Right, Left or...Call me an Idealist!
Why do we find it so necessary to put ourselves (and everything/everyone we see, know, hear of etc.) into a neat little box with a label?? Especially when so often we do it not to find a commonality, but to emphasize difference?? And I am no exception to my belief that the more ingnorant we are, the bigger each box is....the more variety it holds under our narrowly defined label. Is this an inherent human condition? This need to identify, categorize, define? I'm sure it is. I'm also sure it begins as a reasonable desire; the desire to understand. Why do we repeatedly choose to stop investigating and decide we have the definitive answer? The label that fits, describes, encompasses a thing, a person, a viewpoint.
The topic of reference today is politics, but this applies to so many "isms" (racism, sexism, etc) and situations in our lives it boggles the mind if one stops to look at it. I know I am so guilty of this myself, blaming "right wing conservatives" for GWB and just about everything else that's wrong with our country right now. When did I begin to make such sweeping generalizations?? Why don't I get real and blame every person who doesn't vote, who doesn't even try to sort out the tons of dis and mis-information. Blame every person (like me) who gets so lost in the "spin"... Blame every "lefty" who is so extreme...
Why don't we all just admit that it is a fucking full time job to sort the wheat from the chaff and that everybody lies!! All we can do is follow our instincts and our hearts.
I identify as extreme left pretty much for one reason...to separate me from the extreme right. A very dear long time conservative friend of mine and myself once decided that if there were actually a political party to suit me, it would be "Idealist" :) How is it that I can claim conservatives as "friends"?? How is it that I can claim UFO detainees as friends?? Witches, Queers, Murderers, Democrats, Republicans, Blacks, Whites, Muslims, Christians....
This is insane. I'm going waaaay...off, right now.
(okay, T, breathe)
It seems to me that if more people would step out of the "left" and "right" positions, and sincerely try to understand each issue based solely on the facts (that we are able to discover, or as they come to light), we could all have an actual exchange of ideas. Dialogue instead of "Parties. (Hence the "Idealist" ;) )
I think the internet is allowing us so much more access to varied sources for "news" that it is harder than ever to distinguish "spin" from truth. I believe we are all victims of this. Left, right and in-between idealists like me. I'm sick of it all, today.
The topic of reference today is politics, but this applies to so many "isms" (racism, sexism, etc) and situations in our lives it boggles the mind if one stops to look at it. I know I am so guilty of this myself, blaming "right wing conservatives" for GWB and just about everything else that's wrong with our country right now. When did I begin to make such sweeping generalizations?? Why don't I get real and blame every person who doesn't vote, who doesn't even try to sort out the tons of dis and mis-information. Blame every person (like me) who gets so lost in the "spin"... Blame every "lefty" who is so extreme...
Why don't we all just admit that it is a fucking full time job to sort the wheat from the chaff and that everybody lies!! All we can do is follow our instincts and our hearts.
I identify as extreme left pretty much for one reason...to separate me from the extreme right. A very dear long time conservative friend of mine and myself once decided that if there were actually a political party to suit me, it would be "Idealist" :) How is it that I can claim conservatives as "friends"?? How is it that I can claim UFO detainees as friends?? Witches, Queers, Murderers, Democrats, Republicans, Blacks, Whites, Muslims, Christians....
This is insane. I'm going waaaay...off, right now.
(okay, T, breathe)
It seems to me that if more people would step out of the "left" and "right" positions, and sincerely try to understand each issue based solely on the facts (that we are able to discover, or as they come to light), we could all have an actual exchange of ideas. Dialogue instead of "Parties. (Hence the "Idealist" ;) )
I think the internet is allowing us so much more access to varied sources for "news" that it is harder than ever to distinguish "spin" from truth. I believe we are all victims of this. Left, right and in-between idealists like me. I'm sick of it all, today.
1 Comments:
"It seems to me that if more people would step out of the "left" and "right" positions, and sincerely try to understand each issue based solely on the facts (that we are able to discover, or as they come to light), we could all have an actual exchange of ideas. Dialogue instead of "Parties."
As you know I totally agree. BTW, see the 2006 election. Your not such an idealist, just a middle of the road whacko like the rest of us.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home