Happy New Year, Superhumans!

It’s officially 2025, and that means we need to talk about the road in front of us and be prepared for how we’re going to show up.

Because we are about to face an avalanche of adversity. But while the challenges are immense, they are also an opportunity for us to stand together and fight for a kinder, safer, more equitable world.

Let’s rise to meet it.

Cruelty as Policy

The incoming administration (in the United States) has planned an extensive list of actions that will profoundly harm an unthinkable number of people.

There are another 50-60 items that could be added to this list, but I’ll stop at 4. If you want to learn more, Rolling Stone published Every Awful Thing Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term, which is a haunting snapshot of the current plans for cruelty as policy. Alternatively, just read about Project 2025 and be amazed at how truly cruel humans can be.

While these policies aim to harm, remember: we’ve seen the power of collective action before. Together, we can resist and create change.

The Cruelty May Not Be Televised

Some of these actions will be bold, loud, and sensational, attracting a lot of media coverage and spurring protests on a scale we’ve likely never experienced.

However, many harmful Executive Orders, nominations, court decisions, and policy changes will receive little coverage, having been slipped through, under the radar, on a Friday afternoon.

  • One reason you may not hear about it is that there will be simply too much to cover and too much to react, respond, and be outraged to. So, traditional media will be carefully selecting what to cover based on its ability to generate viewers and reactions.
  • Another reason is that the group(s) being harmed are often not deemed important enough for the media to care about and focus on — Black people, Immigrants, LGBTQ+, the poor, the homeless, etc.
  • The final reason is that too many of us will have allowed ourselves to become numb. This is what happens when cruelty becomes so common and so frequent that it becomes normalized. We sink into the kind of apathy and disregard that we see following each new school shooting in this county.

If you’re feeling hopeless and worried about what lies ahead, there’s a good reason for that…

The Goal Is That You Give Up

Apart from strengthening the existing dominant power structures and harming those deemed “less than” by those in power, this onslaught of sensational abject cruelty is designed to break your spirit.

It is a very effective tactic.

  • Every time a protest is successfully crushed, a movement fragmented, or an important moment fizzles without action, it sends the message: “what’s the point?”
  • Every time you notice a policy that harms an already marginalized group sneaks through, it sends the message: “see, no one cares. We’re not done.”
  • Every time the system absolves those who commit violence in support of the current order (cops, Charlottesville Nazis, insurrectionists) while condemning those who fight against it, it sends the message: “our people are safe; you are not.”

Further, the levers of economic power can deepen the call to apathy and normalization… because who even has the time and resources to fight back?

By overwhelming people who are already overwhelmed, the natural outcome for many is to retreat, isolate, and focus on their own survival. This is why nothing is done about income inequality, wage stagnation, and inflation.

Stand Up, Superhuman!

Ok, so all of that sounds pretty bleak.

That doesn’t matter. We’re Superhumans, right?

That means we gather ourselves and rise to the challenge.

Here’s how we resist the normalization of this cruelty:

1. Get Grounded

The first thing to do is get grounded in your worldview.

  • Do you subscribe to the idea that the world should be kinder, safer, and more equitable?
  • Do you believe that no one should be discriminated against because of factors they were born into?
  • Do you believe that we should protect others as we would want to be protected if we were in harm’s way?

To be in this fight for the long haul, you need to be anchored in a way of seeing the world that is allergic to the normalization of cruelty.

2. Check-In, Listen, and Learn

Next, make more of an effort to reach out to the people in your network who will be most affected by these cruel policies. That doesn’t mean letting them know that you see yourself as an ally or savior. It means being a friend, listening, and ensuring that they don’t feel alone.

You should also be listening to what the people most affected by these cruel policies are saying. They can help expand your perspective and lead you toward opportunities to help.

Take it upon yourself to educate yourself by reading more specifically from those who have been in these fights for a lot longer.

3. Be Outspoken

It is more important than ever to speak up and speak out.

That means using your voice everywhere you have it.

Refuse to “shut up about it.”

  • If a friend makes a “joke” that normalizes any kind of cruelty, say something. Make it uncomfortable if you must.
  • If you post online, resist the urge to sanitize your posts and avoid the tough topics. For instance, if it looks like a genocide, it’s probably a genocide. I’d argue, you probably want to be on the right side of history when genocide is involved.
  • Wherever you have the opportunity to use your power and privilege to speak up, do it.

If you are a white, cis-man, like me, you have an even bigger responsibility. Because you know we rarely face the same consequences as the groups we should be advocating for.

4. Support

If you have the funds to give money to organizations in various fights, do it. If you have time to volunteer or organize, do it. You won’t be able to do everything, but you can do something.

If that feels like a lot, start small—donate $5, share a fundraiser, or volunteer one evening a month. Every action counts.

Still Here?

Normalization can only take root if we let it.

Continued movement forward is our only option.

If you’ve made it this far in the post, I am talking to you.

We need you, if we want any hope of a better world for ourselves, our children, and our humanity.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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You might know Jeff from Linkedin as "the World’s Most Handsome Strategist and Professional Speaker." You might also know him by his other title: Superhero

Jeff Gibbard is the author of The Lovable Leader, a book about building great teams with trust, respect and kindness. He's also strategist, consultant, coach, speaker, podcaster, blogger, and more.

Jeff is on a mission to make the world kinder, safer and more equitable. He's committed to living a purpose-driven life, helping people to unlock their full potential, being a heroic and lovable leader, and becoming an unstoppable catalyst for change.

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