Agree with all the laudatory comments. I'm sure your description is what Thanksgiving looked like for many people on all sides. Its too bad. I grew up and remember a different America. I watched the movie "Reagan" this past weekend and noticed the great camaraderie and respect depicted between Tip O'Neal and President Reagan. During the work day the were adversaries and sometimes adversarial but after 6pm they were, as Reagan described in the movie, "just two Irishmen having a beer." I don't know how true that is, but the sentiment described is the America I grew up in. Families and friends should remember that when they get together...blood and friendship are thicker than politics.
One of my daughters leans towards another political side than either me or my wife and yet we share far more than that which divides us. We mostly agree to just "not go there" on issues where we likely have disagreements. And if we stumble into something and it gets heated we almost always decide to stop and just move on to one of the many things that we share. Its not difficult but it requires one to be an adult and place family and friends above political posturing. We choose love and shared things over political differences. After all the guy you described is arguing on behalf of a political party that doesn't even know he exists. Why on earth would one ruin family relationships and friendships over that? You likely won't convince someone who has made a decision so why not just live and let live and focus on things in common?
Very insightful, simple and inspiring. I can only hope that more folk can follow your lead. I certainly feel the ramped-up devisive nature of all things political, particularly in the last few years. And being quite passionate myself about certain issues, I have to police my own behaviour and thoughts regarding the beliefs and opinions of others, so that I dont become part of the divide...but I rarely let opposing opinions change my mind about the person thenmself. The only exception is if I feel they are promoting ideology for manipulative or selfish means...but I would always have been somewhat sceptical about such a person in the first place.
It scares me, this powerful force that so easily divides us. I definitely feel way more anxious to express myself than I have ever done. That may be because I have shifted greatly in my political stance, largely due to having finally embarked on a mission to be more informed and educated, rather than being naive and ideological.
I do remind myself that if someone would end their relationship with me, or distance themselves from me, due to my opinions, that it is their choice to make and there is not much I can do about that. And tbh, when I was younger I likely let such things influence me more than I realised. For me, the most important thing now is to stay true to what I believe, and to try not to become embedded in any echo chamber. As long as I am being true to myself and doing the best I can to educate myself (utilising differnet sourcea and POVs), well, that's all I can do.
People who are sure and knowledgeable in their beliefs are always willing to discuss them. They might be dogmatic and impossible to dissuade, but they are always up for the discussion. And that can be the case, regardless of which 'side' someone is on.
But when people refuse to communicate, and withdraw into themselves defensively, it's because they have no faith in their own beliefs. They feel threatened when called upon to explain or defend then. If you can't or won't defend your beliefs, they aren't really your beliefs.
Wow. A stellar piece describing the dynamic of political addiction so pervasive today amongst those of either or any political affiliation.
Thank you Dan. I appreciate that.
Agree with all the laudatory comments. I'm sure your description is what Thanksgiving looked like for many people on all sides. Its too bad. I grew up and remember a different America. I watched the movie "Reagan" this past weekend and noticed the great camaraderie and respect depicted between Tip O'Neal and President Reagan. During the work day the were adversaries and sometimes adversarial but after 6pm they were, as Reagan described in the movie, "just two Irishmen having a beer." I don't know how true that is, but the sentiment described is the America I grew up in. Families and friends should remember that when they get together...blood and friendship are thicker than politics.
One of my daughters leans towards another political side than either me or my wife and yet we share far more than that which divides us. We mostly agree to just "not go there" on issues where we likely have disagreements. And if we stumble into something and it gets heated we almost always decide to stop and just move on to one of the many things that we share. Its not difficult but it requires one to be an adult and place family and friends above political posturing. We choose love and shared things over political differences. After all the guy you described is arguing on behalf of a political party that doesn't even know he exists. Why on earth would one ruin family relationships and friendships over that? You likely won't convince someone who has made a decision so why not just live and let live and focus on things in common?
Great column and very timely. Thanks Adam.
Good strategy. It's just not worth it to argue over this stuff.
Very insightful, simple and inspiring. I can only hope that more folk can follow your lead. I certainly feel the ramped-up devisive nature of all things political, particularly in the last few years. And being quite passionate myself about certain issues, I have to police my own behaviour and thoughts regarding the beliefs and opinions of others, so that I dont become part of the divide...but I rarely let opposing opinions change my mind about the person thenmself. The only exception is if I feel they are promoting ideology for manipulative or selfish means...but I would always have been somewhat sceptical about such a person in the first place.
It scares me, this powerful force that so easily divides us. I definitely feel way more anxious to express myself than I have ever done. That may be because I have shifted greatly in my political stance, largely due to having finally embarked on a mission to be more informed and educated, rather than being naive and ideological.
I do remind myself that if someone would end their relationship with me, or distance themselves from me, due to my opinions, that it is their choice to make and there is not much I can do about that. And tbh, when I was younger I likely let such things influence me more than I realised. For me, the most important thing now is to stay true to what I believe, and to try not to become embedded in any echo chamber. As long as I am being true to myself and doing the best I can to educate myself (utilising differnet sourcea and POVs), well, that's all I can do.
I hate politics, but I follow things closely to see what THEY are trying to do to me and my family.
Well said! One of your best commentaries ever.
Thank you Joel!
Well said, and applicable to most of us on both sides!
Thank you
People who are sure and knowledgeable in their beliefs are always willing to discuss them. They might be dogmatic and impossible to dissuade, but they are always up for the discussion. And that can be the case, regardless of which 'side' someone is on.
But when people refuse to communicate, and withdraw into themselves defensively, it's because they have no faith in their own beliefs. They feel threatened when called upon to explain or defend then. If you can't or won't defend your beliefs, they aren't really your beliefs.
I agree with you.