The importance of people

In preparation for the election, while I was in the process of writing a fairly moderately worded article detailing the strengths and weaknesses of my country’s political, cultural, and economic history - and while I still believe that article has the potential of value nested within it, I decided to belay it for the moment and focus on a far more immediate issue: the importance of us. 

Over the past year I’ve had the honor of meeting countless people - artists, engineers, mechanics, chemists, students, truckers, analysts, bureaucrats, scientists, fathers, sons, daughters, and people of all walks of life. I’ve met people on the right and left, irreligious and deeply faithful, people who wear a piercing certainty in their hearts and those who wear doubt like an armor - grounding and tempering expectations and uniting tethering the desirable with the viable. I’ve met salespeople, those in insurance, teachers, caregivers, leftists, rightists, authoritarians and libertarians - and I’ve seen the beauty and sincerity in the beliefs and hopes of so many people, many of which I’m treasured and blessed to consider deep and cherished friends. I’ve also met someone very special in my life, who holds my heart. 

That is to say - people matter. From every ideology, origin, creed and belief set - we all matter. And our lived experiences, values, and goals matter and are worthy of respect----even in times where we disagree, hell: especially in times when we disagree. 

The world is becoming more atomized and fractious - with many on the left, right, and elsewhere determined to gird their definition of society from those they see as lesser or dangerous - because they do not share the same beliefs or experiences, and I think that's a mistake. There are good and bad people in all walks of life - in all strides, and there are countless people who just want to help----or hurt, in some cases. 

Most troubling of all are those of any alignment who protect "democracy" from their ideological others, and dehumanizing and disrespecting those who walk a different path than their own. They're not saving democracy any more than a murderer is "saving" their victim from the pains of life, and I see this sentiment increasingly from all sides. Democrats and those on the left want to preserve a status quo that they see as unfairly interrupted by Trump - and many Republicans are growing ever eager to paint those on the left as cackling villains and evildoers. And between both sides you have technocrats - trying their best to protect society from the unwashed masses on both sides, and adopting views ever similar to Plato. 

Such sentiments are troublesome and concerning - and such hate oftentimes gains as much of a foothold as it does because too many people are scared to speak against it, or to push back against such misanthropic ramblings. Simply put - edgelordism flourishes in a vacuum, but when faced with true and sincere compassion and kindness, it falters and stumbles. It doesn't have a counter for acknowledging that many people are truly good and want to help others and more than fire has a counter for water. 

I don't know what the way forward for our country should be. I have biases, as do most people, but it takes a certain degree of confidence (or arrogance) to believe such biases should be imposed on anyone else. Yet, I have learned this - and would pass on these ruminations to others - to accept or dismiss as they choose:

Figure out which people use ideology as a weapon or blunt instrument to hurt those they disagree with, versus those who use it as a shield and means to help others. And once you've identified the those that fit the latter group, be sure support them and try to lend a helping hand, when viable. It's less of a conclusion and more of a starting point - but I think mutual support of well intentioned people is a step in the right direction. Hyper partisanship is getting us nowhere, I know that much.