I’ve learned a great many things over my many revolutions around the sun. I’d like to think I’ve become wiser because of what I’ve learned. I know I’ve become humbler knowing all I’ve yet to learn.
One thing that has truly come to light, now more than ever, is how the polarization of our nation – and the world! – has disrupted families, friendships, and lives. And that is a very sad state of affairs.
What I am seeing is that while one person’s passionate opinion on a subject – for instance removing people from social media platforms, mask wearing, vaccines, gun control, The Big Lie, the insurrection, and any other hot topic du jour – is okay to broadcast, the opposing viewpoint, equally passionate, is not. Which tells me this: we haven’t a clue how to talk to with each other, and we surely don’t know how to listen to each other.
I grew up in a time where the standard advice was to avoid discussions on religion and politics. Now it seems to not only be all anyone talks about – especially politics! – but we’ve added politics to just about everything, even when it’s truly not warranted (case in point masks and vaccines, both of which have nothing to do with politics). Regardless, the problem remains we don’t – or won’t – listen to each other. And there’s no reason not to, since all opinions are equally valid because they are just that, opinions.
If we were to discuss facts however, well, that’s a horse of a different color. While our passionate opinions may still exist, we should be willing to face, and embrace, the reality of any given situation. People have been removed from social media platforms because rules were broken. Fact. Mask wearing saves lives. Fact. Vaccines save lives. Fact. The election wasn’t stolen. Fact. Gun control saves lives. Fact. The insurrection at the Capitol happened. Fact. We may all have our opinions about each of these issues, and we may be passionate about our opinions, but those opinions do not change the facts. And in each of the cases above, the facts are supported by evidence. Opinions are not.
For those who freely choose to live in an alternate reality? Well, that is absolutely their prerogative. Still doesn’t change facts. In the long run, if we are to have any meaningful discussions on anything, it should always begin with the facts of the situation – in the case of removing someone from a social media platform for instance, yes, Facebook and Twitter has every right to take down incendiary posts per its terms of agreement and terminate a user’s rights to use the platform – and then we can debate our opinions on whether we think that decision was appropriate or not and if the rules should be changed. It’s really that simple.
Except it isn’t, is it?
Now, opinions are tossed around as undeniable truths, and the louder and more frequently one professes their opinion the more validity they believe it lends to their belief. Have an opposing viewpoint? Regardless of whether it’s based on opinion or fact? Irrelevant. We are under a constant barrage of opinions which allow no room for debate or truth. And that is a sad and frustrating state to be in.
So here’s the wisdom I’ve gained: many people will continue to live within their self-created alternate reality and profess – passionately! – their opinions as truth. They will continue to refuse to entertain any viewpoint at odds with theirs. They will refuse to embrace facts. They will refuse to utilize logic and critical thinking skills as they navigate a world they perceive as being filled with conspiracies and lies. They will continue to live in a world filled with fear and suspicion of everything that does not line up with the reality they are attempting to create. My wisdom? There is nothing I can do about it, except to go back to what I learned many, many, years ago: avoid discussions involving religion or politics.
And I find peace in that.
Namaste 🙏
~jwb~