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Understanding the left/right divide in our country.
Can a divided America heal?
Posted from ted.com
Election 2016
Political Correctness
Liberal
Conservative
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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No...after eight years of negative! Don't expect it to be okay now. I respect the outcome.
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Capt Seid Waddell I would love to lie to you and say "yes" but we have gotten so polarized that each one of us would have a better chance of hitting the lottery than seeing this happen. It's not to say that it's not wanted, but we as a nation have adopted a "my side's right, your side's wrong and I'm going to remind you of it forever" mindset, that doing it wouldn't be worth it, IMHO. And it's because of that mindset, neither the Left of the Right wants to blink first for fear that a genuine gesture of cooperation will be seen as weakness and pundits of either faction will take that olive branch and bash the opposing faction over the head with it...forever.
Should this happen? Hell yeah!
Is it going to happen? Not until Liberals and Conservatives both grow up and reject the "us vs them" AND the "my way or the highway" mentalities. Otherwise, it's SS,DD
Should this happen? Hell yeah!
Is it going to happen? Not until Liberals and Conservatives both grow up and reject the "us vs them" AND the "my way or the highway" mentalities. Otherwise, it's SS,DD
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Capt Seid Waddell
SSG Michael Hartsfield, unfortunately, this polarization begins with the people. We have been in a culture war since the '60s in which both sides have mutually exclusive world views.
The left has been violent and vindictive since then, leaving the right with little option but to fight fire with fire. Look at the violence of the Occupy movement, the BLM people, and now those on the left that will not accept the election results, for example; as long as this anarchy is taking place there is no possibility for a coming together as a society.
Now neither side dares to put down their weapons for fear of what the other side will do to them. Either the hatreds on the left will burn out on their own or they will precipitate a terrible backlash that will help no one.
Our top leaders on both sides are now at least mouthing platitudes supporting cooperation, but their actions will determine the eventual outcome.
IMHO.
The left has been violent and vindictive since then, leaving the right with little option but to fight fire with fire. Look at the violence of the Occupy movement, the BLM people, and now those on the left that will not accept the election results, for example; as long as this anarchy is taking place there is no possibility for a coming together as a society.
Now neither side dares to put down their weapons for fear of what the other side will do to them. Either the hatreds on the left will burn out on their own or they will precipitate a terrible backlash that will help no one.
Our top leaders on both sides are now at least mouthing platitudes supporting cooperation, but their actions will determine the eventual outcome.
IMHO.
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SSG Michael Hartsfield
Capt Seid Waddell what you just wrote exemplifies the reason why the Left and Right will always be at each other. While you listed all of the thing that the Left did to contribute to this divide, you made no mention that the Right was also as much a part of this problem. You made no mention of the Religious Right, gerrymandering done primarily by the Republican party, making decisions base on a book that you and those that support you believe instead of respecting individual rights, believing that "trickle down economics" will benefit everyone (see Kansas) et. al.
I'm not saying that the Left is blameless, but to attempt make the Right look like the weary champions of the people and misunderstood but well meaning guardians is a disingenuous as it is inaccurate. Until BOTH sides acknowledge their part into how we all contributed into our sorry state, then 'round and 'round we go.
I'm not saying that the Left is blameless, but to attempt make the Right look like the weary champions of the people and misunderstood but well meaning guardians is a disingenuous as it is inaccurate. Until BOTH sides acknowledge their part into how we all contributed into our sorry state, then 'round and 'round we go.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SSG Michael Hartsfield, what you just wrote exemplifies the two mutually exclusive world views that are driving the divisions in our society. You evidently see religion as a divisive force rather than the basis of a moral society. You see gerrymandering as a Republican thing, when in fact the practice predates the Party by a half century and is practiced by all Parties to maintain their hold on power - including the current Democrat party. And trickle-down economics vs. forced income redistribution is yet another aspect of the two mutually exclusive world views.
It reminds me of the differences between animals in a zoo and animals in the wild. In a zoo the animals are provided with shelter, protected from predators, and are given ample food and water without having to compete for it. But on the other hand, are given only the kind and amount of food that the keeper decides on for them. Also, they are assigned a mate (or not) as the zoo keeper chooses and any offspring they produce become the property of the keeper to do with as the keeper chooses.
On the other hand, animals in the wild must find their own food and shelter and they must defend themselves and their offspring from predators. The Fox must be able to stalk quietly and pounce quickly if it is to avoid starvation and the rabbit must be alert and quick if it is to avoid being eaten. But animals in the wild are able to choose their own mates and raise their own offspring as they see fit.
The world views of the left and the right are like that too. The left trades freedom for security of government protection, and accepts whatever level of living the government chooses to give them. The right, on the other hand, prefers to make their own decisions and attain whatever level of life their talents provide for them and their families. They believe that they can provide a better life for their families than the government can provide.
These two world views are irreconcilable - either you have individual freedom of choice and the consequences that come with that or you give up your individual freedom in exchange for security and a guaranteed minimum level of government support.
It is interesting that when zoos have been expanded to provide the animals a varied habitat rather than just a cage with bars they are afraid to leave their cages to explore their new habitats and it sometimes takes weeks to get them to leave the security of their cells.
Some people are like that too. And some people fight being caged.
The two world views are irreconcilable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering
It reminds me of the differences between animals in a zoo and animals in the wild. In a zoo the animals are provided with shelter, protected from predators, and are given ample food and water without having to compete for it. But on the other hand, are given only the kind and amount of food that the keeper decides on for them. Also, they are assigned a mate (or not) as the zoo keeper chooses and any offspring they produce become the property of the keeper to do with as the keeper chooses.
On the other hand, animals in the wild must find their own food and shelter and they must defend themselves and their offspring from predators. The Fox must be able to stalk quietly and pounce quickly if it is to avoid starvation and the rabbit must be alert and quick if it is to avoid being eaten. But animals in the wild are able to choose their own mates and raise their own offspring as they see fit.
The world views of the left and the right are like that too. The left trades freedom for security of government protection, and accepts whatever level of living the government chooses to give them. The right, on the other hand, prefers to make their own decisions and attain whatever level of life their talents provide for them and their families. They believe that they can provide a better life for their families than the government can provide.
These two world views are irreconcilable - either you have individual freedom of choice and the consequences that come with that or you give up your individual freedom in exchange for security and a guaranteed minimum level of government support.
It is interesting that when zoos have been expanded to provide the animals a varied habitat rather than just a cage with bars they are afraid to leave their cages to explore their new habitats and it sometimes takes weeks to get them to leave the security of their cells.
Some people are like that too. And some people fight being caged.
The two world views are irreconcilable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice intended to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating district boundaries. The resulting district is known as a gerrymander (/ˈdʒɛriˌmændər/); however, that word can also refer to the process. The term gerrymandering has negative connotations.
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it can heal if the community organizers stop driving the wedges in deeper... and creating problems where they don't exist and dragging up the past what was dead and buried...
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