Politics
Politics is possibly one of the sourest topics to introduce. In today’s world politics is the cause of more animosity, jealousy, misunderstanding, and argumentation than perhaps any other topic. It is understandable, due to the fact that what happens on the political stage will ultimately affect everyone’s life. I certainly fall into the trap that the topic of politics spawns, and I am more than guilty for my fair share of misunderstanding and anger.
The purpose of introspection for me, as stated previously, is the art of examining my own faults and negative views before I criticize any other person’s faults or views. With that in mind I think through the political arena, and see myself becoming enraged. “How can these people not see this problem?” I think to myself. Or even worse “Are these people stupid or just lazy?” Put very bluntly, I have realized that getting angry hurts no one but myself, and even if it did hurt others, I would not want to impose harm. This fault of mine can be labeled, it is called “egocentric” and it is quite a great error for me.
I become blind and cannot see the others point of view. This causes more problems because my communication breaks down and I seem to not even be speaking the same language anymore. There is a reason for everything someone believes or voices, and to understand that reason is a virtue. I fall gravely short in displaying this virtue. I often impose my own experience and views on other people, and then get angry when they express a different opinion, or site different logic than my own.
Perhaps I will continue to disagree with them, but the fault lies not with the disagreement. Rather the fault lay with the immediate rejection of the others point of view, and the ensuing anger and animosity I feel towards them when they do not agree with me. This attitude does nothing but impede growth of both myself and others. If I were to take the time to understand why a “political rival” feels the way they do than perhaps I would gain some clear perspective on the issue. Then perhaps I could help them understand why I feel the way I do.
I have realized that when I discuss politics, far too often I argue politics. Argumentation is not the goal of true discussion. What is true discussion then? Perhaps, it is the act, through conversation, of coming to better understand a person and discover who they are and why they think a particular way. Perhaps not, I claim no knowledge of true discussion. However, I will say that my fault of disrespect towards others has done nothing but create more anger and hostility in the world, mostly directed at myself.
I am not suggesting that I must accept the ideas or opinion of those I may disagree with. However, I also recognize that I have done nothing productive, instead opting to contribute to the aggravation, negative emotion, and misinterpretations of politics in general. I can blame no one but myself for causing the anger and hostility that comes along with a heated political debate; and if I wish to blame someone for troubles that face our country and international community I need look no further than a mirror.
You may be curious as to where I fall on the political spectrum, as I live in America, and it is not often one hears someone blaming themselves for political strife. I choose to think of myself as neither a Republican, nor Democrat, nor independent or any other party; instead I try to think of myself as a citizen of the world and one who wishes to see worldwide conditions improve. I am not suggesting that Republicans or Democrats are wrong or in any way bad. That would be exactly contradictory to my goal in this introspection. I simply choose not to identify with anything that might cause me to label another unjustly, which would be another fault that I have been guilty of.
Far too often I close my ears and whisper quietly to myself “La la la” while someone with a difference of opinion is speaking. For that I apologize, not to anyone in particular, but more to myself for falling short on my ideals. I will never change another person’s opinion to reflect my own, but I can change myself to better understand others, and that is a true virtue. In the future I will attempt to enter any political arrangement or conversation with tolerance and understanding.
“Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.”
--Mohandas Gandhi
-Brian
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