The Everyday Human

There is a quote—though taken out of context—that stays with me from Winston Churchill: “Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous.” I think of this often, for I am beginning to believe that politics is presently ruining our society. It feeds the worst tendencies of our country, sending us to a place from which I fear there is no return.

I did not always feel this way—at least not about the United States. I believed our democratic system, while imperfect, was the shining light of the world. Democracy represented freedom and compromise. Everyone had a voice—whether politician or individual taxpayer. The answers to most of our problems existed at the intersection of compromise and shared values. And while we had a terrible past, we were moving toward “a more perfect union” with each passing year.

Now, I am not so sure. While I won’t claim that other countries are better or worse—the United States is the only system I know well enough to speak on—I do believe we are regressing as a nation. Sadly, I believe politics is at the heart of this decline for several reasons.

Right now, politics dominates our airwaves, news channels, and social media feeds. It is difficult to find a topic not considered at least remotely political. This has created a type of division that has penetrated every corner of our society—from churches to educational institutions, from corporations to what were once considered bipartisan governmental fields. The behaviors we witness run counter to the very values many of us, as parents, try to instill in our children. How can we teach our kids to love one another while referring to our political opponents as “left-wing scumbags” or “right-wing nuts”? What do our assertions about being productive members of society mean when we have politicians with highly funded campaigns and significant media exposure despite never passing meaningful legislation or improving the areas they represent? How can we teach mature conflict resolution when our top political figures engage in childish name-calling on social media?

The truth is that our political affiliations have become our driving values. If we are honest with ourselves, there are issues we only care about because they advance our affiliated political party. There are actions that, deep in our hearts, we do not truly support, yet we have engaged in large-scale, unhealthy groupthink that compels us to go along with things we know are wrong.

Years ago, a mentor told me—and I am paraphrasing—that all the redistricting and gerrymandering would lead to terrible outcomes. I did not fully understand it then, but I do now. There is no longer any need or political incentive to compromise with the other side—if you do, you will be primaried. As a result, we now have a Congress full of extremists. In addition, even our highest offices have calculated that they can win without certain populations; therefore, they are content leaving some behind.

At this moment, I could not tell you what our shared values are. I have seen countless examples—children being killed, significant job loss, families separated, out-of-control gang violence, homeless veterans, families unable to afford food or healthcare. In each of these examples, I have been disappointedly shocked that we, as a country, have no line anymore. These are not considered shared problems we need to rally around and solve together, but rather issues to be debated according to our political views.

While I do not want to be nihilistic, I believe that a family, organization, or country without shared values is heading toward destruction. As long as we are still breathing, there is always hope that we can turn things around. However, I must admit that my optimism at this point is very low.