American politics and what we can learn from Europe
If you’re like me, every once in a while, between blustering about it, you ask yourself critically why we’re arguing about such stupid topics. If you’re not, you’re probably one of the ones pressing the argument. It’s true. The American public is ridiculously easily distracted by irrelevance in politics. The issues put before us may be emotionally compelling (gay marriage & “sanctity of life”), but they are more often than not shoved under our noses to distract us from real problems (war, the economy). What results is a situation in which the American public spends more time busy-bodying (or arguing about it)- meddling in the affairs of others for the sake of building a world we’re only slightly more comfortable in- than focussing on what matters.
We could learn a few things from the Europeans. They aren’t arguing about teaching good science in schools (evolution), or the legitimacy of human-caused climate change (they accept it as truth, because it is universally agreed upon by the scientific elite). Why should this matter to us? Why would we consider living by example? Call it respecting your elders. Cities and countries ravaged by devastating wars? Been there. Forests ravaged by industry (acid rain)? Been there. Whole peoples ravaged by disagreements about religion? Been there. Massive disagreements about how to govern? Also been there.
But, Gore Vidal aptly describes the US as “the United States of Amnesia”. We can’t even learn from our own past, let alone the legacy of our European ancestors. Just like children, our comparatively young country insists on learning through experience. (And, promptly forgetting.) For a country that made a book entitled “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” a best seller, we sure are pre-occupied with it.
What American political thinking needs is a re-adjustment. Political affiliation to Americans has become like choosing a favorite sports team. We root for them regardless of how idiotic their rhetoric and actions are, no matter how counterproductive that is. For the good of the country, and more importantly for the good of our people, we need to drop the petty partisanship and accept empirical truths: Focus on what really matters, as best as we can agree upon that.
That stated, why are we arguing about things that should be a matter of personal preference, are irrelevant, or are indisputable truths? Because someone wants us to. In the process of adjusting our thinking, it would be very wise of us to ask why.
