I just commented on
coalescent's blog. There are much worse things than losing an election. Just like there are worse things in a marriage than a divorce. But lest it seem that I am only all 'boo hoo what about the poor people' (because people might think that's the necessary pain - the sadness they feel). I also say that this is bad, bad economics. It's like medicine based on the theory of the humours - if you survived the blood letting it was no thanks to the doctor.
In a sense this is people believing their own propaganda. They invent a false narrative, and they think they can control it, they think they can propagate it but be outside of it, but eventually it will destroy them.