Everyone has something to offer

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 In light of the first presidential debate on Sept 29th I felt the need to try to articulate something I've been having swirl around my brain for awhile.

There isn't a single party without legitimate virtue. As the temperature continues to climb and the rancor increases, we need to see the good in each other and their views, especially when we disagree.

Republicans at heart are pro small government. They want fiscal responsibility. They want individual liberty. A focus on religious freedom, second amendment rights. A strong military. A determinate foreign policy. All admirable things.

Democrats at heart care about labor unions and workers rights. A broad social safety net. A focus on human and civil rights. Safety regulations. Healthcare reform. A push for effective environmental regulation. Also admirable things.

Now in theory these two groups when focusing on their stated objectives are good foils to each other, literal checks and balances. Yet they often are in conflict with each other, and at this time seemingly increasingly so. Almost becoming diametrically opposed. 

Sadly what used to be acceptable differences in policy have become toxic fights over seeming good or evil. Personally in a manner that is extreme and misses the point.

I had truly been struggling with this as I watched people I care about become enemies. As I found my self struggling to interact with people I disagreed with. 

I came across this ted talk by Jonathan Haidt about morality and the prioritization of values and how it relates to political affiliation. I hope everyone is willing to watch it.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_the_moral_roots_of_liberals_and_conservatives?language=en

If you've taken the time to watch the video I hope you've come to some of the same conclusions I have. That both sets of moral paradigms are needed and valuable in society. It's become even more apparent as I watch the reactions to Covid 19. Zdogg MD provided a brilliant breakdown of this.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/zdoggmd/86719

I hope this little reflection peaks your interest. If you're reading this I would ask you to explore his site about morals here. 

https://yourmorals.org/

And read his book The Righteous Mind.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11324722-the-righteous-mind

We are on a collision course over the next few days. I hope that we can move from rancor toward understanding. Someone will win this election. And one side will be victorious and probably joyous and the other will despair. Neither side will understand how one side voted for the other.

It's my fear that neither party is living up to their true ideals or potential. Both are becoming guided by their most extreme factions because of their fear of the other. The lack of understanding or compassion for the other side. I think if we take the time to comprehend how and why someone would vote the other way, we would be better off. If we understood that the otherside isn't immoral but driven by a different set of needs and priorities we would be better. Maybe then we could see the good that does exist on all sides, and work toward more compromise and growth from them. Everyone has something to offer. Both sides have good and bad players.

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