Let's talk for a little bit about fear.
Fear is the single most important emotion in politics. It is important because nothing motivates action in people like fear. Anger and outrage are close, but they lack fear's staying power. Most people simply can't stay actively angry at something very long. They can dislike it after the anger has faded, or hold a grudge which means when opportunity to act against the source of their anger presents itself they'll take it, but the actual anger is as transient as flame; it rages hot then cools to smolder at best.
Fear, on the other hand, is a aching, gnawing manifestation of uncertainty that reminds us over and over of the awful things that could or might be. It is not actual loss or change or evil or harm, it is the POSSIBILITY of these things looming on the horizon that generates fear. Fear is an emotion in advance of a fact, that piece of the puzzle that arouses us to be ready for whatever bad effect might be coming.
In American politics, fear has become the dominant force. The reason why is obvious if you parse out what has happened to us as voters. Particularly over the last twenty years, we have been taught to hate other points of view. Politics are not to be talked about at in mixed company or at a dinner party. You can't bring up a political issue without argument, outrage, and divisiveness breaking out. Worse yet, people hold grudges against those with another point of view. Look above to my comment on 'grudge' to understand why this breeds even further contempt down the road.
What this does is completely change the political process. Once upon a time, political opponents raged over ISSUES. They fought to win the hearts and minds of voters who then voted based on what they believed was right. The battle lines were on the conditions and situations facing the nation. It was no utopia, there was plenty of lying and cheating in politics then too, but it was still mostly about what each party said they would do about the issues facing us.
Now, however, with the public almost completely polarized and refusing to talk meaningfully about the issues, the entire goal of the process it to motivate people to get off the couch and go vote. What they vote is for the most part decided before any candidate opens their mouth. Since voters won't talk across party lines, the liberals will vote Democrat and the Conservatives will vote Republican. You could make the best argument in the world to your friend, and he won't change his vote. We don't let ourselves be convinced anymore. We are right, right or wrong.
Politicians know this. So in many cases they're not trying to fight the battle of issue, they're fighting a battle of pure MOTIVATION. Fear or Islam, fear of facism, fear of socialism, fear of communism, fear of taxes, fear of government, fear of anything that will get up and into the polls. In 2010, the Republicans have created the issue of the Ground Zero Mosque to drive up fear and in so doing creating a reason for conservatives to vote. Democrats, now apathetic because their messiah president didn't save the world in 2 years, are being hit with threats of 'return of the Bush monster' in an attempt to do the same. Whatever the case, it's all about scaring people into doing something because CONVINCING them to do it is no longer possible.
So if ever there was a need for a Political Kick, it's now. The nation doesn't need Tea Pary anti-establishment Constitutional literalists and it doesn't need savior messiahs. What the nation needs is dialogue - messy, uncomfortable, honest dialogue about what really makes sense for the country and for our lives.
Can we do that? Are there people left who want to?
Fear is the single most important emotion in politics. It is important because nothing motivates action in people like fear. Anger and outrage are close, but they lack fear's staying power. Most people simply can't stay actively angry at something very long. They can dislike it after the anger has faded, or hold a grudge which means when opportunity to act against the source of their anger presents itself they'll take it, but the actual anger is as transient as flame; it rages hot then cools to smolder at best.
Fear, on the other hand, is a aching, gnawing manifestation of uncertainty that reminds us over and over of the awful things that could or might be. It is not actual loss or change or evil or harm, it is the POSSIBILITY of these things looming on the horizon that generates fear. Fear is an emotion in advance of a fact, that piece of the puzzle that arouses us to be ready for whatever bad effect might be coming.
In American politics, fear has become the dominant force. The reason why is obvious if you parse out what has happened to us as voters. Particularly over the last twenty years, we have been taught to hate other points of view. Politics are not to be talked about at in mixed company or at a dinner party. You can't bring up a political issue without argument, outrage, and divisiveness breaking out. Worse yet, people hold grudges against those with another point of view. Look above to my comment on 'grudge' to understand why this breeds even further contempt down the road.
What this does is completely change the political process. Once upon a time, political opponents raged over ISSUES. They fought to win the hearts and minds of voters who then voted based on what they believed was right. The battle lines were on the conditions and situations facing the nation. It was no utopia, there was plenty of lying and cheating in politics then too, but it was still mostly about what each party said they would do about the issues facing us.
Now, however, with the public almost completely polarized and refusing to talk meaningfully about the issues, the entire goal of the process it to motivate people to get off the couch and go vote. What they vote is for the most part decided before any candidate opens their mouth. Since voters won't talk across party lines, the liberals will vote Democrat and the Conservatives will vote Republican. You could make the best argument in the world to your
Politicians know this. So in many cases they're not trying to fight the battle of issue, they're fighting a battle of pure MOTIVATION. Fear or Islam, fear of facism, fear of socialism, fear of communism, fear of taxes, fear of government, fear of anything that will get up and into the polls. In 2010, the Republicans have created the issue of the Ground Zero Mosque to drive up fear and in so doing creating a reason for conservatives to vote. Democrats, now apathetic because their messiah president didn't save the world in 2 years, are being hit with threats of 'return of the Bush monster' in an attempt to do the same. Whatever the case, it's all about scaring people into doing something because CONVINCING them to do it is no longer possible.
So if ever there was a need for a Political Kick, it's now. The nation doesn't need Tea Pary anti-establishment Constitutional literalists and it doesn't need savior messiahs. What the nation needs is dialogue - messy, uncomfortable, honest dialogue about what really makes sense for the country and for our lives.
Can we do that? Are there people left who want to?
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