Hatred
It amazes me how different people can look at the same set of facts and come to completely opposite conclusions. We have become so polarized in this country that I wonder if we will survive.
People no longer debate an issue based upon the relative merits and facts of the case. The truth doesn't matter anymore. Facts are irrelevant. They just make their biased pronouncements and label anyone who disagrees with them as stupid or hateful.
This "my way or the highway" attitude has permeated every political issue. We approach politics as if it were a football game. We pick our favorite team and root for them exclusively. It doesn't matter if they suck, we remain loyal. Our favorite politician can be an incompetent boob who wouldn't know the truth if it bit him in the ass. It doesn't matter. He is preferable to those rotten bastards in the other party. The parties are monolithic. If you are a "D", then ALL "R's" are evil crooks who are hell bent on destroying the country and vice versa. It runs both ways.
The truth is that most of the pressing issues in this country have common sense solutions that could be achieved if our leaders would sit down and have a reasonable discussion.
The media perpetrates this turmoil because turmoil gets ratings. We all know ratings are what brings in the sponsors and sponsors bring in the dollars.
We are the idiots who allow this lunacy to continue. When the bottom drops out we won't have anyone to blame but ourselves.
I wrote the above two years ago. So much has changed since then, I'm not sure this is entirely accurate. It is true for the National Media. I don't think it applies so much to us we all have our moments of weakness. Some of us are passionate about the issues.
I think we are being played! Further, I think one side is far more dishonest than the other! This election has driven that point home.
I have never seen such an outpouring of raw hatred in my life. Currently, it has been almost exclusively one sided! That could change. I imagine this is what was happening before the Civil War!
Think about it!
You sound like a liberal snowflake boo boo hooing because your precious Clinton didn't win.
You sure inferred a lot, there. Your name, wrongjohn, fits you to a T. You should really pay attention to exactly what is being said before ascribing your own personal shading to it.
In short... He was talking about the hatred from the left, ya silly goose!
In case you're wondering how I know he was talking about the left, I feel I should mention that he's my father. So, I think I might have a good insight on where he stands on the issues.
By the way...Hi, dad. Welcome to Steemit!
I didn't ask him, but I imagine he kept the post deliberately ambiguous. He wanted to say something that would attract both sides of the isle in hopes of having a meeting of the minds. I mean, hell, it's written right there in the post. It's at the very core of what he's talking about.
His message is very poignantly affirmed by this response. He speaks a simple truth that anyone with a capacity for reason can get behind, and the first response is an imbecilic attack. It's sad to see that such wise words have been converted into a pedestal for idiots to announce themselves.
Pearls before swine, I suppose...
I know ;) I was applying dry British humour to show that I understood the point.
But I accept that you didn't know that, so I can only commend you on how well you defended your dad - in a way that was firm, to the point, but also respectful to me. I could tell you didn't like me much, but you managed to hold your feelings to one side, and talk me through things clearly. Your dad should be proud of raising a sensitive rational thinker, and you should be proud of having a dad who wants to help two sides find common ground.
As final clarification, because I forget how different the British way is to the American, I really enjoyed this post and am actually following the publisher of it as a result.
That's a massive relief! I was really disheartened when it seemed someone could actually be that small-minded. Now that I think about it anyone of such minuscule intellectual fortitude would be a cartoon character; a caricature of a stereotype. I'm sure they are out there, but they can't be so prevalent as to be the FIRST person you encounter on a forum.
Oh, and when I apply a snarky British accent to your post the joke comes across loud and clear. Tone is often difficult to distinguish when reading text... I guess that's why they created these. ;)
Oh yes tone is extremely difficult to put across in writing. I mean, punctuation can help to a degree. But where is the symbol that means "to be read in a snarky British accent"? I think it might be this one, actually: ¥•¥
The thing is, these charicatures DO exist. If ever you look at replies to Trump's Twitter feed, it is extremely polarised - and each side is just as extreme and narrow minded as the other. It's exactly as your dad describes it, for the most part.
I tend to sway towards agreeing with those who disagree with Trump. But I don't often agree with the way they argue their points.
I think Trump is a self-important, narcissistic, asshole with a decent helping of misogyny. So what? We have had presidents like that for as long as we have had presidents.
Since I no longer judge events based upon organized religion's proscriptions regarding human behavior, I tend not to become as outraged by his human failings as his enemies would like. I judge outcomes. I think it is possible to promote and when necessary, adjudicate decent civic participation.
The pertinent question, on my mind is, will he do what he has promised regarding the economy, immigration, healthcare, crime and defense. So far I give him a B minus. I eagerly await the 2018 elections. This will tell the tale regarding Trumps future.
In this case, if I wanted to clarify my attitude, I would just put (snark) before the comment.