We have endured more divisive times throughout our history, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned
As expected, emotions flew high last summer. The riots across the country and Covid-19 caused division arguably unseen within the last 50 years. Much of this emotion was expressed through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. One of the concerns I’ve always had with using social media to express emotion, such as frustration or even love, is that many of us often impulsively post thoughts without realizing the consequences of them. I don’t need to tell you the number of posts from celebrities or everyday Joe’s that have been quickly deleted right after they were published. In a moment of emotional discharge, many of us write or say things we often regret. I’m certainly guilty of this behavior, and over the course of the last year have learned that social media rarely does anything to mend differences of opinion, and can often lead to broken relationships with friends, family members and coworkers. Quite honestly, I would be lying if I didn’t say I do regret many of my social media posts.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t be allowed to express an opinion, nor should it be assumed by someone that we mean something entirely different than what is stated. Case in point, if you supported President Trump’s America first agenda, accusations of racism were bound to be hurled at you. This is a bizarre reaction, considering the number of minorities who supported him, and the fact that his policies are rooted in conservative ideology. For years, conservatives have hoped that someone they supported would truly push energy independence, secure borders, and promote free enterprise. Logically, someone who considers themselves conservative is most likely not going to support a candidate that pushes socialist ideology. This isn’t rooted in racism. Yet here lies the emotional response from those who disagree. Emotional reactions often ruin any chance of civil discussion, and conversations are often hijacked by claims of racism and sexism, often when no evidence exists. To be clear, this does happen on the other side of the aisle as well, though there’s no denying the agenda of many social media outlets. Posting support for law enforcement last year became so controversial for many that it was almost surreal what occurred. Instead of reform, the chants became defund, often at the expense of many who are victims of violence. Somehow, this thinking was considered compassionate by the left. The issue became extremely hypersensitive, instead of what could have been a very needed discussion on how to improve law enforcement.
We are now in such a polarizing state of thinking that many of us wonder if healing is truly possible. President Biden has stated that he truly wants to “heal” the nation, yet in the same breath can’t resist the urge to push the narrative of right extremism. Healing can only occur if there’s acknowledgement that the majority of Americans are peaceful, and that the idea of extremism is reserved for few situations. In his book “The End of History and the Last Man”, Francis Fukuyama states that a liberal democracy has proven to be an ethically, politically and economically successful form of government. We’ve had no Civil War in 150 years, and the majority of federal legislation passed in the past 50 has been designed to level the playing fields of education, vocations and human rights. Yet these triumphs of the west are rarely mentioned by the current liberal majority. Instead, there’s a narrative of chaos, an almost fantasy like world that doesn’t exist. How do you encourage a nation to heal when you continuously make make everyone fearful of their neighbor.
No longer am I surprised by the boundless conspiracy theories that exist regarding a new world order or elite group of intellectuals that push control over the masses. Mind you, I’m not saying I agree with them, but understand why some believe these ideas. When you silence scientific debate, refuse to acknowledge extremism from not just the right but the left, and attempt to erase history without discussion, it should surprise no one that these fears exist.
I truly believe America will survive these confusing times, and thrive in the face of fear. But it will take productive dialogue and a willingness to put arrogance aside. This is a challenging proposal, one which will require all of us to do our part.
Until next time
JPN