No, we can’t all just get along
For the eighty-bazillionth time, I hate all that comes with the discussion of politics and social issues.
It’s too stressful and contentious.
When it comes to values, culture, and beliefs, everyone holds different views. We can try to understand each other, but try as we might, we probably won’t understand, and even if we manage to do that, we’ll more than likely never agree.
People talk about tolerance, but no one really wants it. Well, some might, but what most want is more. Probably acceptance. Maybe even power?
To me, screaming tolerance is the most genius PR/marketing tactic you can put behind your values. If someone disagrees with your views, just tell them they’re being intolerant. That way, you put them on the defensive and you appear to be taking the high road. It allows you to remain intolerant of them by making your views look correct and/or superior.
If people wanted to exist in a world of true tolerance, life would be one big picnic of contradictory respect, where homophobics, homosexuals, racists, people of different races, sexists, people of both genders, and people of all different religious beliefs would mingle while still somehow maintaining their core beliefs and values.
But rather than working toward even lesser utopian impossibilities — while yet claiming to be doing so – more times than not, we enter into discussions about these things, the discussions turn into debates, and then they turn into arguments.
It’s pointless. Most of the time, the arguments don’t do anything more than fire up hatred and animosity.
No one’s gonna come together like that.
And everyone does want unity, right? Unity seems to be the goal by most groups, but the problem is everyone wants it only as long as people unite over their particular views. That’s because everyone thinks their views are the correct, best, and/or most socially responsible views.
Hey, I think mine are right, too. But I’m aware everyone else thinks the same thing about theirs. So what’s the point in making a stink about it?
Seriously?
With everyone so wrapped up in why they’re correct, more people than ever are on the defensive — and the offensive – and everything’s a target for disagreement.
Ugh. It’s aggravating. And unfortunate.
But what do I know? You probably think I’m wrong anyway.
This entry was posted on July 23, 2008 at 2:43 am and is filed under Activism, Life. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: Rants, arguments, beliefs, Politics, homophobia, homosexuality, racism, sexism, social issues, society, disagreements, religion, values, idealism
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