Yes, I know. Everyone hates politics these days and for good reason. As someone who has studied things like logic, rhetoric, and persuasion I find the entire American political process pretty disgusting - and no side is better than any other. When someone I disagree with uses some horrendous fallacy to make an argument I shake my head and pity the fools that believe it. Then of course I see someone I do agree with using the same twisted illogic and realize that "my side" is no better.
In reality we're all just people trying to live our lives as best we can. I'm a firm misanthrope but even I don't hate people enough to buy into the viscous rhetoric that's being thrown around these days. I don't even hate the people that hate me enough to wish upon them what they wish upon me - and I really hate people most of the time. I generally think people are stupid, petty, and easily led but that doesn't mean I want to outlaw their way of life and see them strung up by their ears - perhaps publicly flogged for idiocy, but not destroyed.
As a shadow worker I spend a lot of time looking at the cracks and fissures in my own psyche so I have a fair amount of empathy for the gaping holes most people have in their souls. The other day I was driving back home from a trip to Portland and on the drive up there's this awful billboard. This billboard has been there for years and it is always covered with the most hate filled hogwash. It makes me queasy every time I see what new message of ignorance and intolerance is on it, so much so that I actually avert my eyes to avoid reading it. I seriously have to go to my happy place to shield myself. It used to make me so angry but now it just makes me sad. What kind of awful terror filled life would make someone think that essentially shouting hate at every car driving up I-5 was the right thing to do? How sad and insecure must you be to find the happiness of others offensive and threatening?
I hate politics. It clearly shows America's shadow self at its very worst: fearful, vengeful, spiteful, rigid, and intolerant. Wake up America, your shadow is showing.
Check out a recent article from the Wild Hunt talking about fear and intolerance in politics: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2012/08/the-problem-with-mount-carmel-moments.html
In reality we're all just people trying to live our lives as best we can. I'm a firm misanthrope but even I don't hate people enough to buy into the viscous rhetoric that's being thrown around these days. I don't even hate the people that hate me enough to wish upon them what they wish upon me - and I really hate people most of the time. I generally think people are stupid, petty, and easily led but that doesn't mean I want to outlaw their way of life and see them strung up by their ears - perhaps publicly flogged for idiocy, but not destroyed.
As a shadow worker I spend a lot of time looking at the cracks and fissures in my own psyche so I have a fair amount of empathy for the gaping holes most people have in their souls. The other day I was driving back home from a trip to Portland and on the drive up there's this awful billboard. This billboard has been there for years and it is always covered with the most hate filled hogwash. It makes me queasy every time I see what new message of ignorance and intolerance is on it, so much so that I actually avert my eyes to avoid reading it. I seriously have to go to my happy place to shield myself. It used to make me so angry but now it just makes me sad. What kind of awful terror filled life would make someone think that essentially shouting hate at every car driving up I-5 was the right thing to do? How sad and insecure must you be to find the happiness of others offensive and threatening?
I hate politics. It clearly shows America's shadow self at its very worst: fearful, vengeful, spiteful, rigid, and intolerant. Wake up America, your shadow is showing.
Check out a recent article from the Wild Hunt talking about fear and intolerance in politics: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2012/08/the-problem-with-mount-carmel-moments.html
