Have you ever had a conversation that went something like the following?
Is extremism good?
No.
Would the world be better off if all of the members of the opposing political party disappeared?
Yes.
That’s an extremist view.
You’re canceled.
Or have you ever heard someone lament such as this? (I know none of us have ever uttered such nonsense.)
We all know social media is full of extremist and divisive views…from the enemy. That’s why we have to do our best to counteract them!
Certainly none of us have ever responded to an aggressor by saying something like, “Hey, I’m a real human being with complex thoughts and beliefs. Don’t put me in a box!” before going home to google what people in the same box would have fired back in response. No, never.
We all know extremism in regards to politics and culture is destroying the ideological fabric of our nation as well as the social fabric of our very families and lives. But we just can’t stop doing it. Why?
Because all those idiots out there! Am I right? I mean, goodnight. Of all the stupid…
Oh wait, I’m doing it again aren’t I?
So, I read (partially read…skimmed) an interesting article this week that suggests we not only incline toward folk of similar beliefs as our own, but we are drawn to those who display even more extreme versions of our common beliefs. The article goes on to yick yack about all the possible reasons using a lot of psychobabble that comes down to a couple of simple things: we’ve got no patience for subtlety and complexity makes our brain hurt.
If I have to read something closely to determine whether you’re on “team me” or if you’re a raging idiot, then I’d just as soon pass. Give me the book or article or post or better yet tweet that states in unequivocal terms that it agrees with me. That person is clearly a genius. As a matter of fact, I’m gonna start talking like that person so all my friends will more readily know I’m a genius as well. The last thing I want is to end up looking squishy on something just because I was trying to be fair. Bah! Fair is for losers! You don’t win friends with subtlety. And you don’t win arguments with complexity. You win arguments by leveling black and white sledge hammers-o-truth!
Oh, so you’re trying to weave a subtle point in response to me? Well, you’ve got a fat butt! And you smell so bad, you make onions cry! Booyah! How’s that for a truth bomb!
Ehem, but I digress back to middle school debate. We can’t help it. Our brains are constantly looking for ways to simplify and categorize. The effort it takes to sort through complicated nuance and to understand opposing viewpoints fairly is tremendous. It’s almost unfair to ask such a thing from us considering the harried and frenetic world we live in. Add on top of that the commodification of information and the slimy tactics of the information dealers who profit from all our clickety-click-clicks, and we really don’t stand a chance.
Subtlety and nuance have been phased out of our economy and therefore our society. Along with them have gone things like satire and even logic. We simply no longer have the patience. Our brains can no longer process information in the slower gears. When was the last time you drove a car or a truck with a “granny.” No time. We gotta go from zero to sixty. I’ve already gone too long in this email. For the few of you who are still reading, don’t give in. Don’t relent. Keep thinking. Keep relating to others. Push into the simple to discover the complex. Find the color in the black and white…and share it with the world. They’ll ignore you. But I won’t.
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