Advertisement
With politics heating up, it's hard to find the balance of staying informed, and weighing decisions, without getting so entangled that you lose sight of everything else.
How does everyone strike this balance?
On the one hand, ignoring politics and not voting to be is lacking compassion for the 50 million people in the US without healthcare or the 80,000 Iraqi citizens killed in the war.
But on the other hand, one can get so swept up and enraged about what is being said during the campaigns that you can lose your center really easily.
So, how does everyone find this balance between informed and engaged, yet still grounded and centered?
How does everyone strike this balance?
On the one hand, ignoring politics and not voting to be is lacking compassion for the 50 million people in the US without healthcare or the 80,000 Iraqi citizens killed in the war.
But on the other hand, one can get so swept up and enraged about what is being said during the campaigns that you can lose your center really easily.
So, how does everyone find this balance between informed and engaged, yet still grounded and centered?
posted by:
|
Montana
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Unsu...
Re: Finding balance while staying engaged in the world
Sat, January 12, 2008 - 9:18 PMI think that politics are something that is becoming such a difficult subject to talk about, without fear of alienating your friends, or without having fear of offending someone. It is difficult to speak your mind these days. It's becoming like religion as it seems that both the Democrats and the Republicans, seem to be more concerned about the life and prosperity of their parties. I try not to overwhelm myself in the issues of voting, and I only discuss my voting habits, with those I know will respect who and what I vote for, without passing personal judgment, whether they agree with me or not. I am a registred Democrat, but I do not pass judgment on someone who is a Republican. Anymore, the voting arena is becoming a place of violence, in some areas, which is very sad. Political debates should be constructive discussions, geared towards coming up with possible solutions, rather than personal attacks on each others party. I also make it a habit to vote for the issues and people that I sincerely believe will help our society, whether it's a democrat, republican, a liberal, conservative, or an independent. I have always held bi-partisan beliefs. There are some politicians of both parties, that have simply been more interested in personal glory and power, but there are also those that have sincerely tried to make decisions for the good of the country, such as Clinton, Reagan, Kennedy, LBJ, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Eisenhauer, FDR, and even Jimmy Carter. I may not agree with all these President's actions or ideaologies, but I respect the fact that they were sincere in their motives. I also understand how some people may be discourage from politics or voting, but if you are not letting your voice be heard, you are only hurting yourself more, and you are not giving. I also believe that if you are not registered to vote, you have little right to complain about the situation. I also believe that it is both very un-yoga like to judge people for having different political beliefs. There was so much mud-slinging by both the Kerry and the Bush camp in 2004, that it made me sick. It was not just the two candidates, but there was violence at the polls. Why can't people learn to live, work, and love together despite their differences of political Opinions? -
-
Re: Finding balance while staying engaged in the world
Sun, January 13, 2008 - 9:54 AMChris, there's a lot of wisdom in these words.
It's great to have the outlook that everyone is entitled to their beliefs, even if they don't concur with yours. The thing that makes me most sad is when the hatred is born out of fear and ignorance.
When I first moved to Washington state, I saw this documentary on when some citizens of Oregon were trying to have the state constitution amended to declare being a homosexual illegal. They had some kids on, who couldn't have been more than 8 years old yelling into the camera about how much they hated "f&*s" and if they ever met one they would stomp their brains out. Some kids even demonstrated how. It was positively one of the most chilling things I've ever seen to have that much hatred cultivated in a child's brain. It made me want to pack up and move back to Massachusetts (though yes, the busing riots of the 1970's, I know).
Just where does this hate come from? I've tried to explain it to my Canadian friends that we have a deep sense of insecurity. We know that if we lose our jobs we lose our healthcare and one illness makes us bankrupt and homeless without any real safety nets to help. So we live in fear that "the others" will take away our jobs and we would lose everything, and that can engender such hatred. Yes, stuff is stuff, and that's nothing to morn, but the fear of not being able to eat, or get treatment for a sickness is quite real.
But still, it's great to hear people can remain engaged and still maintain equanimity. I've had to call a truce with my father and we are both learning when to change the subject. Sometimes you have to do that to maintain relationships, agree to disagree.
-
-
Unsu...
Re: Finding balance while staying engaged in the world
Sun, January 13, 2008 - 11:37 PMThanks Kimberly,
The situation with the "Anti-Gay Sentiments" in Washington are earily reminiscent of the scenes from German grade schools of the 1930's, that I saw footage of in a documentary on the "Hitler Youth". The students were supposed to recite a rewritten version of the "Lord's Prayer" and a rewritten version of the "German Pledge of Allegiance", where they were suppossed to worship the "Nazi" party like Gods. These are prime examples of how some societies have literally brainwashed and nurtured their children on the values of hate and stupidity. Children are not born to hate, but their minds can easily be manipulated by the examples, that they are exposed to. People who have closed minds and have fear against someone who is different, fail to realize that they are not so different after all. One of my favorite episodes of "M*A*S*H 4077" had a similar theme. The story involved Hawkeye and B.J. rescuing both a wounded American soldier and a wounded Chinese POW. It was revealed that the both the American and the Chinese soldier actually shot each other at the front. While they were in the hospital tent recovering, their beds were right next to each other. During the course of the episode, they talked and became friends. The Chinese soldier only survived for a few days in the hospital. The American soldier did recover, and before he returned to his post after recovery, his words to Hawkeye and B.J. were "He was an enemy soldier, but he was also just an ordinary guy, like me." If only more people in the real world, could see through the small differences, like that?
-
-
