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Had a lengthy half hour discussion with my son. While he does not post in here he is actively following the campaign. We are both seeing that dispite the fact it is now May 22 and we as a nation have issues that threaten our very way of life we:
Can't have serious conversations on the issues.
We can't focus on evaluating the candidates and their positions on the isssues.
We focus on topics that don't translate into implemented policy.
Intellectualism for some is seen as a sin.
Being finacially secure is seen at times to be less admirable then being on the age of personal financial failure.
We shout headlines and don't discuss facts across the board.
Many voters don't read first, think and then articulate.
Clinging to the 20th century for many is of greater value then understanding the dynamics of the 21st century and challenging the candidates on their understanding of a changing paradigm.
Etc
He was quite able to sum our lengthy conversation up in two words.
Don’t feel alone. I believe most people cannot discus the issues nor do they know enough about all of the issues. There seems to be too much information for any one person to digest and comprehend. Just when you think you understand something, there’s a twist on it, or someone lies about it. I’m tired of the whole thing, plus the lies or mistruths coming from both sides or all sides.
Welcome to the information age! Now lets forget the lies and get to the facts only.
I'm afraid you may be right. People are so enamored of their candidate and/or party that they cannot discuss the issues for fear of having to admit that their candidate may have 'problems'. And that is sad, because non of the three are perfect or even all that qualified to tell the truth.
But to be fair, it is hard to debate something that doesn't exist i.e. policy.
Hillary blows with the wind, her policy is dictated by the latest Gallup poll
Beyond 'change' I've heard nothing concrete from Obamas camp ---- and likely never will as the press are more then happy to swoon over whatever soundbite Obama may give
As far as McCain --- much too busy appearing hard for the conservatives while wining and dining disgruntled dems by his liberal stances on social policies.
I would love to know what their stances on the issues are.....but I don't think they know yet.
Your son's sentiments are echoed in my daily life quite regularly.
I am always hearing people say things like "oh, we're just too busy" in response to questions like, why don't you watch the news? real news like Jim Leher, not the local new/entertainment program, and why don't you read the newspaper beyond the sports page? or pick up a newsweek? and why don't you talk to your kids about these things? and show them that stuff is not that important. Learning and thinking and being productive citizens, that is what's really important, lead by example.
Being too busy is not a good reason, it's just an easy excuse to account for their apathy when it comes to the issues that are effecting our daily lives and the lives of future generations, complaining is easy, action is difficult.
Don’t feel alone. I believe most people cannot discus the issues nor do they know enough about all of the issues. There seems to be too much information for any one person to digest and comprehend. Just when you think you understand something, there’s a twist on it, or someone lies about it. I’m tired of the whole thing, plus the lies or mistruths coming from both sides or all sides.
Welcome to the information age! Now lets forget the lies and get to the facts only.
I don't think folks realize that there is a thing as too much information. Information overload and man there is tons of it out on the net, billions of words of texts, thousands of books, millions of articles and all a little bit different. At some point you have to stop collecting information and digest what you have and ask yourself, how much of this is really new and how much of this is simply reinventing the wheel.
I have an odd knack for the memorization of quotes and phrases, and often I come across events, issues, or topics and immediately I think, well hell the Greeks, Persians, Chinese already dealt with this exact issue 2000 years ago. Yet here we are today still hashing over some of this same stuff wrapped in a new wrapper. Some themes in human existence are recycled in and endless cycle of rise and falls in societies and governments, etc...
In the end it all boils down to let truth and falsehood grapple and let the chips fall where they may. So someone wake me up when something new really does happen.
...often I come across events, issues, or topics and immediately I think, well hell the Greeks, Persians, Chinese already dealt with this exact issue 2000 years ago. Yet here we are today still hashing over some of this same stuff wrapped in a new wrapper. Some themes in human existence are recycled in and endless cycle of rise and falls in societies and governments, etc...
I may disagree with you ideologically, sir; but in this case I couldn't agree more. I have that same, er, problem. (insert nerdly emoticon here) Nice to know we agree on something.
This is my worse fear realized. The various thinkers of all sides coming together to agree
WE'RE screwed
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I second that!
