Kicking and screaming
I was dragged into this world;
naked, toothless and bald.
And when this shadow world
drags me, kicking and screaming,
through the carnival of life…
I contemplate in the mirror
the fruits and profits of a life:
the naked smile
the balding mind
the raw nerve of a true heart.
When you have all those voices all around playing their narratives over and over, how can we discern truth? Or, if truth is not easily discernible, what is the best strategy to navigate these troubled waters?
First, let’s understand that we find ourself in the middle of a war of ideas, submerged in propaganda from all sides. In addition, we are dealing with situations that are unknown. In this chaotic ocean of opposing views and dark unknowns, we hear all things from “hoard all available toilet paper” and “civilization is about to end” to “nothing is happening, it’s all a hoax.” We hear some saying “it’s less dangerous than the flu, so I’ll just ride it out.” While others plead, “it’s okay for you to not worry, because you are young and strong, but please do not put those of us who are not as healthy at risk.”
Let us, like Socrates, humble our thinking center and accept that we do not know everything about what is going on.
Whether believing that there is a conspiracy somewhere, or that all media manipulates for political or financial reasons, we can see that we won’t know what is going on simply by looking at media.
So, “I only know that I don’t know.” (Plato)
What to do in this situation?
Listen to the scientist, not the politicians.
At the very least, take the precautions scientists are telling to take: wash your hands, avoid large crowds, stay home if you are sick, inform yourself on the symptoms, use a mask if you are sick, and be prepared for a scenario where you have to be at home for two weeks. Outside of that, avoid the panic and remember that whether we know it or not, we are all connected in this eco-village called Planet Earth.
A big difference between the parties is that most Republicans are happy with their party, and winning is what matters. The Democratic Party is not as homogeneous. There’s a strong contingency that is very unhappy with their party. So, while the Republican hears “let go of your favorite candidate so we can get what we want as a group”, the progressive branch of the Democratic Party hearts “let go of the changes you want so we can elect the guy we want.”
To the center, it sounds like the message is the same, but to the left, it sounds wrong. Party unity can’t be achieved until the vision is shared. The republicans achieved this by going hard to the right. The Democratic leadership think they can keep their base and gain undecided moderates by staying around the center.
As a result, the left keeps feeling left out. The moment that best shows this difference is when during the last convention Sarah Silverman told “Bernie or bust” people they were ridiculous. No one bothered with that call for unity in the Republican side. “Lying Ted”, “small hands”, and all kinds of attacks and low blows are allowed, because in the end they rally around anyone who wins the popularity vote precisely because their agenda is homogeneous.
Democrats don’t have a unified vision, and so they demand the candidate is someone they can love. Unification is not possible. If they want that, they have to make sure all voices are heard. Most likely, a third party will necessarily emerge with a true left wing vision.
