As a political junkie, the current state of our country is enough to make a sane person insane, but reaching out to virtual friends across the miles can have a soothing effect on frayed nerves.
I pondered about our humanity and what the media keeps insisting on reporting. I have pondered reading blogs and lurking as an observer about the state, not of our union, but our collective psyche and frayed humanity. Why are there so many obstacles in our way and who keeps putting them there?
Fortunately, the human race is more interconnected than we are able to comprehend. Perhaps Twitter, Stumble Upon, Google and Facebook have made possible to grasp our collective unity a little better, but we are still far from full comprehension.
I spoke with someone who is a full-timer (they live in their 200K motor home year round and visit as much of the world as possible). He said: "When I go camping, I only meet great people. Perhaps it is because those are my expectations".
Keeping that comment in mind, I have looked at the bruhaha of political bizarreness (sure, it is a word) and instead of declaring the screaming crowds as lunatics, I have decided to look at their humanity and see what I can find there instead.
I found racists, I found people filled with hatred and unbridled rage, I found people who can't imagine a world filled with "others".
I dug deeper and found what I was looking for: Fear.
Obama tapped into their fears at a visceral level. He did not offend them for being half-white. He terrified them because he represented what they fear most: Change.
When I hear the opposition rebel against tax cuts for the middle class or when they state that we are going to be a country like France, I see fear. Fear of better. Fear of different. Fear of adaptation.
Most importantly, I see human beings who have always been terrified of dying but are now terrified of living.
It is going to take a lot of patience and understanding to let people know that is okay to feel joy and happiness and we need to work together to get there and secure it in our lifetime for us and our loved ones.
It is easier to look into people's fears by reading their tweets or Google-ing their websites. The connectivity on the Internet should make it easier for us to reach out and touch someone rather than slapping them. Instead we seem to degrade one another without giving a second thought to the fact that we are all in the same boat.
Paddling needs to be a team effort or we are all going to drown together.
- Additional Thoughts -
We all know there are fringe elements everywhere and constant media attention to what the majority would consider bizarre is only making more of them crawl out of the woodwork. What makes this scenario more dismal is the snake-oil salesmen that are taking this opportunity to make millions of dollars at the expense of people's fears.
Very few understand the connection between the Fox empire and Saudi Arabia. Very few understand that every time they purchase magazines their money builds Dubai. Very few understand who is signing the paychecks for the Glenn Becks, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and O'Reileys of this world.
In the blindness that is fear, they neglect to ask the pertinent questions of those seeking office. No one has yet asked a governor or senator seeking re-election why they want a job, paycheck, perks, staff, health care and retirement from the government when they claim the government is our enemy. Are they not the enemy as well?
If they hate it so much, why are they spending millions of dollars to get elected to a government position? Do they seek to destroy the government? If so, they should not be elected.
After all, if we stop to think instead of feeling rage, we may realize that what they are saying needs to be destroyed is US, because WE are the government. Each and everyone of us.
The government is not some ethereal location like Shangri-La, but a representation of our collective humanity that is ever inching closer thanks to the marvel of scientific discoveries and its applications.
If we can't paddle together, Perhaps it is time to get on the bus towards our collective future and leave behind those who are filled with hatred and fear. They will eventually realize that things got better and so did their lives, even if they feel like grumbling, at least they won't be shouting.
Frankly, we can't wait any more. The entertainment value of the current circus is not worth the price of admission.
May tomorrow bring you and yours the PEACE we all crave.
Olivia Emisar.
I pondered about our humanity and what the media keeps insisting on reporting. I have pondered reading blogs and lurking as an observer about the state, not of our union, but our collective psyche and frayed humanity. Why are there so many obstacles in our way and who keeps putting them there?
Fortunately, the human race is more interconnected than we are able to comprehend. Perhaps Twitter, Stumble Upon, Google and Facebook have made possible to grasp our collective unity a little better, but we are still far from full comprehension.
I spoke with someone who is a full-timer (they live in their 200K motor home year round and visit as much of the world as possible). He said: "When I go camping, I only meet great people. Perhaps it is because those are my expectations".
Keeping that comment in mind, I have looked at the bruhaha of political bizarreness (sure, it is a word) and instead of declaring the screaming crowds as lunatics, I have decided to look at their humanity and see what I can find there instead.
I found racists, I found people filled with hatred and unbridled rage, I found people who can't imagine a world filled with "others".
I dug deeper and found what I was looking for: Fear.
Obama tapped into their fears at a visceral level. He did not offend them for being half-white. He terrified them because he represented what they fear most: Change.
When I hear the opposition rebel against tax cuts for the middle class or when they state that we are going to be a country like France, I see fear. Fear of better. Fear of different. Fear of adaptation.
Most importantly, I see human beings who have always been terrified of dying but are now terrified of living.
It is going to take a lot of patience and understanding to let people know that is okay to feel joy and happiness and we need to work together to get there and secure it in our lifetime for us and our loved ones.
It is easier to look into people's fears by reading their tweets or Google-ing their websites. The connectivity on the Internet should make it easier for us to reach out and touch someone rather than slapping them. Instead we seem to degrade one another without giving a second thought to the fact that we are all in the same boat.
Paddling needs to be a team effort or we are all going to drown together.
- Additional Thoughts -
We all know there are fringe elements everywhere and constant media attention to what the majority would consider bizarre is only making more of them crawl out of the woodwork. What makes this scenario more dismal is the snake-oil salesmen that are taking this opportunity to make millions of dollars at the expense of people's fears.
Very few understand the connection between the Fox empire and Saudi Arabia. Very few understand that every time they purchase magazines their money builds Dubai. Very few understand who is signing the paychecks for the Glenn Becks, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and O'Reileys of this world.
In the blindness that is fear, they neglect to ask the pertinent questions of those seeking office. No one has yet asked a governor or senator seeking re-election why they want a job, paycheck, perks, staff, health care and retirement from the government when they claim the government is our enemy. Are they not the enemy as well?
If they hate it so much, why are they spending millions of dollars to get elected to a government position? Do they seek to destroy the government? If so, they should not be elected.
After all, if we stop to think instead of feeling rage, we may realize that what they are saying needs to be destroyed is US, because WE are the government. Each and everyone of us.
The government is not some ethereal location like Shangri-La, but a representation of our collective humanity that is ever inching closer thanks to the marvel of scientific discoveries and its applications.
If we can't paddle together, Perhaps it is time to get on the bus towards our collective future and leave behind those who are filled with hatred and fear. They will eventually realize that things got better and so did their lives, even if they feel like grumbling, at least they won't be shouting.
Frankly, we can't wait any more. The entertainment value of the current circus is not worth the price of admission.
May tomorrow bring you and yours the PEACE we all crave.
Olivia Emisar.
5 comments:
It's the ever-present battle between good and evil, isn't it?
Anthony DeMellow brought it to my attention: What's the opposite of love? Well it ain't hate, as I thought first, hate being just a perverted form of love.
It is fear. Love and fear are at the extreme end points of our emotional spectrum. Love stands for union, fear for separation and division - good and evil.
I have to admit, though, I STILL find it difficult to love those loud-mouthed reactionaries....
I like your post, Olivia.
I was taught that the opposite of Love was Indifference. I like your take on the spectrum of emotions being opposites because of the passion involved.
Indifference may turn out to be what kills love instead?
All too often, all we have to do is look at history itself to find out how not to handle things. Unfortunately, history has also shown us what happens when the mob mentality comes to the forefront. I fear those times are upon us now. Reason seems to have left the building, if you will.
I was taught long ago that the most dangerous person in the world is not necessarily the one with the weapon--it is the one who feels they have absolutely nothing left to lose. Once this type of thinking becomes ingrained in the pysche, It spreads of its own accord.
I like the idea of all paddling together, the first thing we need to do is keep people from jumping out of the boat.
Very thought provoking post.
John, your comment was thought provoking as well. Thanks for the mental stimulation to you and Georg, it is a refreshing change of pace from the mind-nubming chatter we are relentlessly exposed to on tv and radio.
PEACE to you - Olivia
Excellent post. It seems I myself am in the middle trapped between two opposing sides, who it seems have their own agendas. I refuse to pick sides between the left and right. I try to move forward, do the best I can, help others, and try to make the right decisions. America is a great country. It is our diversity which makes us strong. Keep up the good work.
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