In the Very Special Episode of America—this is the part of the show where the adults figure out what has been going on and create a plan to fix it.

 

By Kellie Schorr

In the late 70’s and through the 80’s, television was dominated by afternoon soap operas (General Hospital, As the World Turns, Guiding Light), and trashy late night soapy dramas (Dallas, Falcon Crest, Dynasty).

In between all the suds were prime time sitcoms. Aimed at family audiences, every night of the week had some kind of family laughing and loving together. Each season the shows featured at least one, “Very Special Episode” where topics of cultural importance were written into the storyline.

I always chuckle when my fellow Gen Xers say, “We were tough back in the day.We didn’t have trigger warnings as kids, we just had to deal with things” because almost every Very Special Episode featured a PSA or advisory warning at the front of the episode and a hotline or help resource number at the end.

Diff’rent Strokes’ groundbreaking “The Bicycle Man” (1983) about child grooming and molestation was the first show to break the fourth wall and featured Conrad Bain speaking, out of character, about the episode before it began.

Very Special Episodes worked hard to balance the purpose of the show (comedy) with the intent to teach a real-life lesson. Some did better than others.

The Family Ties episode “Give Uncle Arthur A Kiss” (1982) regarding parents unintentionally endangering their children by encouraging them to engage with unsafe persons and “Edith’s 50th Birthday,” (1977) the All In The Family episode about attempted sexual assault hit every note perfectly.

The Facts of Life (where every show contained some kind of lesson) struggled with “Breaking Point” (1981)—an episode on teen suicide where a joke about a teen jumping from a building brings about odd laughter, and the “freakout” in the Saved By the Bell anti-drug episode “Jessie’s Song” (1990) was so wildly over-the-top it was one of the first viral videos.

By the end of the show, whatever crisis was featured had been solved or at least understood. The next week, it would never have existed at all.  There is something wrong and strangely comforting about that.

My favorite ending to a Very Special Episode was the final moment of The Facts of Life entry “Fear Strikes Back” (1981).

In the show, Natalie is attacked walking alone at night and develops agoraphobia. Afraid to leave the school, the gang brings in a self defense expert to help her feel safe. This was the episode that taught nearly every woman my age to walk with their keys between their fingers as a stabbing weapon. In the final moment before the credits Natalie admits, “I guess there are ways I could protect myself, but I’m still scared.” With a genuine smile, Mrs. Garrett pats her on the shoulder and says:

“We’re all scared, Natalie. These are crazy times.”

Facts. Of. Life.

Looking at the election results of November 5th, and watching the outpouring of emotions on social media, I could pretty much say the same thing. This polarizing election puts all the feelings—anger, joy, fear, regret—on the table for the world to grapple with.

If history itself were to put out a Very Special Episode, the election of 2024 would be one of the most vibrant. It has all the pathos, twists, and vitriol for an interesting story—but what is the lesson? The Four Noble Truths.

PSA: The following contains personal thoughts about the 2024 American Presidential election. Reader discretion is advised.

All Life Contains Suffering

The first of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths is often shortened to say simply “Life is Suffering” which has been largely misunderstood as a statement that Buddhism is a nihilistic philosophy or is populated by masochists just in it for the pain. It really is much more direct.  It means that all sentient beings—bugs, pets, humans, peasants, and kings—experience suffering at some point during their lifetime.

The election and its aftermath are awash in suffering. The disappointment that a candidate who has made a career of lies, failures, revenge rhetoric, racist language and fearmongering was given the large-scale vote of a country who seems to value gas prices over human dignity created a rupture of anger and sadness.

The fear of everything we will lose and be forced to endure eats away at our sense of stability and trust.  The genuine disgust some feel that a convicted felon who has disparaged our traditions, benefited from sedition, and is generally an obnoxious presence is weighty and pervasive.

Also suffering, perhaps even more so, are supporters of Donald Trump who go out of their way to laugh at, condescend and gloat about the outcome of this election. Make no mistake. If you gain happiness or power by ridiculing the sadness and fears of other people, you are so morally poor, disconnected and insecure that your suffering is bleeding out for everyone to see.

“Owning the Libs” or “Scorching the Woke” isn’t a strength; it’s a mirror showing the terrible inadequacy and loneliness deep in your being.  You may think you are at the head of the table, but all we see is the abyss of selfishness in your own life.

This is the start of our Very Special Episode where we encounter the situation. There is a lot of suffering here.

We Suffer Because We Cling

The second Noble truth reveals the reason there is suffering. We suffer because we cling to things that are not real or do not last. Attachment, and the denial of impermanence lead us to the suffering we experience.

Part of the real pain experienced by many is what this election reveals about the United States of America.  We are neither united, nor a state (a group of connected beings). We aren’t even pretending that legality, liberty and dignity are important anymore. It has been made stunningly, painfully, evident that the price of eggs is more important than the integrity of a nation.

We’ve been clinging to values that are no longer real, and a democratic aspiration that did not last. Maybe it will return, but we can never again pretend it can’t be lost or “that will not happen here.”

Our Very Special Episode turns the corner from characters doing interesting things to the undeniable truth that something has gone very wrong.

There Is A Way To Stop Suffering

The third Noble Truth is my favorite. It reminds us that while all life contains some amount of suffering, it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a way to stop suffering. This truth provides us strength during impermanence.  This time is not forever. This suffering is not forever. It can be changed. Religious oppression, fascist cruelty, racism, sexism—they can all be defeated.

In the Very Special Episode of America—this is the part of the show where the adults figure out what has been going on and create a plan to fix it.

The Eightfold Path is the Way

If I had to describe Buddhism in one sentence it would be, “We’ve got a list for that.” Buddhism is full to the brim with lists. Four Noble Truths, Five Precepts, Six Paramitas, Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover, no—wait…scratch that last one.

The good news is you don’t have to be a Buddhist to follow the eightfold path to end suffering. You can do it as a Christian, Jewish Person, Muslim, Humanist, Anarchist or person who eats pineapple on pizza.

To end our suffering and bring our Very Special Episode to a close, this is the path:

Right View:  Seeing the interconnection between us all. What hurts one of us hurts all of us. There is no good to be had at the expense of others. Gain your benefits by reducing harm.

Right Intention: Act in the service of love and compassion. Be mindful, moment by moment, of what you do and how it impacts others.

Right Speech: Stop using false or harmful words.  Speak honestly, and gently.  No more “tell it like it is” or “truth hurts” but rather choose accurate, compassionate speech.

Right Action: Right action is to live in such a way to cease harming ourselves and others. Support relationships, boundaries, and goodness.

Right Livelihood: Commit to ethical and community affirming business practices, professional behavior, and skillful means. If your lifework involves cheating, deceiving, or being harmful it is not right livelihood.

Right Effort:  Continue to work and learn to act with skillful means. It is not enough to stop being harmful, we must also put effort into being beneficial and caring for one another.

Right Mindfulness: Be aware of what you are thinking and doing. Gain a sense of self-reflection and understanding. Learn to avoid patterns and behaviors that bring about suffering. Stop “I did it without thinking” actions.

Right Concentration: Remove yourself from distractions that encourage you to act unskillfully or harmfully.  Practice a state of awareness and responsibility about your actions.  In Buddhism we often practice meditation to develop right concentration, but prayer, silence, retreat, reflection, or awareness can do the same.

By the end of our episode we should have learned something or become more careful about what actions we take and things we say. We can do better. We can be better.

Still, as the theme song and closing credits appear, I must admit, I am still disappointed, and quite scared.

“We’re all scared, Natalie. These are crazy times.”

<Credits Roll>

 

Photo: YouTube

Editor: Dana Gornall

 

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