. The power that comes from the people that form the life blood of these organizations. But when employees or citizens have no choice (or feel like they have no choice), when they act as dependents to these organizations, the check on centralized power is broken and corruption can go unchecked.
A move away from dependence on centralized organizations and a move to organizations where individuals are free to negotiate power with that organization is one that is sorely needed. People should be willing to sever that relationship if it sours, becomes lopsided, or violates one's individual principles. But that type of relationship with our institutions requires a massive change in perspective. People need to be more willing to take risk for themselves and be willing to fail for what they believe than to continue to allow themselves to be manipulated and used in unhealthy relationships. That what independence looks like.
We have been moving towards centralization and collective dependence and away from decentralization and independence for decades. While the internet gave us a glimpse of decentralized potential, technology has moved towards centralized platforms that seek to become monetizing middleman, building tollbooths on the internet highway. We have become dependent on giant internet companies for so much and fail to realize that our data makes us part of these organizations and that we are being used more than we are being empowered.
To wrap things up, I don't care who wins any elections, because I am seeking independence from my government. To be fair, most of us are fairly independent from the government so whoever ends up winning typically doesn't matter. Also even though we have two perspective candidates, they often derive their actual policies from their donors who often want the same things regardless of party. So either way there's not a lot of reason to care unless you are into politics as a public sport, really need the help and are too dependent on the system to move in a certain direction, or a leech at the top taking advantage of the dependents and wielding that power to their self-advantage.