A Case For Moving Forward
We have become experts at voicing our complaints, but are we ready to solve the underlying problems that created them?
On any given day I might read an article, listen to a podcast or watch a tv show. One thing I keep hearing, over and over, is how concerned everyone is. People are concerned about their rights, or lack thereof; people are worried about the economy, war, the climate, pollution, and the division of a once united country. The list goes on. This seemingly crazy world can be downright overwhelming. There are billions of people, millions of problems, and thousands of ways to disagree on the solutions. Everyone is vying for your attention; everyone wants to convince you they are right.
They say a cluttered space is a cluttered mind; perhaps that implies a chaotic world is a chaotic mind. To simplify things a little, people try and pretend that issues are only black or white, right or wrong, either “A” or “B”. This, unfortunately, leaves out the undeniable fact that there are nuances, shades of gray. It is certainly a much more complex world when we look beyond the tagline to see deep into the intricacies of any issue or topic.
I can see why people are looking for simplicity. They are busy. They have children, jobs, pets, and homes to manage, not to mention they might occasionally want to enjoy travel or time with friends and family. There is insufficient time to truly contemplate issues that are not demanding immediate attention. People must tackle what’s piled on their plates, and their plates are always overflowing.
There are others of us who fail to seek and scrutinize because we have already doubled down on a particular point of view. It seems that changing one’s mind has been mislabeled as hypocrisy, thus eliminating the humility gained by accepting new data and adjusting one’s position accordingly. I’d argue that it is unwise to presume that you will always believe what you currently believe, even if you learn information tomorrow that erodes the very foundation you’ve built that belief upon.
If we are being honest, we should also acknowledge that there are those who prefer to take the blue pill. Some people simplify to preserve their idea of what reality should be. The delusion of safety and the comfort of the status quo subdue any motivation to change. To revisit my Matrix reference, I’d say there are plenty of Cyphers out there, wishing to keep the blindfold on and coast through a cushy life filled with gourmet steak dinners. I totally understand. I could throw in the towel and join them right now. It would be easier. It would be more fun. It just isn’t how I’m built.
I have always been a liberal person, insomuch as I do not believe that rights and privileges should be assigned in percentages based upon culture, race or sex. The sorting hat decided I would play for team blue based upon that general belief. When George W. Bush sent us into the middle east, in spite of worldwide protests (which were very different back then), it further strengthened the “red is bad” argument in my head. I’ve participated in the system like a good liberal, I vote, I’ve volunteered on a presidential campaign and I’ve shared my opinions with my congressional representatives.
Even though I knew our systems were broken (and still are), I felt that democrats stood a little closer to the republic we are supposed to be. It was in 2014 or 15 that I finally discovered my blue was not true. For me, this realization came from watching “the news” as we were ramping up for the shit storm that would lead us into the 2016 presidential election and beyond. Even on MSNBC or CNN, decidedly blue networks, I could never find a reasonable point of view represented. Panels of as many as four or five people managed to “discuss” issues without even a shred of valuable insight coming to light.
I was furious that it was all such a waste of time.
Although I can see merit in some of the political stances taken by the red team, I knew that I would not be at home there either. I do not believe it is reasonable for governments to legislate human bodies. It’s creepy and upsetting to think of the psychological state one must occupy to believe they have that kind of authority over others. So, if not in red, then where would I rest my weary bones?
That proved to be a difficult question to answer. Any organization one can join comes with excessive baggage. If you align with a group on one issue, you’re expected to adopt their label and not only support their entire credo, but discount all other credos as well. I finally realized our choices politically are between the two wings of a single bird, and my eyes were opened. Once I’d realized this, I could not pick a side without feeling like a fool. I now can’t help but see that those with undying conviction for either cause are only pawns on the board, happily tearing each other apart.
Mainstream media outlets each follow a narrative that aligns with the interests of the company, or conglomerate of companies, that own them. There is no interest in promoting rational, informative debates or actual resolutions to the problems we all must face. The interest is always the same: profit above all else. This means that the narrative will be dependent upon the special interests of those who fund political campaigns, lobbyists, etc. These interests rarely align with the needs of the many because they are undoubtedly designed to further the interests of the few.
This brings us to the root of the issue I wish to contemplate with you today. How do we divert attention away from endless distractions so we are able to work together to address reality based problems? Is it even possible to start pushing towards a less crazy, more thoughtful world? In order to even approach this, it is important to note that we must not only lure both the red and the blue team players into the debate, but also those who are just too busy to dig deeper than barely scratching the surface.
I am making a case for joining together in the wonderful world of thought to develop possible solutions for problems that never seem to go away. I have most certainly succumb to extreme naiveté by even considering an attempt such as this. After all, there is a whirlpool of momentum moving in the opposite direction. Every detail of our society is pushing against this possibility, from advertisements normalizing busy, competitive lifestyles to stigmas assigned to labels such as “conspiracy theorists”.
Those supporting details might seem completely out of left field, but I think these examples are relevant to the issue.
Lifestyle advertising targets our competitive nature, falsely suggesting that increasing stress levels to compete with others (who seem to succeed effortlessly) is a goal we should all see as desirable. We are shown that stress can be mitigated by an aromatherapeutic body wash, not by reevaluating our values. By labelling someone as a conspiracy theorist, we are able to cast them aside as crazy, therefore never considering the actual data motivating their thought process. There are conspiracy theories based on junk information but there are also some based on actual evidence. From these, and countless other angles, we are always being nudged towards distractions that prevent informed discussions and organization. Distractions that keep this world crazy.
However, the most powerful force working against us is convenience. She is the jezebel that awakens sloth within us, she is why we look away when we should be rolling up our sleeves. Let’s face it, it is easier to just go with the flow. We could drive a little further and pay a little more to support a small business, buuuut… it is just so much easier and cheaper to swing by the big box store on the corner. We could take the time to research and inform our opinion, but since a public figure we like has presented a viewpoint we can relate to, may as well just hit the “like” button and go start dinner. Adding this intrinsic trait to the opposition only builds a stronger wall to knock down. We face both external and internal forces pulling us ever closer to a glamorized culture of quiet conformity.
What is this glamorized culture of quiet conformity, you ask? It is the influencer urging you to buy that thing you know you don’t need. It is the reality tv show that makes vapid drama seem normal and cool. It is one tribe or another pulling you into its warm, comforting embrace, leaving independent thinking out in the cold. It is the World Economic Forum predicting that you’ll own nothing and you’ll love it. It is a government rolling out a social credit system that rewards the behaviors and beliefs it condones and punishes deviants. It is a slippery slope, and we are jumping on our sleds with gleeful ignorance.
It has been said that we must fix our problems the same way we created them: little by little, over time. This is the only rational approach that might actually have an effect. It is temping to decide that we want the change immediately; we could run out there and start screaming in everyones’ faces. Drowning out opposing opinions may be effective on a case by case basis, but it will not alter momentum. The only practical solution is slowly, over time, person by person.
The idea may be daunting, until you consider what it means. This mess was contrived piece by piece, step by step. Therefore, the solution should be attempted in the same way. This means that every teeny little thing we do to further the cause of rational and critical thinking can be seen as progress. We do not have to take everything on all at once. It is possible to work towards a common goal with people who may not agree with us on every topic. We have the numbers to address many issues at once.
The problem is, people do not like change because it can be difficult or scary. It takes time and effort, which we’ve already identified as a challenge. I cannot deny that I am truly stumped. On one hand, there is reality. We know a lot about how people behave and can safely assume they will not suddenly begin to behave differently, unless there is a dramatic catalyst. On the other hand, there is what we’d like to see and what we hope is possible, even if unlikely. How do we take these contradictory concepts and somehow combine them to effect change?
As much as I wish it wasn’t so, I cannot imagine a path forward that isn’t difficult. I cannot foresee a path that doesn’t involve time and work of some kind. People will need to put in some effort. We can only succeed at healing and building a more reasonable and thoughtful society if the majority of its people are involved. Given all the distractions working against us, enticing people to participate will be hard-won.
This goal will only be achieved compassionately. Attacks and insults are thrown around so casually online, and that has begun to bleed into public places. America has become a much more dangerous and violent place. This tension and division only makes it easier to categorize those with opposing viewpoints as “others” or “enemies”. Of course they are not; they are still the same people. Many of them are family or friends whom we respect and know to be intelligent and rational.
If we have finally reached a tipping point, if we are truly interested in doing something to preserve and strengthen human rights, to unite our divided country, or to address any of the many other problems that keep us up at night, perhaps now change might be possible. Existential threats to our way of life, and to progressing towards better ways of living, seem to seep into daily discourse like they hadn’t before. The economy is not going to make things any easier for those who are struggling or hanging on by a thread. Eventually, people will be pushed to a point where they can no longer squeeze by, let alone sustain their lifestyle. It seems a catalyst for change is waiting, ominously, just around the corner.
If you do engage your fellow man, it will test the boundaries of your patience. You won’t be cool and you will not be popular; people’s eyes will glaze over when you talk. You will become the token crypto guy at work, finding yourself at the butt of many a joke. Your crew might forget to tell you where they went to lunch for fear that you’ll start talking about the Pfizer documents again.
They say you catch more flies with honey, and literally the goal is just to leave them with a nice, sticky thought. A sticky thought that they can’t wash away, that keeps agitating them, demanding their attention. Once you discover whatever triggers them, it will pull them down the rabbit hole. It sounds so scandalous, but we are literally just talking about finding whichever issue or problem is powerful enough to motivate someone to get involved. Those things that hit close to home always seem to inspire people to take action.
Taking action can come in many forms, from picking up trash on a walk to running for a public office. How you take action is up to you. The critical point is that simply taking action itself is half the battle. Give yourself credit and know that you will not be alone. There are millions of reasonable people, like you and I, who are worried but don’t know what to do. Even seemingly trivial things like having conversations, offering different perspectives, attempting to see other points of view, and citing unbiased sources rather than reiterating talking points all contribute to the greater good. The greater good being, for the purposes of this article, arriving at a place where we can sit across from each other and debate the merits of possible solutions to our problems.