There are days when I don't have much to say. It's days like these where I like to read. Lately, I've been reading a lot. From books on math (I must shamelessly plug my previous blog entry about The Drunkards Walk) to books on social issues, such as Losing My Cool, I've been gaining more understanding and seeking new perspectives. As I sit and listen, reading Facebook posts or hearing various debates, I find that new perspectives and gaining more understanding is something woefully forgotten.
Please hear me out, I do not wish to engage in a politically philosophical conversation where words are dissected to create division. It is simply that we, as a group of people, seem to be drawn to the edges of arguments by those who are already at the edge of the argument. While most of the American mainstream are somewhere in the middle all too many of us choose sides based solely on political loyalty, in doing so we exchange our personal opinions for parroting other's thoughts.
It seems to be that we have become ingrained in saying one side is wrong, while ours is right. What benefit is this pride that we have in our own political ideology's opinion? It is of no consequence, after all our political party, for most of us, is not going to be offended by our agreement or lack of agreement with them. Ultimately it comes down to us. We want it our way, after all we like to be "right", and in selfish frivolity we refuse to understand or hear another point of view, which could prove us "wrong". Worst yet, we as a group of individuals, have failed to read and research our own view. We no longer are concerned with the information out there, unless it comes from a source supporting our point of view. We ingest "facts" only if those "facts" come from a source already proven to support our political party. This does not benefit us. This is the epitome of pride and ego.
This all or nothing view we hold does not serve us as individuals or as a country. We have become dominated by extremes, beckoning us to join them. We have been pushed to say we are one or the other, either a democrat or a republican, and this is rarely the case. We are people. And if we are rational, and even aware of our emotions, about those issues most important to us we can agree that there are no easy answers. No side is right, this is not about being right, because ultimately any solution is not going to be perfect when crafted by imperfect people.
The thought of "I think am I right and therefore I am right." does not make you right any more than thinking you are a millionaire makes you a millionaire. Yet, this is what we have boiled our opinions, and the views held by our political party, down to. The reality is that government, just like us, is flawed and run by human individuals. Even when the constitution was crafted, those individuals we places as the idols of the past were imperfect and disagreed with the elements included or left off of the constitution. George Mason, an individual mostly forgotten and only remembered by sports fans for the university with his name's sports team, refused to sign the US Constitution because, in part, of the issue of slavery.
Perhaps we need to reinvestigate where we stand, perhaps we need to read more and actually do the work it takes to become knowledgeable about our beliefs. Perhaps we need to read the opposing view point, not with a slant of hatred, but with a slant of trying to understand both sides of an argument. Maybe when we realize that our side is not infallibly right and the other side is not always inextricably wrong we can began to have a real conversation about where to go and what to do, without the threats of government shutdowns and drastic language such as "draconian" and "extreme".
After all the real truth is that our government reflects us. The more we learn to be knowledgeable, the more the commonalities will show through and the less the edge's screams will divide. My encouragement is to break out of your self imposed boxes and put some work into understanding both sides of the argument. Ask questions, seek answers, wade through all of the rhetorical garbage into the issues and stop clinging to your own party's opinion. Live in freedom knowing that you, with a little work, can have your own imperfect thoughts and opinions.
Please hear me out, I do not wish to engage in a politically philosophical conversation where words are dissected to create division. It is simply that we, as a group of people, seem to be drawn to the edges of arguments by those who are already at the edge of the argument. While most of the American mainstream are somewhere in the middle all too many of us choose sides based solely on political loyalty, in doing so we exchange our personal opinions for parroting other's thoughts.
It seems to be that we have become ingrained in saying one side is wrong, while ours is right. What benefit is this pride that we have in our own political ideology's opinion? It is of no consequence, after all our political party, for most of us, is not going to be offended by our agreement or lack of agreement with them. Ultimately it comes down to us. We want it our way, after all we like to be "right", and in selfish frivolity we refuse to understand or hear another point of view, which could prove us "wrong". Worst yet, we as a group of individuals, have failed to read and research our own view. We no longer are concerned with the information out there, unless it comes from a source supporting our point of view. We ingest "facts" only if those "facts" come from a source already proven to support our political party. This does not benefit us. This is the epitome of pride and ego.
This all or nothing view we hold does not serve us as individuals or as a country. We have become dominated by extremes, beckoning us to join them. We have been pushed to say we are one or the other, either a democrat or a republican, and this is rarely the case. We are people. And if we are rational, and even aware of our emotions, about those issues most important to us we can agree that there are no easy answers. No side is right, this is not about being right, because ultimately any solution is not going to be perfect when crafted by imperfect people.
The thought of "I think am I right and therefore I am right." does not make you right any more than thinking you are a millionaire makes you a millionaire. Yet, this is what we have boiled our opinions, and the views held by our political party, down to. The reality is that government, just like us, is flawed and run by human individuals. Even when the constitution was crafted, those individuals we places as the idols of the past were imperfect and disagreed with the elements included or left off of the constitution. George Mason, an individual mostly forgotten and only remembered by sports fans for the university with his name's sports team, refused to sign the US Constitution because, in part, of the issue of slavery.
Perhaps we need to reinvestigate where we stand, perhaps we need to read more and actually do the work it takes to become knowledgeable about our beliefs. Perhaps we need to read the opposing view point, not with a slant of hatred, but with a slant of trying to understand both sides of an argument. Maybe when we realize that our side is not infallibly right and the other side is not always inextricably wrong we can began to have a real conversation about where to go and what to do, without the threats of government shutdowns and drastic language such as "draconian" and "extreme".
After all the real truth is that our government reflects us. The more we learn to be knowledgeable, the more the commonalities will show through and the less the edge's screams will divide. My encouragement is to break out of your self imposed boxes and put some work into understanding both sides of the argument. Ask questions, seek answers, wade through all of the rhetorical garbage into the issues and stop clinging to your own party's opinion. Live in freedom knowing that you, with a little work, can have your own imperfect thoughts and opinions.
Agree.
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