Political endorsements are unintelligent and narcissistic

It’s been a while since I’ve written a politically-colored note, but here we go.

I’m referring to both sides of the political spectrum — from Elon Musk endorsing Donald Trump to Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris or Steph Curry.

A couple of disclaimers. In my criticism, I’m excluding the politicians themselves — the nature of their job calls for taking sides, and this side-taking has to be precise.

Secondly, I want to note that I have immense respect for the two individuals mentioned above — Taylor Swift and Steph Curry. I listen — yes, I listen — to Taylor Swift’s music, especially her pandemic-era Folklore and Evermore. And I’ve been following Curry for a decade. I consider him a true role model in the world of sports.

But I find their endorsements irritating.

In my life in general and parenting, I always advocate for one very specific virtue — respect for all human beings and their opinions. The word “diversity” isn’t just a buzzword for me. I always teach my kids: in your journey, you will inevitably encounter people — colleagues, neighbors, relatives, and even friends or partners — whose opinions will be different from yours, sometimes radically different. “We’re one, but we’re not the same,” as U2 sings in One. While we’re free to choose who we spend our time with, there will inevitably be situations where we need to overcome differences and build relationships and trust with people who are not…