It's become increasingly irritating how divisive our country has gotten. Am I alone here? The vast majority of us used to congregate in the "middle" - some would lean one way or the other a bit, but it was just enough to keep a healthy balance of perspective. There were always die-hard whack-jobs on the extremes, they may have been loud, but they were a minority - nothing more than a reminder to those in the middle that it was the right place to be. And now? Those whack-jobs have gotten louder and have been getting more attention (thanks social media) and they have been pulling support from the middle. They've drawn a big, fat line down the middle and have created a toxic environment where you have to choose a side...or else. Cancelled. Labeled. Generalized. If you're not with us, you're against us. If you don't support this, you're that.
It's as if we can't have opinions anymore. Should we be brave enough to try to share a perspective, SOMEONE will take issue with it and try to destroy it. Every preference argued, every point-of-view scrutinized. We used to be able to have a mind to change. Now, you must not only be sure of your stance, but no matter what, your stance will most assuredly place you in opposition of a population that will consider you an enemy. The middle used to be a place of collaboration and conversation. Some might change their mind, while others would not - which was fine...agree to disagree used to be an accepted result. Now? There are clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right and in the middle they see minds to be shrunk and mouths to be silenced.
Personally, I don't see how this toxic framework is sustainable. My only hope is that those that were previously in the middle who were forced to gravitate to the extremes, will find themselves fed up and find their way back...and bring their voice with them. I hope this stretch to the extremes works like a rubber band and snaps back into place after being pulled too far. But how far can we stretch? Or will the rubber band just break? Scary thought.
It is possible to have an opinion without an adversary. A perspective without an agenda. A belief without a prejudice. Why have so many forgotten this? Thoughts and feelings aren't finite and are meant to change with the tides of life. Why do people feel the need to draw lines in the sand? The waves of knowledge and experience are meant to wash onto the shore and change the landscape...naturally and effortlessly. We should be learning from history, not erasing it. We should be exchanging perpectives, not silencing them. We should be living life, not fearing it.
I sincerely hope that more eyes will open and the mass evacuation from the middle will be reversed. A divided culture is a weak culture. A weak culture is easily manipulated and dominated. Our country was founded on principals of freedom, yet freedom seems to be having supply chain issues. I know I'm not crazy for remaining in the middle, but it is getting awfully lonely here. I'm waiting for my fellow free-thinkers to find their way back. Until then, here I am, stuck in the middle with...my faith in humanity.
K8
