What's Next
What’s Next
A couple weeks ago, I saw a headline for a NYT op-ed that felt directed at me. It felt so targeted, in fact, that I did not click on it, at least not right away. The piece was written by a writer I like and was titled “Democrats are Trapped in The West Wing,” referring to the Aaron Sorkin show that ran from 1999-2006. Prior to seeing that headline, I’d been debating yet another West Wing rewatch, and I finally started it last week, this time bringing my poli-sci major stepson along with me. We’ve been enjoying it.
If you’ve never seen The West Wing, it is about, as the op-ed says, politics presented as “a higher calling that flawed but idealistic people engage in from a place of civic pride.” (If you have seen the show, you are probably humming “He Is an Englishman!” from H.M.S. Pinafore right about now.)
The West Wing was a show that meant a lot to me as a teenager and into my early twenties. Already a fan of politics and fast dialogue, it felt made for me. As I entered college, and began to feel cynical in a post-9/11, post-war world, the show itself had gotten darker too, but had kept me balanced and hopeful and, perhaps most importantly, thinking critically. Not many shows do that anymore.
Throughout adulthood, I’ve rewatched The West Wing a few times. The “dream of the ‘90s” it portrays can feel increasing dated, though also comforting, and the casual sexism and White Savior complex of its main characters feels slightly cringier each time. But it remains, for me, one of the smartest shows, one of the funniest shows, and one of the more important.
I finally read the op-ed after re-watching the first two episodes. Two things became immediately clear: 1) It was written before Biden dropped out (shockingly, only three weeks ago) and meant to be a plea to an aging party trapped in idealism over realism (a point that is now largely moot), and 2) I agree with everything she said. Well, about the show itself, that is. Some of her points were - verbatim - the same disclaimers I gave my stepson before we dove into Season 1. The words “this is basically a fantasy now” were said more than once.
The landscape of politics - and certainly the one my stepson grew up in - has changed a lot since The West Wing. But politics isn’t the only thing that’s changed. With attention spans getting shorter, and clicks and likes counting as socializing, it’s not surprising that our real life leaders have become memes too. “Stan culture” and rapid-fire news cycles often drown out nuance and conversation. It gets me down sometimes, this modern world. And I often have a front row seat to seeing how the generation after mine is more defeatist than idealist these days, even when they don’t want to be. They just, quite literally, don’t remember a time when idealism wasn’t a fantasy.
In general, I find cynicism incredibly boring. It’s too easy to give into, and while it can lead to some funny posts, all it does, ultimately, is make us stand still. I’d rather be hopeful and disappointed than numb to start with.
Watching The West Wing again with this mindset, it feels like the opposite of being “trapped.” A fantasy? Sure, in some respects. But is that actually a bad thing? The political shows we’ve gotten since may have reflected reality a little better - the absurdity of Veep, the ruthlessness of House of Cards - but I don’t think we should rely on a mirror alone, nor should we want to. I like feeling “seen” as much as the next person, but… what’s next? What’s more?
So, no, this essay is not a plea for all of us to return to a pre-9/11 mindset and pretend the last twenty years didn’t happen. Ignorance is not bliss. But if we don’t let some of that optimism, however fantastical as it may feel right now, creep back in, well, god Jed, I don’t even want to know you.
FUN STUFF:
What I'm Reading: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
What I'm Watching: Obviously The West Wing, but also, the delightfully bizarre, Fantasmas
What I'm Listening To: The Chaos and The Beauty (album) by Don McCloskey
What I'm Eating: Marry Me Chicken
Sarah Writes Too is a free monthly newsletter featuring short personal essays by me (Sarah LaPolla). The best way to show support is to subscribe, share posts you liked, or throw me a dollar or two for coffee! You can also find me on Bluesky at @sarahlapolla. Thanks for reading!