Observations and Reactions

Not too long ago, I posted the following observation on Facebook:

I’ve come to realize that I have different modes of operation:

Passive / active
Terse / verbose 
Profane / professional

[Redacted] / “Begin Rant”

Lately, my activity on Facebook has been passive, terse, and professional… and there are reasons for it.
I’m looking forward to the converse mode to kick in… just not at this moment.

Coincidentally, a post from six years ago not only fit the mood I was in, but it offered a reassuring glimpse into my consistency when it comes to my views on controversies and current events:

Ok…

Earlier today, I mentioned that my political opinions are private. After driving around and running my errands in thought, I have to clarify.
I don’t like the current president. Not for his policies, religion, or race (shocker, I know). I don’t like him because of the division he is creating in this country. There are WAY too many books, talking heads, Facebook Political Analysts that are filling the air with discontent at just about every… single… thing that this current administration does. It’s just too damn much discord and disagreement. 
Over what? 
Do I approve of his policies? Dunno. The problem with politicians and the media is the fact that everyone seems to forget – they will tell you what you want to hear. Given the infinite possibilities of modern communication, you can find someone who will tell you what you want to hear. That simple.

Do I trust the “stats” or “numbers” fed to me? Nope. I can find contradicting info elsewhere… and it just might be partially true. For example: was an AR-15 used at Sandy Hook or not? Dunno, but that’s not the point, and that should NOT be a case either for or against gun control.

The big picture is lost in the static of opinion. Common decency and sense is lost in the gap between “right” and “more right.” And what we are left with is crap that we should have outgrown the moment we left the playground. Poopyhead.

Resposting this, I was met with a question from a relative:

How do you feel about the division the current guy is creating? The lady president didn’t create the division, it only came to the surface because years of “tradition” and status quo were challenged. The division today is created by vindictive policies, cloaked in hypocrisy, disrespect of law and society, corruption, and greed. I’ve never been a fan of dictators.

My response:

I see more division in what the media reports. It was the case then, just as it is the case now. My perspective on this is that they are still pissed that he won and they are doing everything they can to rile people up…
Again, it was the case then, just as it is the case now. 
My issues with how things are said are consistent with my attitudes on why things are being phrased as certain way and what that means in the future… by the media… by elected officials… and here on Facebook. 

None of this is new – as long as people have been vying for power, they have been using whatever means to influence. However, on the scale and scope of modern efforts, I see that we are losing ourselves and the capacity to reason independent of affiliation or whatever biases we are comforted with. 

This is a problem. 

Disagree with the president in 2013: racist.
Agree with the president in 2019: racist. 
This is what the media has been telling people and this is why people like me have a problem in sharing our thoughts – we will be mislabeled and pounced upon by the masses shouting what they heard on their network news of choice with no consideration of any alternative perspectives. 

This is a HUGE problem… which will manifest itself in the near and distant future. 

Politics and social movements are a pendulum which BOTH sides of the spectrum seem to not appreciate. What is forced into law or as a truth today will be a point of contention in the future and a weapon to beat over the heads of the opposition when that pendulum swings. All because we don’t stop to think about the perils of emotional responses…
Come to think of it, as I have said before, all because we aren’t afforded the time and peace of mind to pause and consider. Next breaking news… next outrage… next crisis… next unverified meme (funny how that part of the whole “Russian influence” angle got whispered and dropped by the media) all of it somewhere else… and little of that directed towards that people can chance where they are. 

Do I like the current guy? 
No. 
Did I like the previous guy?
No.
In fact, I haven’t liked a president in my lifetime… but my dislike for them is surpassed only by my dislike for the media which fuels this nonsense… and even THAT is minor to my frustration and anger for those who fall for it… every… single… time.

Sigh.

Going back to my modes, I typically default to the least confrontational method possible for several reasons. Primarily, I attempt to make a conscious effort to understand the sources involved and the emotions attached to an issue. More often than not, “discussions” online and in person have seemingly broken down into quick spirals of not listening to the other side and/or blatant ad hominin attacks once frustration sets in.

Another reason is that there are times when I feel that there is neither a correct or incorrect perspective – just that of the person who has experienced or related to one side or another. Over the years, I have come to doubt myself and what I thought I knew about something, and in that personal epiphany, my thoughts on absolutes in terms of a “truth” have become more fluid.

Finally, and most importantly, I know my own limits of patience, kindness, and tolerance. In the past, I have said things which I regret to this day; in all cases, the fact that those words came out of my mouth cannot be undone by countless apologetic words and/or deeds.

I have seen several memes floating around along the lines of “I’m a pretty patient/nice person. If I am treating you like crap, you might want to ask yourself what you did to deserve that.” Simplistic, but somewhat true in my case… but still not an absolute.  

My point is that the current mood in social and traditional media is contentious and partisan… and at times, a bit too extreme on either ends of various spectrums. While this is distressing, I personally find it an overall good thing. As long as folks can discuss their perspectives – even with emotion, irrationality, and biases – then all is not truly as dire as it is made out to be.

What truly disturbs me, though, is the growing apathy and inability to fact-check independent of external sources…

What truly worries me is the fact that we want to readily support that which we want to hear over that which may make us question core ideas…

While history is never truly repeated, sometimes there is a pattern: idea, effort, power, problems of context, and decline.

…It has always been the case, just as it is the case now.