Life is Politics

Unfortunately

A lot of my friends on Social Media say that they are going to “stop talking about politics,” meaning they are going to stop talking about who to vote for and about what our betters have in store for us. Too much nastiness; too many hurt feelings, they say. 

I am old - in fact and in the world of online opining; I’ve been blogging since 2003. Since that time, I’ve been called all manner of nasty things related to my race, religion, heritage, politics and whatnot. I’ve been called a whore for the white man and an African snob by black people. I’ve been called a Low Information Voter (LIV) and a probable welfare queen by white people - the presumption was that I voted for Barack Obama or the present POTUS. In 2008, I was even called “delusional” by an alleged conservative. My crime? Asserting that Barack Obama is a Marxist/socialist/progressive/communist. (Who’s the LIV now?)

As a result, insults pretty much roll off my back. In addition, I rather enjoy answering back like a civilized human while, sometimes, slipping the verbal shiv in without the insulter knowing it … until they see their blood on the floor. 

My point is that my skin may be thicker than that of some of you who only recently began offering your opinions to the public and that, if you change your mind about quitting political discussions, your skin will grow thicker also. 

My other point is that politics is life and vice versa.

Here in America, politics deals with those to whom we give permission to run our lives - at least for now it does.

Now, you can abdicate talking about politics, but it will still be present, still there in the midst of what you call your personal life.

Don’t think so? I can cite many examples which affirm my assertion, but let’s go with three.

• COVID and the associated shot

• Sanctuary Cities and Illegal Alien Resettlement

• Parental push-back against sex education for very young children

All of these issues are political and affect the personal lives of American citizens. At least one is a moral issue. To refuse to engage on these topics is to acquiesce to those who want your compliance .

Yes, when you talk about this stuff - politics - you will get argument, often from those who have not thought scenarios through to their logical end points and/or who are fact-deficient. Or, perhaps, it’s you who has not thought scenarios through or are fact-deficient.

This is what arguing does: exposes flaws and refines thinking or at least it is supposed to do that. (That other thing which we called argument - composed primarily of insults - is, in fact, not argument. It’s purse-fighting¹ and poo-flinging. Modern terminology: trolling)

I urge those interested in true argument to stay with the public discussion of it, in spite of the poo-flingers. I would even say that the abdication of reasonable men and women in political discussions is what has caused poo-flingers to flourish. Nature abhors a vacuum.

Keep talking as if your life depends on it, because, in fact it does. And don’t worry. At some point the time for talking will be over.

1. Purse fight: a vicious online back-and-forth, especially between men.