Left or Right – Who Are You?

It came before Trump, so he cannot be blamed for it. I’m not sure what can, but the divide between the Left and the Right has now come into lounge rooms, workplaces, not just the public squares, and especially through social media platforms everywhere.

In a world where compassion fatigue is showing, and where we can no longer tell quality news from fake news, it cannot be escaped.

The world and its issues is forcing people to decide which side of the political agenda their allegiances lie. And choose either side, it isn’t pretty.

In fact, we’re ripping each other apart, and that’s an enigma given both sides are so ardently for democracy.

The political issues are not in themselves the main thing. But attack seems to be everyone’s most consistent defence, and the vitriol in many quarters is incredible. Social media allows people their say, through ‘comments’ of aggression, to ‘reactions’ of adherence, to ‘shares’ of allegiance.

A few years ago, the critical mass was moving to social media — it was social media’s win, making it mega powerful. Now, empowered by their social media of choice, the critical mass is taking to the streets to design a ‘better world’… through the misplaced justice of anger, an advocacy that shoots itself in the foot.

No one has told them that two angry poles don’t make for a better world. Nobody having their one-eyed say has realised they’re not happier for it. Anger is not the way to contentment, though, I concede, contentment must not be their goal. It’s victory. It’s a tug-of-war and only one side can win at any one time.

The point of creation is cooperation, not competition, so anytime someone makes a point for justice using dog-eat-dog competition tactics rather than conciliatory cooperation, they fool themselves, but others can see right through them.

People have forgotten what a democracy does in enlisting change. Maybe social media in a postmodern age has killed any chance of democracy. It’s a runaway train.

The world is asking you… who are you… you need to choose. Are you Left or Right?

Of course, it’s not that simple. Not many of us are on one side. But every day we’ll still be asked — “So, who are you for?” “What are your principles?” “Ballsy enough to stick to them.”

Wise people will not enter that arena.

The trouble is we’re partial creatures. We cannot stand not having a view. It will cost us our freedom.