Becoming what you hate August 12, 2012

It’s fun to argue about politics, because being lit up with righteous anger and indignation is often a better high than what that guy at the smoke shop promised was a “totally legal buzz, man”. It’s part of how we deal with the world – human nature has us compartmentalize things into us versus them, right versus left, and good versus evil. It’s a necessary survival mechanism, because without it we’d be standing drooling on the street corner, considering the amazing array of choices available to us in every direction. You don’t stop and ponder the guy on the train next to you, wondering at the person who sewed the shirt he wears and what the odds are that he had a spinach omelet this morning because of what’s stuck in his teeth. No, he’s generic business guy, same as the other generic business guys dotted all over the train car. When we were pelt-wearing primitives, this ability to compartmentalize things allowed us to make snap decisions that ultimately would save our lives more often than they didn’t.

Because this is so often an emotionally loaded snap decision (because partially, our genes decree that it be so as a survival instinct), confirmation bias runs rampant in any discussion you see anywhere in the online world. Even knowing this at a rational level, our animal brain is so much quicker to act and press the adrenaline and dopamine buttons in our head, leaving that bearded professor in your head that was laying the groundswell for a rational discussion on the floor, giggling and drooling and twitching while the animal brain crashes us full tilt into a metaphorical tree. So even with all of this knowledge in my head, it’s SO easy to see things like this and mentally fist-pump in the air…

We all feel the hot breath of a self-defeating agenda racing up behind us, and it’s so fucking easy to see this as Jerry clobbering Tom in the face suddenly with a 2x4. I mean, this is awesome, right? To see the rug pulled out from underneath someone who should fucking know better, and whose lazy fear-soaked grasp of the world is weak at best. Because fuck that guy for being an ignorant shitwizard, amirite guise?

But here’s the thing: while every single factual argument in there is dead right and should be put out there, you can’t just run off with this sound-bite and parade it around the internet feeling all smug and awesome. Because first of all, you’re playing into the same soundbite culture that has riled up the right-wing base to the point where their fervor drowns out any rational discussion. And second of all, when you actually follow the trail of those soundbites back to the source… maybe you have a better understanding of the motivations of that person and why they’re doing what they do, which causes you to re-frame that suddenly less awesome sound-bite. Because, you guys…

… the picture I’m seeing here is someone whose motivations are way less altruistic than simply trying to make the world better. This isn’t a discussion. This is idolization of verbal savagery in order to create a cult of personality. Because every mob needs a leader, and when you’re name calling just as much, if not more, than those you are arguing against, again and again and over and over… and you’re constantly looking for new ways and venues to do it… then really, what are you trying to accomplish? Sure, you’re being funny and comedic, but what are your real motivations?

If you decide that you’re going to be the lance against the boil of stupidity, on any side of an argument, over and over again, you’re voluntarily covering yourself in puss.

Man, I know we all feel powerless, and it’s hard living in a world where common sense keeps getting strangled, but if everyone decides they’re going to run around being a dick, then I’m pretty sure we’re not going to end up anywhere good at all. Ask yourself what kind of person you want to be, and if what you’re doing is really moving you towards that, or are you just rationalizing your own inner savage?

(Not directed at anyone I know – I’ve just been seeing that first picture reblogged all over the place, and when I followed up and found the blog of the owner… I was disappointed and sad)