Reconsidering.
I am reconsidering the direction of this weblog at this point. I have been looking at other weblogs, reading comments, examining arguments, reading mainstream commentary. Basically watching the “discussion” that surrounds today’s most important issues.
The vitriol seems to get the most attention. Anything less is dismissed by ad homiem attacks, trivialization of arguments, intentional confusion of issues. I can make arguments like that too. I can become angry and vitriolic. I can watch Bill O’Reilly and see how he does what he does. I can learn from Rush Limbaugh. I can write like Ann Coultier. I can become an Angry Liberal, insult people, twist or ignore facts. I can say “conservative” with a sneer in my voice that would curdle milk. Easy.
More and more that seems like the only way to talk that has any effective response; that people only respect you if they smell blood on your breath.
Is politics now hate speech?
I am afraid it is so.
This is exactly why I hate news shows… Even ones I agree with are far too annoying to actually watch. I want information, not talking heads constantly interrupting each other and trying to talk louder than each other.
I’ve said it a million times, but here I go again: If I wanted to watch people fight, I’d go visit my family!
People get a visceral thrill, watching folks tearing each other to little bits. Particularly on the internet, which is so lurker-prevalent and voyeuristic to begin with. People who might normally keep their mouths shut tend to jump on the Snide Bandwagon when they feel their behaviour is condoned by their peers.
Of course, a lot of the current issues in politics are bedrock ones, which means finding a middle ground between liberal and conservative views is going to take a lot more effort than most people are will to expend.
It’s hard, it really is. I started the Nook blog so I could talk gaming, and silly everyday things.
Instead, I’ve become a political blog, despite my best efforts. It’s hard when I see daily outrages, not to post about them. That I’ve only really had one dustup on my site is rather surprising, and that one was due to behind-the-scenes problems between one blogger and myself.
It’s hard not to want to try and voice concerns, though.
As to the TV — even <span class=“caps”>CROSSFIRE </span>gets hard some nights, when Begala or Carville are uninformed about some particular piece of information, and let Novak and Carlson slide.
I won’t stoop to lies, which to me, is the hallmark of the Right, be it in the media or in blogging. I criticized Clinton a lot, for crying out loud.
But man, do I miss him now.
I think that now, more than ever, voices of reason are of particular value to our society. Too many have gone of the deep end. Someone has to keep their wits about them as everyone else loses theirs. It might as well be us, kimosabe!!