Breathe
By Laura Carrera
In electoral processes, there are two ideas that battle each other and generate enormous stress among citizens. One of these ideas can be illustrated in the words of Niccolo Machiavelli, one of the most important political advisors of the 16th century and famous to this day. He said that "politics is the art of seizing power and keeping it". On the other hand, the second idea is illustrated by the words of Aristotle who, 1,800 years before Machiavelli, said that "politics is the search for the common good".
Hundreds of years later, both positions are still present in our political scenarios. In the quest for power and, sometimes, for the common good, many candidates adopt strategies that seek to polarize citizens and deepen the political divide. Electoral processes move emotions, because political strategists understand that emotions play a fundamental role in decision making.
Candidates exaggerate threats, whether real or perceived, to security, the economy, cultural identity, social values, and suggest that these dangers will intensify if their opponents win; and others claim to have achieved well-being for all and thus want to achieve their permanence. Electoral speeches seek to arouse negative emotions such as fear and anger as a way to mobilize people's support, which also contribute to generate a climate of hostility.
