Someone comments “Obama was the most divisive President ever” . . . or “Trump is the worst President in my lifetime” . . . and the fire ignites with passion and spreads fury throughout the Facebook feed. It’s a daily occurrence we ALL have witnessed. And for the peacemakers – it is exhausting.
Liberal vs. Conservative, far right vs. far left, black vs. white, north vs. south, FOX news vs. what they call “the mainstream media” and the provocative conspiracy of “the deep state”, and so on and so on. The combative dueling narratives of very different views of America are dividing us, inciting us and causing us to turn on our fellow man.
Some news talk show personalities no longer seek to inform as much as they do to entertain and arouse. Provocateurs stir the emotional melting pot of humanity with an “us vs. them” ladle to serve their potent recipe of reactivity – the bigger the fever pitch, the higher their ratings.
But who are we? What is our role in these dueling narratives? We are a mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the ugly . . . the rich and the powerful “haves” and the poor and the voiceless “have nots.”
Calm, critical thinkers respond to social unrest, racism and bigotry with self-reflection first. After much contemplation, with a rational mind, many big picture thinkers go on to engage others in a way that benefits everyone. Wisdom trumps immaturity. Empathy overcomes ego.
Unhinged, emotionally unbalanced, immoral non-thinkers, react to the same societal ills with outward behavior which reflects their character. Impulse overrides intellect. Reactivity wins over reflection.
Lawless, criminally inclined people use any and every opportunity to take advantage of the cover of the mob which leads to vandalism, looting and utter mayhem. No conscience, no care for anyone else but self. Evil instinct dominates reasonable morality.
Those of us watching from the sidelines grapple with our moral obligation – how to get involved, how to listen better and make this world a better place for future generations. Some of us choose to peacefully protest in hopes that the sheer force of numbers will impact change or we have constructive conversations with those who are suffering or we donate to worthy causes involved in positive platforms or we try to do a little bit of all the above. While often feeling helpless to truly make a difference – most caring people feel compelled to take a stand. Humility overpowers hyperbole.
Then there are those Americans who choose to stay in their comfort zone – a carefully crafted pristine bubble. Not feeling personally threatened by the civil unrest or the fear which comes with being racially profiled and targeted – for these folks, it just doesn’t exist. This narrative is self-preserving and clearly defined by walls of wealth and perimeters of privilege. The proverbial sand is warm and welcoming for those who wish to stick their heads in while ignoring the societal tsunami threatening their comfortable cove.
We are here, battling it out in the desert of these dueling narratives. This is us. Now what?
Without a unifying voice of leadership, a voice that has no concern for political affiliation or religious indoctrination, a voice that isn’t concerned about self-adulation or power preservation, a voice that speaks the language of humanity with care and empathy for the whole world, a voice which instills and inspires the loftiest of pursuits which will improve the lives of all human beings . . . without that very clear, concise voice . . . the onus is on me and you. We each have to choose.
Police officers who are dedicated and faithfully serve with integrity need our continued support. Our black friends and neighbors need our deepest conviction to understanding, listening, learning and helping eradicate systemic racism from our culture. Our nation needs heartfelt connection with resourceful action. We MUST stop being tribal and choose to be compassionate, caring and civil human beings. The END of the dueling narratives starts with me and you.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
