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How To Find Friends And Allies In The Age Of Divisiveness
It’s time to ditch the purity tests
Back in the 90s, within my clique of friends, one member of our crew, Amy, often inserted her ultra-conservative views whenever the opportunity presented itself.
The rest of us were left of center politically, but back then, ultra-conservative equated to the Mitt Romney’s and George Bush’s of the world. So, whenever she lectured us on taxes or overseas military adventures, one or more of us would strike back with an equally pithy quip. Then, we’d laugh it off and move on with our lives.
I don’t know what happened with Amy. We were Facebook friends once, but she’s no longer on the platform, so far as I can tell. But if the environment of the 1990s had matched today’s environment, I doubt we’d ever have been friends. Despite our differences, we did share similar views on several issues, but that wouldn’t suffice in today’s world.
Today, we no longer accept dissent. We demand conformity. It’s an insane way to live.
Ed Koch, the legendary former mayor of New York City, once said, “If you agree with me on 9 of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist.”
