Thursday, September 07, 2006
Agreeing and Disagreeing
Been thinking a lot recently about how polarized our country is and how it seems to be increasingly difficult to avoid both parties in an argument flying into a rage and begin spouting insults. As a student of history, I find it curious that we all preserve a bit of rosy nostalgia for the "old days" when we were all fine upstanding citizens who treated each other with civility and benevolent understanding. But the more you think about it, you really can't actually point to any time in recorded history when that was proveably true. The words may change, but the sentiment remains the same- "If you disagree with me, you are a moron." Am I right?
If I am, what does that mean? There've been plenty of examples of visionary individuals who have attempted, through one form of social engineering or another, to create frameworks for community interaction that would result in peace, justice, and fairness. But where are they now? The idea that humans will submit themselves over the long term to such a framework is fairly well discredited, at least to the pragmatists among us.
People, simply by nature, want to have the best over their fellows, want to win the argument, want to feel superior. And no amount of civilizing will change that.
If I am, what does that mean? There've been plenty of examples of visionary individuals who have attempted, through one form of social engineering or another, to create frameworks for community interaction that would result in peace, justice, and fairness. But where are they now? The idea that humans will submit themselves over the long term to such a framework is fairly well discredited, at least to the pragmatists among us.
People, simply by nature, want to have the best over their fellows, want to win the argument, want to feel superior. And no amount of civilizing will change that.
