I had an awesome 2 hour chat with Roy on Saturday, in which we ‘chewed the fat’ and discussed a myriad of topics. Roy for the record is one very cool cat and a highly intelligent one at that.
We shared our frustrations with both the lack of vision and the acuity of leftist political motivation. Whether it be the elitism of cliques (Air America Radio), or the sheer ineptitude of anti-war rallies gone awry by the misappropriation of Save The Tuna trumpeters, the Left is suffering loss after loss due to its failure to meld and move on a clear vision, to hold fast to principles and to be willing to actually fight for them.
Though the Right and Left are equally myopic, the Left score themselves a 1-up when it comes to failing to act on vision. The Right as we well know are very, very good at crafting grand schemes and seeing things through to fruition. Though re-countenances reveal deeply flawed logic and the application of grossly unneeded tactics, the Right demonstrate aspects of persistence which the Left would do well to approbate.
Roy and I shared are respective embitterments about why the Left always get it wrong these days. We circled like a couple wolves around the carcass of a kill:
- Fights over the morality of ‘means’ when it comes to ends.
- Too many issues attempting to be addressed (Gay Rights, Race Rights, Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Globilization… Save The Tuna) under the auspices of a blanket statement (Stop The War).
- Cultural and moral exclusivity
- A Lack of bonafide leaders*
I mentioned to Roy that my political directive is a personal one; I feel compelled due to a mix of conscience, morality and a sense of responsibility to try and do what I can to make the world a better place to live in for myself, those close to me, and in as much as it can be done- better for each and every one of us. Though most would paint my vision as extremely optimistic and ideal, there are still more who count me as naïve.
All people have the right to food. All people are truly free and equal in law and social opportunity. The environment is seen as sacred, and our continued stewardship is seen as an integral part of being human and living on this planet. Violence, as much as possible, is eliminated. Persecution, in any form against religious and spiritual choice is understood as truly heinous.
There are those who pigeonhole me and tack ist and isms to my person and ideas, boxing me to sideline me, snide me, define and restrict me. The truth is I am not an ist, nor do I have ideas strictly borne of isms; I am rather (like many) an eclectic and diversely tossed salad.
Getting caught in the pendulums of boxed political ideologies is what has kept us from moving beyond the tired and worn political frankensteins we no longer have the desire nor the want to try and curtail.
Having a clear vision really boils down to understanding how the big picture fits into the actions within your everyday life. It’s finding ways to express the grander vision in the smaller details. Vision is what helps us to identify what choices we must make to reflect it, and those to make to avoid blurring it.
Regardless the true nature of how Liberally-minded activists and politicians have failed themselves and their constituents in countless ways, it is our responsibility to consider what we want the world to be like, and to take steps to create it. Our reliance on tired and corrupt political machines should only exist in so far as we are using it to develop a new one.
Those issues nearest us that we can actively participate in and see results should be our highest priority. Too often I hear weak arguments against making an effort for change start with something to the effect of ‘The world is so fucked up, I can’t make a difference‘, followed by a list of international events which is supposed to demonstrate our inability to affect them, purely based on geography. When I reply with questions about the level of awareness they have about local issues, quite often they become muted.
The truth is, most people who appear to care about large-scale global events don’t really care what happens in their own communities- the very places that they indeed could make a tangible difference.
And while we all want to save the tuna fish, stop globalization, rampant consumer capitalism and promote the rights of the disadvantaged- we individually need to pick our battles and stick them though, on the smaller scales of our independent lives in our communities.
World events, and the awareness of international issues play an integral part of my life. That said, I seek to be aware and to understand them in the context of the community I live in. If anything, becoming aware of larger-scale issues should make one see it as easier to make change on a local level, not harder.
But without political vision it’s hard for us to see anything beyond ourselves at all. For those afflicted with such malaise, politics are an abstract entity far removed from the goings on of daily life. The irony of course is that the degree to which we fail to participate in our communities is directly proportionate to the degree of control we feel we have, or don’t have in them.
* It could easily be argued that the lack of true Left leadership is no fault of its own, and rather due to the successful efforts of COINTELPRO and likewise endevours by Right-Wing groups to discredit and destroy them
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“There are those who pigeonhole me and tack ist and isms to my person and ideas, boxing me to sideline me, snide me, define and restrict me. The truth is I am not an ist, nor do I have ideas strictly borne of isms; I am rather (like many) an eclectic and diversely tossed salad.”
You win the award for best paragraph of the year. Very, very good entry Dale.
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I did read. Still digesting. I will say though I am finding it very difficult to disagree with this commentary.
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“Too many issues attempting to be addressed” — BINGO. The anti war rallies, the few I’ve been to recently, are riduculous. The anti-war movement should be open to people of all perspectives, but should be focussed on anti-war issues.
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If you haven’t already read it, I recommend George Lakoff’s book “Don’t Think of an Elephant!” It attempts to address the reasons behind the success of the Right, and ways for the Left to fight back.
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“Getting caught in the pendulums of boxed political ideologies is what has kept us from moving beyond the tired and worn political frankensteins”
It’s ironic because when I read about “leftist political motivation” I almost stopped reading because in my mind issues these days are too simply broken down into “left” and “right” when in reality they represent complexities that go well beyond such simple terms.
However - in that sentence I quoted I think you hit the nail on the head. The fact is these days politics have gotten so ridiculously partisan that the “right” cannot work with the “left” (and vice versa) when in reality they may not be that far apart on an intellectual level. The fact is many issues (ie the most basic of freedoms you mentioned) transcend the political realm.. too bad our elected officials can’t seem to get this through their heads.
They’re equally to blame - the “leftists” cannot agree with the “right” because they fear political repercussions - and vice versa. The infallible notion of “western democracy” is flawed in itself - what we have is a perversion of democratic ideals.
As Winston Churchill said….
“democracy is the worst form of government.. except for all those others”
Regardless, well said.. very interesting read.
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Dale…yes. Yes to all of it. You have said very eloquently what it has taken me years to figure out for myself in my own life. I have nothing to add, but felt compelled to respond because of the presence of Grover…my alter-ego (didn’t go for it as a screen name - copyright transgression worries). Wow, that was a surreal paranoid experience I just had - like the computer was talking to me. If only there were a way to package that feeling - no one would be able to sit around on their asses, ever again. Shit.
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That is maybe the most though-provoking blog post I have seen in a long time.
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LoL @ Patrick.
One man’s boring is another mans 2 hours of entertainment.
I’m more interested in local politics than global, to be honest. A lot of the time I’m made to feel like that’s not good enough.
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I really liked the message of this post because I feel it echoes my own personal sentiments. I imagine that if you graphed my own politics, I’d be left or center left. It’s hard to tell these days with such a dominant right narrative.
The biggest turn off is possibly the elitist attitude that prevails amongst the left. It’s certainly understandable, considering that leftists will likely be of a higher education than other political categories. That’s no excuse though, for those of higher education should understand what their attitude has wrought. For one, no one wants to be associated with them. I certainly don’t. I am as about as civically engaged as a middle class individual can be but I won’t be caught dead at an anti-war rally. It undermines my political credibility. I read somewhere that a drop water is nothing in a glass of vinegar, so if anything, be the drop of vinegar in a glass of water.
You identified too many issues as an issue as well. I think part of this may be due to the culture of non-confrontationalism within the left. I believe that certain propositions are better than others. Bad ideas can infect those that value liberty, equality, and moral government. Without an internal filtration system, certain ideas can again, undermine the credibility of the left.
I’m still proud to be a liberal but I’m certainly not a liberal in the manner the right or the left label it.
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Thank you for calling out the “The world is so fucked up” excuse.
I understand being disheartened and shocked and horrified by what goes on in the world in SO many respects, but I can’t believe people use the size of the problem to justify their inaction.
If you’d take a break from wringing your hands, folks, you might actually get them doing something useful.
Aim for the most difference you can make, encourage others on that same path, and don’t fall apart if things don’t work out now and then.
Or even often. Or even ever.
There’s just no good reason to stop.
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I think the problem for me is something to the effect of not necessarily knowing what strategy locally would be the most effective, or indeed, what would be the best solutions to certain problems.
For example, a local antipoverty group holding a rally takes shopping carts out onto the street, blocks traffic for half an hour, pisses people off, makes them late for work, etc. They dont stop and think of the message, if anything they become purposefully more ignorant as a response.
Or, occupying a government immigration office to protest and demand that a certain illegal immigrant be allowed to stay in the country. First of all, we know this isn’t going to work. In the media the activists will be portrayed as hostile, somebody might get arrested even if they didn’t do anything, etc. People will read about this and shake their heads and say something to the effect of ‘damned hippies’. Furthermore, Im not even entirely sure I agree that we should let in everyone who wants to come into the country. Where does one draw the line?
And increasing minimum wage and making it more difficult to fire people… what if this does, as economists say, simply make employers more reluctant to hire people in the first place?
And as for leftism (in the sense of socialist leaning) what about the connection between strong centralized states and abuse of power? What about the clear connection between strong government and warfare? What about the idea that strong government simply aids corporations, and indeed that most billionaires in the world (generally criminals) were able to come to their excessive wealth with the help of strong government?
I do have some clear convictions though, relating to environment, local energy security, and war. The first two of the three are clear local issues to attack. They have more to do with pragmatism than anything else. Antiwar, on the other hand may require something more of an understanding of systems. Antiwar libertarians (dont be confused by the so-called ones) will say that the power of the state is directly related to the abundance of war. The stronger the state the more likely it will be to wage war. And war, in congruence, will serve to increase the power of the state at home.
I just don’t know that I’m so much of a leftist anymore. And the anarchists who say they would prefer a socially leaning government as opposed to a weak state seem to be going backwards if their true goal is eventual anarchy…. The point is, I just dont know enough to act with conviction.
Id be happy to be torn apart here, at least that way I might have some form of direction.
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p.s. the comment about immigration I will retract. We need immigrants and the policy as is, is ridiculously difficult to comply with. It’s way to hard to get into this country legally.
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I’m not sure how far I agree with you here. I’m fully behind trying to make a difference in our world. People should feel responsible for the way in which they choose to live, and shoulds try and make it as good a way as they can.
I’d also say that it’s very true that many ‘left’ movements have been their own worst enemies, in a variety of ways. You have a hell of a lot of good points to make. It’s just this one jarred with me:
“There are those who pigeonhole me and tack ist and isms to my person and ideas, boxing me to sideline me, snide me, define and restrict me. The truth is I am not an ist, nor do I have ideas strictly borne of isms; I am rather (like many) an eclectic and diversely tossed salad.”
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with the ideas of ‘ism’s and ‘ist’s. They are mental tools. They are ways of discussing and understanding extremely complex things. They are a shorthand. They are also a convienient way of keeping an idea and the things that follow from that idea bundled together.
I think that’s what you were taking issue with; the way that subscribing to one idea gets you labeled, and then a whole bunch of other ideas get laid on you as a result. Partly that’s just lazy use of a good tool; partly it’s something else. It’s important to keep in mind when deciding what you believe that ideas aren’t distinct and separate.
As you rightly pointed out, the ideas each person has are ‘diversely tossed salads’. But you wouldn’t eat soup in your salad. If you hold some ideas, then inevitably others will follow from them. While it’s good that people should construct their own ideas and decide what they believe, it’s also important that what they believe be internally consistent.
It’s fair to say that ‘ism’ and ‘ist’ are used badly more often than not. It’s also fair to say that attempts to open up ideas like ‘leftist’ are often not given enough time or effort. But it’s not a good idea to go sailing off into the wild blue yonder in response; pushing back is good. Pushing back too hard and too far results in the opposite extreme, which is just as bad.
I am, variously, an ‘ist’ and hold to ‘ism’s. My ideas are defined and restricted, by one another and by my own choices. These can be good things, not bad, when done in moderation.
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I want to say, that some of you are actually doing a lot by just posting your thoughts and counter points on this site, for folks like me to read. Up until recently, I have never been very politically minded, but these posts and arguements are forcing me to educate myself a little more, become more aware of human rights issues. So thanks for doing just that little part, in my opinion you are helping to educate more people than you probably think you are. Anyone else agree?
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I’m definitely on the same page with you, Dale.
“I feel compelled due to a mix of conscience, morality and a sense of responsibility to try and do what I can to make the world a better place to live in for myself, those close to me, and in as much as it can be done- better for each and every one of us. Though most would paint my vision as extremely optimistic and ideal, there are still more who count me as naïve.”
It’s like that old addage, If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you’re an “ist” or an “ism” you come with a boxed set of responses. It is far better to look at challenges and issues and tease them appart. Seek first to understand, then respond accordingly.
I really identify with the community aspect. Currently in my little area on the planet, we’re having trouble with youth crime. At issue is a laneway that initially I’m sure the developers thought would provide a neighbourhood to quick access to a little shopping plaza. Unfortunately, the local teens have found it to be an appealing place to get into mischeif, cause fights and purchase drugs. Interestingly, some of the residents insist it should be closed and at a local town hall meeting one stood to announce we should all band together to sue the town if they don’t close it. It is stunning how their first thought was to have someone else fix the problem. What makes it attractive to the teens is that it’s a private place for them. What if the community banded together and started walking there all the time, said hello to these kids and asked them what they’re doing? What if they showed interest in these kids?
Instead, people hide in their houses; houses built with honking big double and triple car garages proudly fronting their homes with barely the front door visable. What happened to porches? What happened to people talking with each other, caring about them?
We need vision, but we need to see too.
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I really think that volunteering is one of the best things a “leftist” can do. You all know where we got the terms left and right from, right?
Digression aside, there’s an amazing community out there. They’re not identified by their musical tastes, or manner of dress, or other such silly things. Their primary focus is the place they live and improving the welfare of this in it. Engaging with those people and the people you’re helping I think goes much further in thawing someone’s political viewpoints than a rally. The walls need to come down, not go up.
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Awesome phouse, well said.