No Political Solution

[_earthshine_]

I'm a generally apolitical (if not anti-political) person, and certainly keep that my policy online, but i'm making an exception here.

My latest attempt to capture my thoughts on the election is below for those who want to read it, but the most important point is this:

If you're reading this - whoever you are, however you voted, whatever your

Comments

Yes, but ...

[jesus_jeff]

The things that unite us are bigger than the things that divide us.

But make no mistake: there are things that divide us; there are genuine differences in how we believe things should be run. The challenge for any leader is to figure out some path, whether that is minimizing unhappiness or maximizing wealth, or whatever your goal state is; and no leader can represent everyone equally well.

Some of what you point out is spot-on: it is easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility for your own problems and failures, and there are quite a few forces that benefit from dividing us. But what I'm missing is what alternative you are suggesting.

RE: Yes, but ...

[_earthshine_]

The alternative begins with recognizing the problem that i'm describing and escaping it. Whatever the long-term solution is, it will be not be achieved from the dialogue into which we are currently forced. The first step is always acknowledging what's happening. We must then take the steps to rebuild our faith in those on "the other side", develop willingness to respect and work with them, and then a resolve to -- alongside them -- explore the real long-term solutions by starting with the things that we can agree on.

From there, i feel that possibilities abound. ... but from where i stand, more than half the work will be even getting to that point of exploration. It's too easy for people to buy into the neatly packaged rhetoric that tells them that they're right and better and that nothing wrong with the world is their fault.

Bold

[fdmts]

Apparently I haven't touched facebook since June of 2012. Thanks for bringing me back.

I want to commend your boldness in putting this out there. That takes courage.

Beyond that, I'm going to read the facebook screeds and recede into the background. I have no emotional energy to spare for this. My thoughts are all with the victims, at the moment.

RE: Bold

[_earthshine_]

I miss the old place. Nice to see your userpic again. :)

Thanks for the encouraging words. I understand the need to focus our energy given the storm of noise on this, and i feel that your sense of priority is a good one. My only thought on that is to encourage that we not create victims from supposition, but rather to focus our efforts on the real ones. I believe that it is very dangerous to propagate the idea that the current political climate is indicative of a nation that is largely complacent with bigotry; in addition to believing it inaccurate (per post), i believe that it emboldens the extreme minority who actually are hateful, violent, and oppressive. Rather than paint a picture of a nation full of hate and fear, we should -- perhaps (dare i hope) even alongside those in the political opposition who are still good people -- support those targeted by real acts when and where they occur.