Dear Trump supporters and Clinton supporters, I promise not to convince you to vote one way or another. In return, please hear me out.

These are indeed sinister times. The world seems to be slipping ever closer to another global war, except unlike World War Two, this war will start, not end, with nuclear weapons. Terrorism and the threat it poses to a free and safe society is growing worldwide. Free trade and the free movement of labor and capital threatens stability, even as they promise ever increasing wealth and prosperity. Environmental catastrophes serve as a backdrop to all of this and more.

Despite the urgency however, we the people are glued to this reality show of an election, drifting further away from each other, united only in division. I agree with Donald Trump on two key issues. This situation is a disaster, and the media play a huge part. Media in America is controlled by a handful of corporations. CBS, Comcast, Time Warner, News Corporation, Viacom, and Walt Disney control 90% of all media outlets. With potential mega-mergers such as between AT&T and Time Warner, the total domination of the thought market by a few very powerful corporations is accelerating.

Independent or public media, although they still exist, are forced to do what mom and pop stores are forced to do when Walmart moves into town—go out of business or compete on Walmart’s terms. Walmart’s mission is simple: Dominate the market with cheap products of questionable quality. News media operate in the same way, except the market is our minds. These corporations compete for control over our minds with cheap thoughts of questionable quality. Not to say there are no great journalists out there, but there are many great Walmart employees who have no say in what Walmart does.

Like modern manufacturing, which relies on planned obsolescence (products are designed to fail after a while in order to fuel consumption) modern media rely on short-term issues of small consequence that can be quickly cycled through and discarded for the next exciting news product. These ideas are designed to be simple and visceral, in order to be consumed quickly, accepted unquestioningly, and spread virally. Unfortunately, real issues such as war, poverty, and the environment are neither simple nor exciting. They always come with thorny questions.

CNN and Fox news may have different flavors, but the difference is as meaningful as the difference between McDonalds and Burger King. They both sell thought commodities whose true function is to be reproduced and consumed. A fast food burger relies more on marketing, packaging, and convenience than taste and quality; corporate news media rely on attractive anchors and 24 hour availability, not in-depth analysis and truth. In this race to the bottom over the control of your mind, you are the biggest loser.

A steady diet of news products tells you that the world is dangerous, getting worse, and mostly (except the quadrennial practice of voting) out of your hands. They evoke primal instincts of us vs. them to divide the market into smaller and smaller segments, of White voters and non-white voters, from swing states and safe states, of liberal and conservative opinions, with gender, religion, wealth, education, and more. We are scared into believing that we are alone, and that we will only be saved by some outside force—and that the news will inform you when it’s happening.

I agree with Hillary Clinton’s slogan, “Stronger Together.” We are stronger than those who want to control our minds and sell us thoughts, people, and products we do not need, but only if we come together in our common humanity. The first step towards that is not going to be at the ballot box. I do not endorse either candidate; I endorse stepping back from our manufactured hatred and disgust towards each other and our manufactured fantasies and consent towards our respective proxies.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

a concerned non-voter