The Trouble with the Crowd

I have a difficult time listening to political debates or watching what purport to be serious talk shows. Too many of them, left right and center, are simply too shrill to be worth my time. They are that way because they're too interested in playing to the crowd, their core audience, and keeping them fired up for the sake of attention. And paydays. 

I don't have time for that nonsense. If you're conservative I likely agree with you anyway, and your screeching will not sway my beliefs. But I do find myself thinking a little less of you, because truth doesn't require your screed, or your (I will say it) self righteousness. Tucker Carlson? I don't miss him one bit.

If you're liberal I may well like to have a good heart to heart with you, provided we can keep it civil. Yet there's the rub: if you're going to insist a la COVID that I must want Grandma dead, you can blow it out your nose for all I care. I will turn you off without a second thought and you'll make no progress altering my outlook if painting me an ogre is your idea of enlightening me.

The center? If there is a real center in politics (I'm skeptical one exists but that's for another time) I find their positions either untenable as too many issues really are simply either-or (either we have abortion or not; the rest are just details) or mock compromises. Why do so many municipalities have recycling? Because it can be sold as an across the aisle bargain: See? We can work together for your benefit. And oh, by the way, we on the left and right actually just got together to raise y'alls taxes when we shook hands on that agreement. Nothing to see here.

There are many serious issues which need to be addressed, yes. We ought to be able to discuss them without the shrill, though. We are adults, aren't we? At least, in theory?