One month ago, former President Donald Trump seemed poised to retake the White House from an ailing President Joe Biden. Now that he’s falling behind Vice President Kamala Harris, people close to Trump’s campaign are complaining to Vanity Fair that the GOP nominee is only making matters worse. “It’s like he’s choosing to lose,” one of them vented.
It’s the sensation of catharsis from the world being made whole again. Up is up. down is down. Fascist clowns who brag about raping women are no longer dominating the presidential race, but are seemingly reduced to a increasingly meager side show. A black woman candidate isn’t just up in the polls, but brought with her one of the most progressive vps of all time with her. Schadenfreude is only half of that sensation, because it doesn’t also recognize the positive.
It’s a sensation that comes from things making sense, a returning to a world where the bad are punished and the good uplifted.
Catharsis is the perfect word.