The Flâneur Collective

Sofía. That’s the name of the person I do everything for. My five-year-old sister. She’s why I traveled from the 100-by-35-mile island of Puerto Rico to study at Georgia Tech. She’s the reason why I smile every morning, why I study, why I write. I look at our current political landscape, and I feel powerless. I feel ashamed that this is the world she is growing up in. A world in which society fears the words “difference” and “compromise.”

This is why I’m starting this new student-run magazine. The Flâneur Collective has a fundamental goal that is more relevant now with the elections so close. It’s to provide an avenue for depolarizing society. Because I can’t allow her to grow up in a society where politics is summed up into a binary equation. She is why I started the Collective. Let me provide some background on my goal for The Flâneur Collective.

Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein has a quote that perfectly summarizes our current landscape: “Our political identities have become political mega-identities.” He also quotes author Lilliana Manson and her book Uncivil Agreement, which states:

“The American political parties are growing socially polarized. Religion and race, as well as class, geography, and culture, are dividing the parties in such a way that the effect of party identity is maginified. The competition is no longer between only Democrats and Republicans. A single vote can now indicate a person’s partisan preference as well as his or her religion, race, ethnicity, gender, neighborhood, and favorite grocery store.”

The current polarization issue is increasingly worrisome. I will never solve the issue of polarization alone. I wish to open the forum for perspective and cultural exchange, our only hope for progress in an increasingly divided nation. The problem of polarization affects me daily and increasingly bothers me. Supporting abortion, gun control, independence, or statehood of Puerto Rico, among many others, has become a simple yes or no. We as a nation have forgotten the word compromise. It sounds like an insult when a politician says it. But it’s what we need.

     The two-party system is the culprit for this polarization. It’s an issue that feeds on itself, a catch-22. There’s currently no solution, no matter what side you choose. We as people are afraid to vote for anyone outside the two-party system because it can be a so-called lost vote. But my island of Puerto Rico has shown some hope.

From the 1948 to the 1964 elections, the Popular Democratic Party had a grip on the gubernatorial seat on the island, never with less than 58% of the vote. This party advocates continuing our situation of being a “free-associated state.” We’re a modern colony with some benefits, such as US citizenship and some federal funding, but only some of the full benefits of a state.

The 1968 elections were the first that the New Progressive Party, which advocates for statehood, won. Both of these parties have continued to dominate politics in Puerto Rico. But citizens have been distraught with the two-party system for a long time. Since the 2016 elections though, this has changed, with other parties gaining over 10% of the popular vote in the 2016 elections.

The 2024 elections are bracing to become the most challenging ones yet for the two-party system. Juan Dalmau, who advocates for independence, has an approval rating according to local polls of 36%. The candidate for statehood? Only 38%. And the candidate for the free-associated state, which had almost a certain win for four consecutive elections since 1948? Only 17%. Citizens are so tired of the corruption and duality of the traditional two-party system that they are paving the way for various goals to converge in a new political system. The movement has gained traction through social media, with the younger generations doing anything they can to promote a change. Why can’t we do this in the United States? 

Everything in the United States is tied to politics. Wearing a mask during COVID-19 became a political statement. Religion? Political. Even what type of food you eat can become a political message. Supporting US involvement in the Israel-Palestine or the Russia-Ukraine conflicts has become a simple yes or no, depending on your party. I have met people at my university who are directly affected by the issue, and it is an injustice to simplify their unique experiences to a simple yes or no. This ultra-politicization of everything has spurred fear in the hearts of many, including myself.

In a recent Trump rally, a comedian said:

“I don’t know if you guys know this, but there is literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico?“

This comment is a disgrace to my island. Thinking that my island is garbage or not should not be a political issue. Political stances are taking apart families and friendships when the government is meant to be the bonding union of our society.

As I finish this article, I walked by with one of my best friends to a Trump rally at the Mccamish Pavillion in Georgia Tech. I was afraid. Not of one side of the other, but of the fans of one side screaming at the fans of the other. And the fact that politics has turned into a religious statement. The Kamala supporters labeling Trump as the devil and the Trump supporters labeling him as a savior. All of this only creates more division.

The two-party system and apparent duality in every issue is a conflict that can overwhelm anyone. Not even Theodore Roosevelt, who won the 1904 election with an overwhelming 336 electoral votes compared to his opponent’s 140, could not beat the two-party system when he initiated his own party. That fact might not sound encouraging, but remember that neither you nor I will ever fit in a box. You might disagree with me, but it’s our responsibility as citizens to celebrate discussion and find a compromise.

My magazine will always have some level of bias. I am the first to admit that. Being born with the most loving parents I could hope for, being the oldest of three, and simply having access to study at a great university make me what I am. But I promise you this: I will not turn the magazine into a one-sided discussion. Even George Washington knew this was coming, as he said that a two-party system would create jealousy and division. In his farewell address, he states:”However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. “

With my magazine, I don’t want to change your political view on anything. In fact, I hope you remain conservative or liberal if that is what your mind tells you to be. I hope you are more open to discussion with others since we all have the same goal of creating progress for the world and leaving a better place for people like my sister Sofía. I hope you start to see the world with new eyes.

            I hope you can imagine a better world where people like my sister will grow up with thoughts that aren’t labeled left or right. Sofía, I hope you read this one day and see that the world has become a little better. I hope you aren’t judged just because of where you’re from and that you can rise to injustice without feeling threatened. I hope you and many others can reach their potential and keep being curious. And for every reader, I share one last thought: If our future depends on us finding common ground, will you aid me in building that bridge?