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We've had an interesting discussion on the thread for "Crossing A Line" (about the paranoid schizophrenic on You Tube) below that brought up some excellent questions. I wish to address one specifically here. A guest has bemoaned the "divisions" in our society as a bad thing, and attributed it to "tribalism" I want to have a go at this premise.
This nation has been divided since it's inception. One third wanted independence from Britain, one third want to remain colonial, and one third want to be left alone, thank you very much. It was this very tension that created the free republic we enjoy today. And we do enjoy it, at the expense of those who defend and protect us, whether they drive a squad car or a jet fighter.
With freedom comes much responsibility, and that my friends is hard work. It requires thought and deliberation, argument and debate. Let's face it, there are very few simple answers in life. Freedom complicates this fact by orders of magnitude.
You can't plop a child down in the middle of a field and declare "You are free! Be happy! See you later!" and leave. That child would surely die. Thus it is with democracy. It needs constant tending and adjustment. It is a fluid and fragile thing.
In the aforementioned thread Sequel made the obvious but profound observation that controls this critical dynamic:
In fact we fight because we think we are right, both left and right.
In fact fighting in a political sense is the way the designers of this nation set it up. When all is happy talk and rainbows out of the asses of unicorns, look out. That is when shit's getting dangerous.
Fighting is good. arguing police is good, as long as the debate is reasoned it is good.
Neither side has a monopoly on truth.
In fact, the most dangerous thing a society can do is abandon debate and contention. The most evil, horrible and deadly societies in history have been single minded. Whether it be the Catholic intolerance of the Middle Ages, the Communist intolerance of the 20th century, or the fascist intolerance of today, all are guilty of stifling freedom and the human spirit. Unity breeds totalitarianism.
It is crucial to identify specious argument for what it is, namely unproductive to the point of being destructive. The debate over man made global warming is a perfect example. A sophist like Al Gore declares "the debate is over", while hundreds of scientists say, "well no, actually it's not". The contretemps then becomes "We only have a few years left, we have to act NOW!" The debate must be stifled, because it threatens one side. Never mind that the "solutions" may be more harmful than the alleged problem.
So I have no intention of surrendering what I perceive as logic and reason in pursuit of the chimera of "unity". To do so would be a crime against humanity. My humanity. And it could, conceivably sentence my children to a life of slavery. Remember that one third that wants to be left alone? They are the ones who ultimately make the decision. It's up to you to convince them. And that, my friends is hard work.
Cross-posted and comments welcome at Anti-Strib.
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