Political polarization: we hear about it all the time, we all see it, we all agree it exists, and we all agree that we are becoming more and more polarized as a society. Split into two (and only two - that's how polarity works) sides or teams, we find ourselves not only lacking common ground with "the other side," but increasingly unable to tolerate co-existing with it. I don't think I'm only speaking for myself when I say that this state of affairs has gone from "intriguing phenomenon" to "very irritating but intriguing phenomenon" to "This is really fucking scary, please make it stop" in record time. Much has been said about the mammoth role social media has played in leading us down this path. The customized algorithms bringing us tailored "facts," the curated bubbles of our social groups, the echo-chambers, yada yada. All true, without a doubt. I only forbear to elaborate on it here because I think by now we have a...
I could also title this entry, "What It's Like to Go from Being on the So-Called 'Far Left' to Being on the So-Called 'Far Right' Without Actually Changing Anything at All About Your Value System, Because Society is Crazy." But that would have been a tad wordy. I know there are a lot of other people out there who can relate. But for those of you who consider yourselves to be firmly in one camp or the other, contemplating a "switch" of such magnitude may seem unfathomable. It's much easier to understand if I break it down through a little personal narrative, after which I hope it will be clear that there really never was a "switch." I'm just me! Same person. Same values. Consistent. Throughout my whole life. Let's start with how I was born in a predominantly Blue state, into a family in which everyone (on both the mother's and father's side) was a Democrat and had been for countless generations. Let me cop to ...