Thoughts on this election day-please, NO specific political responses!

[Xtina]

Ack, my last response didn't show up! Well, I just said that I wanted to thank you guys for your well-thought responses, especially the last three. I agree with much of what you said, and you succinctly stated things I meant to but didn't succeed at. Thanks for the perspective, and thanks for not arguing and getting the thread shut down!

Here's to a great new year, despite whether you're happy or not with the way things came out. Let's hope our new representatives, senators, and governors can all work together for the best interests of the nation and the world!

 

[teach1rusl]

Oh I totally agree with you (OP). I can see it with DH and myself...lol. We're registered opposites politically (although I'm leaner). He scorns the welfare system, coming from a middle classed working family; I was raised with welfare assistance, by a single mother who also worked her butt off, but still couldn't make ends meet. Just that one tiny issue alone has shaped our views quite differently. I served six years in the military, worked with many different people with many different beliefs. He's lived in the same area (very little diversity) all of his life. Therefore our levels of acceptance of differences is quite vast.
It's very natural to be shaped by your environment I think. I often use the example of slavery. I would LOVE to think that even if I had lived in the deep south on a plantation 200 years ago, that I would have innately known that slavery was wrong. But the fact of the matter is, it's more likely that I would have grown up very accepting of owning human beings

 

[Xtina]

Oh, that's a great point. I'm reading this book about the civil rights era in Jackson, MS, and I'd like to think that had I lived there I would have been a rebel and fought for equal rights, but I really doubt I would have. I would have been easily taken in by the prevailing logic of my family and town, and even if I weren't, I wouldn't have the guts to stand up against violence to do what was right. Maybe I'm undermining myself, but that's really how I think it would be. We are so shaped by our environments.

 

[Q9]

For a few years, I leaned various ways, constantly being exposed to various viewpoints. At this point, everything I see from the other side convinces me more of my own.

That's the great thing about our curriculum; we constantly are assigned to research opposing sides of issues, and even debate FOR a viewpoint we disagree with.

To paraphrase Sun Tzu - the man who knows his enemy and himself is assured of victory.