The Way to Love
In a time of political division and cancel culture
Some people are only pleased if you tell them what they want to hear. Most people are just looking for others to validate what they already know and think. We gravitate towards certain news sources that say things in ways we agree with. The Internet knows this and suggest the sources that we should read past in past clicks and likes. We gravitate toward those who are most like us. We don’t challenge ourselves to question whether our way of thinking could be flawed or incomplete.
As a people pleaser who has close family and friends on both sides of the political aisle, I have become accustomed to silently listening to people “go off!” I hear the arrogance on both sides and wonder if they realize how ridiculous they sound.
I’ve heard all of these statements in one week.
“Those Liberals are the problem!”
“When _________is out of office, we can get back to normal”
“ (leader or politician) is an idiot!” “Black lives matter!”
“Blue lives matter!”
“All lives matter!”
“He should have known better than to run from the cops”
“There’s no such thing as a good cop”
“I support all police officers and the military no matter what”.
“I’m moving to Canada!”
I don’t speak up much and through all this quiet listening I’ve realized –
1. There are very loving and well meaning individuals who are both conservative and liberal.
2. The extremes on both sides seem unwilling to listen and quickly decide that those with different opinions are idiots, heathens, or wackos.
3. People are angry. We say crazy things when we are upset.
4. Most people never take the time to question their own way of thinking and change their opinions or admit that their comments may be triggering to others who live different lives or have different experiences than them.
How did this divide happen and what can we do about it?
Can we confess when we run too quickly away from conflict or think that we have all the answers?
Can we speak up when we see hate being spewed on others, and stand up for those with less privilege?
Can we allow others to be angry, while at the same time, looking behind the anger, and asking “why?”