To me, a good rule of thumb in life is to never put anybody with influence on a pedestal. This includes celebrities, athletes, businesspeople, even parents and teachers.

Why this is the case is pretty straightforward. People are complicated. We’re capable of good, sure, but we’re equally capable of messing up, acting in our own self-interest and hurting others. I believe some people are just born cruel, and there’s no redeeming that.

But there’s something undeniably worse about idolizing politicians than other figures.

It’s especially important to realize that these are the people in power. Taylor Swift may be a walking, singing stimulus package for every city she performs in, but she isn’t making the decisions that actively affect us.

Our local, state, and federal governments are – and this is where things get hairy.

The most obvious example I can think of is President Donald Trump and the MAGA cult of personality that surrounds him, but this isn’t just a partisan issue.

Examples that come to mind on the left are Bernie Sanders, AOC, Rashida Tlaib, and Zohran Mamdani. Even center-left politicians like Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris have their stans (remember Kamala is Brat?).

Of course, the idolatry on the left is nowhere near as fiery as it is on the right, and it would be reductive for me to say that. You don’t see Biden voters storming the capital or denying the validity of democratic elections, but that idolatry is still there, and it’s still noticeable.

Ultimately, the point I’m making is that when voting, you should use your critical thinking skills if you haven’t been doing so recently. Do your research and make sure you put your preferred candidates under scrutiny if they do something counterproductive.

Remember that they’re supposed to be working for you.