future generations, lend me your ears

[authoress]

Quite a few people on my Facebook have been filling my feed with political posts, generally from some news source. He said this, she did that, and as startling and sad as it the posts are, it's still nothing new. The only president who may or may not have had these problems was the first president, and I'm certain some people took issue with

Comments

[tahirire]

So much this.

*is tired*

[authoress]

Also tired, I hear you. What amazes me every election year is that they fight for this ceaselessly. They want this. Obviously, I wasn't cut out to be a politician.

Love to your icon. ♥

~Jean

[altyronsmaker]

I teach older kids (some are even legally adults, omg) and while most of them aren't informed and spout their 'learned' ideologies, there are a few that break the mold.

When they're talking about politics - either side, really - I'm always asking how they arrived at their conclusions. Waht sources are hey quoting? Are they vetting thouse sources through their own research.

I don't mind them having opinions, but I want them to learn to examine their opinions, test them, seek out information to support those opinions. NOt just lisen to their parents or news broadcasters or talking head pundits. Kids today take the internet and television as gospel. *sadface* And it's no wonder our political specturm is no longer a true spectrum but more like magnetic poles - constantly opposing each other.

Political extremism is dividing and destroying this country.

[authoress]

I'm glad there's teachers out there like you, hun. Man am I glad. The first thing to always do is research, research, research. Always know your sources; believing in something is one thing, knowing it to be as true as is possible is another. If you don't know where you stand, how else are you supposed to defend your beliefs and opinions?

I think the whole Kony fiasco was a prime example of taking the internet as gospel truth. While there are true problems over there, people didn't read into it all, and instead jumped on the wagon. Research, it is thy best weapon. And I love how you put it: magnetic poles. Their only goal is to take the opposite stance. What happened to standing for what you believe in? It just makes me sad.

Political extremism is dividing and destroying this country.This. Someone has to break the mold and step out and be a true leader of something else. Everthing has to change over time, or it becomes stagnant. Unfortunately, "stagnant" pretty much defines our politics. It's got to change, and I hope

[velvetwhip]

Now more than ever, we as the electorate need to step back and really think about what we are seeing and not get caught up in the angry nonsense. They want us to turn off our brains and that means we need to amp up the logical thinking to full steam.

Gabrielle

[authoress]

This. They want us to get caught up in choosing a side, of being a part of a party, to say, "We belong!" and then immediately have a common enemy. I'm thinking strongly of Romeo and Juliet, for some reason. Soon, people won't even know why they're fighting each other in the first place, why they chose a side without thinking it through or listening to the issues. Oh, wait...

~Jean

[jesterlady]

You've got some good thoughts, my dear. I heartily agree.

[authoress]

Thank you sweetie. It's so hard to watch it, and I'm a college educated adult. I can't even think of what kids, who haven't been through the political ringer yet, must think of this. Or worse, what they're taking from all of this.

~Jean