Polar
"A house divided against itself cannot stand..."
- Abraham Lincoln, 1858
Our nation is not exactly divided, but the cloth is frayed at the middle.
Over the last fifteen or twenty years, the vast majority of people in this country have drifted from the center and taken up ideological residence at the far extremes of political thought.
ABC News showed a special roughly a week ago that focused on a sociological study. People with a range of political viewpoints were placed in a room together and asked to come to a consensus. Instead of compromising (which would seem the safest prediction to make) the more neutral participants in the study generally caved and agreed with the more extreme viewpoints.
Apparently, this is happening on a national level.
Take any "hot-button" topic of the day- abortion, gay marriage, immigration, or the war on terror- and the best answer is probably an amalgam of the two dominant political viewpoints in the American political arena- Democrat and Republican.
However, the two groups have been overtaken by a vociferous and belligerent minority that neuters any potential chance for open and healthy discussion before it begins. Both sides are guilty of plunging their heads in the sand, as far as it concerns the other side's arguments.
The wonder of democracy is that there is a natural solution which will present itself over time, whether we like it or not. As I see it, there are two possibilities. Either a charismatic and personal candidate will arise (in the mold of Clinton or Reagan) that will help bridge the gap, or a (reputable) third-party candidate will emerge and successfully straddle the political Colossus. The second option, which is less likely, will become more feasible as the parties drift farther and farther away.
As it stands now, however, all political discourse of any merit has shut down- we are left with those on opposite ends lobbing dangerous and pointless missiles at each other- missiles that do nothing but damage to both sides and does nothing to advance the discussion.
What makes us human is our ability to communicate effectively, reach compromises, and shape the world as we see fit. Right now I hear a cornucopia of garbled static filled with catch phrases approved by pollsters, grumbles from those who refuse to yield based on arcane notions of pride and boorishness, and the silent screams of a nation that must use too much energy to remain a cohesive social fabric.
As Yeats said, "Things fall apart." It appears that maxim is applicable to political institutions as well. Let's hope the ship rights itself in time to continue its storied course.
- Abraham Lincoln, 1858
Our nation is not exactly divided, but the cloth is frayed at the middle.
Over the last fifteen or twenty years, the vast majority of people in this country have drifted from the center and taken up ideological residence at the far extremes of political thought.
ABC News showed a special roughly a week ago that focused on a sociological study. People with a range of political viewpoints were placed in a room together and asked to come to a consensus. Instead of compromising (which would seem the safest prediction to make) the more neutral participants in the study generally caved and agreed with the more extreme viewpoints.
Apparently, this is happening on a national level.
Take any "hot-button" topic of the day- abortion, gay marriage, immigration, or the war on terror- and the best answer is probably an amalgam of the two dominant political viewpoints in the American political arena- Democrat and Republican.
However, the two groups have been overtaken by a vociferous and belligerent minority that neuters any potential chance for open and healthy discussion before it begins. Both sides are guilty of plunging their heads in the sand, as far as it concerns the other side's arguments.
The wonder of democracy is that there is a natural solution which will present itself over time, whether we like it or not. As I see it, there are two possibilities. Either a charismatic and personal candidate will arise (in the mold of Clinton or Reagan) that will help bridge the gap, or a (reputable) third-party candidate will emerge and successfully straddle the political Colossus. The second option, which is less likely, will become more feasible as the parties drift farther and farther away.
As it stands now, however, all political discourse of any merit has shut down- we are left with those on opposite ends lobbing dangerous and pointless missiles at each other- missiles that do nothing but damage to both sides and does nothing to advance the discussion.
What makes us human is our ability to communicate effectively, reach compromises, and shape the world as we see fit. Right now I hear a cornucopia of garbled static filled with catch phrases approved by pollsters, grumbles from those who refuse to yield based on arcane notions of pride and boorishness, and the silent screams of a nation that must use too much energy to remain a cohesive social fabric.
As Yeats said, "Things fall apart." It appears that maxim is applicable to political institutions as well. Let's hope the ship rights itself in time to continue its storied course.
posted by Yorick at 6:16 PM
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