Yet Another Post About Politics
I’ve been in a series of discussions lately with some relatives. I’m pretty much outnumbered. Just so you all know, I generally call myself a liberal, but that’s a weak categorization. I wouldn’t say I’m middle of the road, just that I have some liberal views and some which could be classified as conservative or (maybe more accurately) libertarian.
The thing is, like I said, I’m outnumbered. Now that shouldn’t normally matter. Email is different than face to face discussions. You’re not going to (literally) be shouted down. And it’s not like I’m getting ganged up on. Not really. It’s just that I don’t have the time or inclination to go trolling for blog posts on liberal viewpoints to send to others. Among the few articles I’d send to the others were opinions or analysis from FindLaw (which, I guess, I should attach a disclaimer to—the company I work for owns it, for whatever that’s worth) or the odd NY Times editorial. Though I shied away from NY Times stuff, since at least one of the people I was having these discussions with basically regards the Times as satanic liberal nonsense.
But that gets to the point of it—I thought I was passionate about politics. I suppose I am. But I just don’t care enough about it to have hostile arguments (even over email) about this stuff. And getting 8 emails a day with content from townhall.com or powerline.com just gets… tedious? I mean sometimes they had good points, but I’d get brushed off or chewed out if I pointed out even minor inconsistencies.
One good thing that came out of it was an idea for a podcast episode that I’ll be doing soon.
That aside, though, I’m just burned out. I’m tired of being criticized for some liberal viewpoints, I’m tired of arguing about whether marriage should be restricted to heterosexuals simply because that’s the way it’s been for so long, I’m tired of arguing about “40 million dead babies”.
If I am truly liberal in any way, and I mean “more liberal than liberal”, it’s that I fully tolerate and appreciate different points of view. I’m comfortable with, say, Paul Wolfowitz running the World Bank, even if I disagree with some of the things he’s done. I don’t mind elected conservative politicians representing me as long as they aren’t complete psychos. I can handle most ideological differences. Really. I don’t think W is the worst president ever. Not even close.
But you know what that attitude gets you in a conversation with someone who is 100% certain that they are right and that people who disagree with them are evil or misguided? Nothing. It gets you nothing at all. People like that view any amount of compromise or contemplation as weak-kneed centrism or intellectual laziness.
Anyway, in perhaps a stunning example of intellectual laziness (:P), I’ve removed myself from the discussions. I have too many other things I’m working on to get worked up and spend X amount of time in arguments that lead nowhere and do nothing.
…
AND I’M SICK AND F&*#ING TIRED of being accused of this or that and told that people I admire (Dennett, for one) are idiot liberals. Ad hominem bullshit…
Ok, I’ve vented. Congratulations if you made it through that.
November 18th, 2005 at 10:44 am
I don’t see why you felt the need to put up with the hostile arguments in the first place, maybe because these are family members who are taking the hostile stance? Debating is fine and dandy, but once someone gets angry there is absolutely no point in continuing the discussion. It doesn’t change one’s mind to be hit over the head with an iron skillet, (unless brain damage is considered changing your mind) and being yelled at about something, especially religion and politics is just about as effective. It is my opinion that the people who yell the loudest and the least sure of themselves.
November 18th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
Actually, I dunno. I guess I thought that the way I approached it could make a point — that is, I wasn’t so much trying to convince anyone of my point of view so much as I was trying to show that things are more complicated than some people want them to be, and…
Bah. Really, I just wanted some good discussion. Didn’t happen.
November 18th, 2005 at 3:32 pm
I’ll bet you could get a good discussion out of someone else. But I see what you mean.
I hate most people. That’s why I’m routing for the Illuminati and their plot to destroy 75% of the earth’s population…or I’m just grumpy because I quit smoking.
November 22nd, 2005 at 5:43 pm
What do you hate more. Tedious political discussions with your family, or snow/cold?
BTW: 74 degrees here. (I put that here because I couldn’t mention it in the last entry)
November 22nd, 2005 at 6:25 pm
Heh heh. Ok, so I’ve been complaining lately.
As far as weather goes, I’ll at least be spending xmas in Las Cruces. So it’ll be a little warmer.