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January 23, 2007
Intimidation keeps the middle out
In her last Boston Globe column, Cathy Young shares a valuable political insight while discussing the "Mommy Wars": The "Mommy Wars" of full-time motherhood versus career are likely to remain intractable, with some feminists accusing stay-at-home mothers of letting down the sisterhood, some conservatives accusing working mothers of letting down their children, and people in the middle calling for freedom of choice.(Via Dr. Helen.) Not only is she absolutely right, but what's even worse is the way the people in the "middle" (it's pretty unsettling to consider that only the middle favors choice) get it from both sides. I've seen this happen in countless other ways, with countless other issues. If we stick with Cathy Young's example, both the feminist activists and their conservative counterparts will lash out at any person from this middle who dares to get involved in politics. Typically, those who do not agree with one side entirely and on all positions will be accused of being on the other side. This is why the "middle" (a term I use reservedly) tend to avoid any and all situations where they might come into contact with activists. The hot button issues are the worst of all, as they attract absolutists. If you don't believe me, just try being in anywhere near the middle on the abortion issue and talking to people on either side. The anti-abortion side will all but accuse you of aiding and abetting murder if you hesitate to advocate imprisonment, and the pro-abortion side will say you must be "part of the right wing" and that you're "setting women back" if you admit you're squeamish about partial birth abortion. Unless you agree with them 100%, each side will accuse you of being "on the other side." My theory is that those in "the middle" avoid political situations because they don't like being insulted. Unfortunately for them, this suits the activists just fine. Insulting people who don't agree 100% has therefore become a way of maintaining standards. Keeping people out. The hard lesson is that it's a rude world out there, and if you care enough to get involved in anything, you'd best be prepared to be insulted. But there are many people who are unable to tolerate being insulted, and they never will. How many of them will vote? Back to Cathy Young, who concludes with these final words to her Boston Globe readers: As I say goodbye, I'd like to conclude with an issue that has become a subject of overriding concern for me : a tendency toward polarization and mutual demonization in American public life. I have often been embroiled in debates on whether the right or the left is more responsible for the politics of hate. This is fruitless. Things will not get better until people on both sides forget about the blame game and start ostracizing the hate-mongers in their own camp.Demonization is a good way for the hate-mongers to keep the non-activist "middle" off the playing field. Those who might ostracize them are weeded out. Those who remain are intimidated. Ostracizing hate-mongers requires a very thick skin. The "middle" simply does not have it. It's all they can do to get up the nerve to go vote -- and brave the activists who hang out at the polls. posted by Eric on 01.23.07 at 09:17 PM
Comments
My prediction: The Mommy Wars will be won by whomever can most successfully brand the other side as hurting the children. Jon Thompson · January 24, 2007 12:34 PM I must be missing something...I am in the middle and I have had it up to here with the hate-mongering absolutists and puritans. 9-11 radicalized me. I no longer have any tolerance for these people and I think it's time to intimidate them right back. It will be easy, since they are all cowards and weaklings anyway - that's why absolutes appeal so much to in the first place. Jim · January 24, 2007 02:11 PM Imagine running around with the moniker "Mrs" and see what happens. "Oh, I'm sorry, did my CHOICE of choosing 'Mrs' as a salutation offend you?" That couldn't have been why I chose it... to see how principled people are about all choices women make being equally valid. An oppressive man must have MADE me do it because no women with any self-respect or the ability to think for herself would choose THAT. Get thee to an un-indoctrination, indoctrination camp! "No, actually, I do it to identify and piss off people like you." We all have our own way of finding giggles in our daily lives. Mrs. du Toit · January 24, 2007 03:44 PM |
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Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness.
- Meditations, Bk. II, Para. 1.
[L]ook at the characters of your own associates. Even the most agreeable of them are difficult to put up with; and for that matter, it is difficult enough to put up with one's own self.
-Meditations, Bk. V, Para. 10.
Marcus Aurelius