Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Don't talk about politics. I hate it when people who don't know the first thing about politics start talking about politics." Me too. In fact, I don't even like it when people who do know about politics start talking about it. I don't like that every source available for political news presence a biased opinion. (This raises a whole different set of philosophical questions about if anything we know or are told is bias-free, but let's not get into that). And yet, it's everywhere, and like an accident on the freeway, I just can't stop fixating on it.
More than anything, I hate the person that I become when I start thinking about politics. I get angry at the people who disagree with me. I think of all the ways I can passive-aggressively point out how wrong they are. I think nasty thoughts about people who are my friends.
And so I am embarking on a bit of a fast. For the 40 days leading up to November 4th, I am going to attempt to avoid as many forms of biased political opinions as I possibly can. Newspapers, online news, television (even *tear* The Daily Show), friends' opinions, etc. Instead, I will try to spend at least 30 min. every day researching what candidates (national and local, Democrat, Republican, and 3rd party) are saying about themselves. I will try to avoid listening to what they're saying about their opponent(s), and only hear what they have to offer. I will spend time thinking and praying about these men and women as they prepare to lead. By the end of the 40 days, I hope have made a decision about how to cast my vote (or how to abstain from casting my vote).
So far, everyone I've talked to about this experiment has been skeptical if it's possible. So am I. But I need to try. I can't allow the anger and resentment that arises from politics take hold of me. If you'd like to join me in my fast, let me know, it would be great to take this journey with others.
1 comment:
It is interesting and I whole heartedly agree with your reasoning as to why you want to try this.
The only thing that I would say is that if you only listen to what they have to say about themselves, then many times you miss out on the things they don't say...and that goes for all candidates. Many of the things they don't say are equally as important and sometimes more so. Things they have done or said and feel the need to hide them. The problem is that it's a fine line between pointing out a certain candidates "hidden" issues and coming across more viciously/personally.
In voting for a person it is important to know both the good and bad, but virtually no candidate is going to tell you the bad about themselves. That's where it takes 3rd party sources, as imperfect as they are, to help establish a view. I do read liberal and conservative sites and try to figure out things. Once in a while I myself grab ahold of something before researching as well as I should, BUT I usually go back and look more.
anyhow...good experiment, and good luck with it...though I think it might need tweaking is all.
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