I’ve thought long and hard about what to write on this Monday post-election and my goal has been to highlight some positivity and normalcy. I keep coming back to a place that’s simple yet powerful. The best path (for both sides) is forward. It’s time to move on, move forward, and move up—to take the high road. The high road doesn’t mean defeat or surrender, but it does mean change.
My sister, Kathy, forwarded an email last week from Ryan Holiday, who composes The Daily Stoic, and I feel it’s worth sharing some wisdom from the stoics Plato and Marcus Aurelius who suggest looking at life from a “birds-eye view”. When we zoom out, things seem less bumpy, less at odds, less dire, less disillusioning than when we get caught up in the muck. And, caught up in ourselves and our singular lens. This is tougher than it sounds, and though I tried to avoid it, I caught myself getting sucked into the quagmire of negativity and polarization that this election became. There’s a quote that is easy to agree with and yet we failed miserably at following. “When politicians start talking about large groups of their fellow Americans as ‘enemies,’ it’s time for a quiet stir of alertness. Polarizing people is a good way to win an election, and also a good way to wreck a country”, Molly Ivins.
With that fair warning in mind, now is a great time to hit reset. All of the same issues remain, and we can all agree that there are plenty of opportunities for improvement and ample problems to fix. What we don’t agree on is the who and how to fix them. So what?! That will always be the case! Democracy is a slow, frustrating, and effective process. Opposition doesn’t mean that things are broken, just the opposite, it means that our system is working. We simply need to take a step back and remember that this is how it was brilliantly created, much arguing, much debate, many voices, and opposing ideas. We do not want to kill/replace this system! Quite the opposite, we need to remind ourselves that those with differing opinions, no matter how frustrating they are 😉 are not our enemies. Without allowing the voice of opposition, the train will pick up too much speed and run right off the rails.
The problem is never those who vote for their differing viewpoints. The problem is the zealots. And, they have run amuck. Riots and violence are being fed by shallow people who have so little sense of perspective that they define themselves through their self-righteousness. They are individuals that take an idea, sometimes a noble one, and tie their egos to it so tightly that instead of doing any good, they ignite hatred and division. They feed off of this hatred and become the parasites of society. Then, there are others, just as bad, but more cowardly who sit back and fan these flames with their rhetoric and their money. You might not see them in the riots, but they are driving them behind the scenes.
Now, onward and upward. It’s naive to think that with any election outcome we will, a) start getting everything we want, and, b) see both sides of the aisle come together with harmony and efficiency. The reality is that just about everyone has felt disappointed in some way by this election—hey, that’s our common bond–we all agree on that. Most of us also agree that the politics in the press and the sheer amount of negativity has gotten out of hand, and that’s exactly how we, the people on both sides, can work together (without compromising our beliefs) to improve our political system and our country. Do not empower the zealots. Do not empower the polarizing politicians or press that aim to divide. Focus on the issues, not the politics of tearing down or vilifying the other side. Together, we share citizenship in a great country. Let’s appreciate it enough to fight for a higher road.
Wednesday, November 11th is Veteran’s Day—We are fortunate to live in the greatest country. It takes hard work and sacrifice to keep it great. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! No matter your politics, we all owe our freedom to the veterans who’ve sacrificed themselves to protect it. Please take a few moments to consider the sacrifices that have been made for our democracy. If you want a good reminder, re-watch Saving Private Ryan. I’ve yet to make it through the opening cemetery scene with dry eyes.
Respectfully,
Jerry Lasco
