I haven’t written a lot lately because I’ve been in a somewhat reflective mood. I have to admit, I’m not looking forward to the coming election season for the first time in my adult life.
I used to love to watch the political process and to endlessly debate the pros and cons of the different positions with other people (disagreeing with many in the process). The thing was, there was truly a give and take in the discussions. There was usually a mutual respect even if we disagreed (although we’ve all occasionally run into the blowhard we simply can’t tolerate). Just because you disagreed with someone did not necessarily mean that you were mortal enemies. Instead, it was like playing tennis with someone who’s your equal or even a bit better – win or lose, you enjoyed the process and moved on having enjoyed the interchange with a worthy adversary.
That changed a few election cycles ago, though. Discussion was no longer respectful but degraded into a shouting match between opposing sides, with the one who was the loudest or the best funded able to form the message, without regard to the particular facts of the situation.
There no longer seemed to be different interpretations of agreed upon facts, but instead outright denial of “facts” and “truth”. There was no longer merely a disagreement about interpretation, but instead a refusal to acknowledge that there is any foundation in the other side’s position whatsoever. Truth began to be somewhat irrelevant.
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