Why is the latest trend that if you don't belong to my political party, you must be evil, or stupid, or you name it?
What happened to understanding where your opponent came from to work towards a common compromise?
Watching news lately (both red and blue channels) is it the way they spin all the news these days and instill fear into everyone watching their channel?
Tribalism has always been a part of human existence. In the US we had a brief blip after WWII where we were united by a common experience and all got our news from the same couple of sources, perhaps that created the illusion, that at least in our country there was less conflict. I guess it depends on how you measure partisanship or look at it retrospectively... this may be overly cynical but I think part of the reason we have become more partisan in the last few decades is that for the first time previously unheard voices have made their way into the conversation. Those people have always been here, they just had no agency or representation, it's much easier for a homogeneous group of legislators to get things done than a heterogeneous one. I hope in the coming years we can select those among us who listen the best to be our leaders not those who yell the loudest.
Conflict is a natural part of human existence and the best advice for dealing with it is quite old.
Advice I often fail at heeding...but which I try to remember;
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”
"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
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A recent personal favorite
"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house."
I think Big Fin has done a remarkable job at lighting the house of our community, and I appreciate the example he has set.
