all alike
i daydream of planting people on an island with like-minded souls, it sounds odd but randomly enough i think about it a lot especially when i am watching the news. you know those people, their extremists in their belief to where whatever it is they are ‘standing up for’ has become more of a lifestyle for them rather than a simple opinion or a complex philosophy. and it is not one thing in particular, its republicans and democrats, its pro mother nature and anti establishment, it’s the super religious and the acute atheist’s. just out there. just so obsessed that no one else is allowed an opinion or another view opposing his or hers.
so my daydream consists of putting all people of one particular extremist view on an island together for just a year or so and let them see what happens. think about it, what if you put all the anarchists together, no social rules, no laws, no religion, and just let them live. they would instantaneously believe that they had found true freedom and liberation from whatever invisible hand was holding them down. pure anarchy. that’s actually what would happen, pure anarchy. i would be so curious as how many of them would be alive after a few years.
after those who survived came back to society i would like to see how their views had changed, would they still want to be on an island with essentially only their own opinion staring them in the face all day?
…which begs the question, what if i put you on an island by yourself. what would you be staring in the face? perhaps the first week the companionship with the other like-minded people would be harmonious, but what about a month, what about a few years? people have tried to force people into being like-minded, one such incident was called socialism, but it didn’t last because they forgot to factor in the simple fact that at the end of the day we are… human. at first the idea was that we were all going to be equal, a wonderful/blissful concept. then one people decided to elevate himself or herself above the rest, and suddenly it looked more like a dictatorship than equal reign. that was there island, which was the eventual end of the island as well.
so what is the eventual end of your island. what one concept that you are so firmly planted it could cause your eventual demise?
well here is honesty, a few years back i was a drink-the kool-aid republican. i listened to rush, read coulter, and subscribed to hannity. i was a sound bite poet quick on the draw with an antidote on how to save america from itself. i am not saying i have swung to the complete other side, nor have i stayed the same. i am learning how to see each and every argument and stance from a different angle. why do they want this particular program? why do they believe that this is how our country should be run? if i was placed on an island by myself then we would have one sided ourselves into a fearful oblivion.
no i am not perfect, nor do i think i could survive on an island with like-minded people today, i am still learning and growing. however, by looking at every possible scenario and outside perspectives for life’s most daunting questions might be the quickest way to finding internal resolution for all mankind.
Comments
I think the island thing sounds like Lord of the Flies. Terrifying.
Anyway, back to the main point. thinking about like-minded people sounds just as problematic as polar opposites. Because even like-minded people with similar goals in mind will have different *executions* of those goals (past experiences, other connected beliefs and ideas and knowledge, etc. all affecting how they see themselves working). I think the anarchist example is the best. And I agree with Renny. Lord of the Flies would be a potential result...
Opposition develops strength and wisdom, I believe.
It is interesting the thing about change. And how looking into ourselves can provide us with it.
In my field I've sadly had to remain "closeted." It's sad because I've had many friends who hold opposite political views, but our base of friendship allows us to get past the name calling and really understand our differences. Unfortunately, too many people have chosen to tie their self-image into a label. I'm 44... I've lived my life, worked, raised my children, and changed my mind on a lot of things. But I've earned my beliefs. I didn't pick them off a shelf because they matched what my friends were wearing. So don't write me off because my label doesn't match yours.
I don't know if the island is a good plan; how about a Neutral Zone night at the coffee shop?
I have noticed that those who love others best are those who willingly interact with the widest range of ideas and views. There is a beautiful humility in not assuming that everyone has to be like us to be valuable.
I too was a drink-the-koolaid republican four years ago. It's strange how quickly we can change.
http://www.loganmakesamess.com/
So either your saying we are all supposed to be different always, or your saying there is a way to establish objective truth for mankind's well-being... you can't really say both unless your talking about those whose stubborn views are born of influence of some sort as apposed to those who come to their believes by thinking objectively to begin with (in which case you just classified everybody in the category of "those whose beliefs are born from some kind of influence)
Let me illustrate a few examples. For instance say I am part of a group of people, and out of these people for some reason some of them believe that 2+2=5. Now I know 2+2=4, and I may try to convince them of that. Now calling them stupid while trying would be the wrong way to go about that. Yet we could debate, have friendly conversation and exchange ideas. I may not convince them, and really it's not a big deal, maybe it wasn't even worth trying to debate. Yet my point is that there can be objective constructive talk about difference in opinion, and it doesn't have to dwindle down to name calling or side picking.
Yet now say I am part of a group where again, for some strange reason, some of the group thinks that they can jump off a 50 story building with no gear and the will survive. Should my attitude be, "Oh well they believe something different, that's ok, nobody's ideas or beliefs should be challenged by anyone else"? Of course not, I'm going to do everything I can to convince those people that what they believe is not true. Yet again I'm not going to call those people names, I may be a little bit more adamant then I was with the with the people confused with addition, but still there is a right way to go about things.
Now my point is not that I think that there are lots of people out there who can't add, or that lots of them are going to try and jump off buildings, but I honestly believe there are things that are worth talking about and worth debating and honestly, have one right answer worth finding. Yet we have to go about it in the right way. I think it's important because at the end of the day I believe some questions only have one right answer, and if that is the case, wouldn't we want everyone on that same page? I see no value in ignorance for the sake of diversity.
I know this blog doesn't get as much attention as your other projects, but I'd love for you keep updating it.
Much love.
I know this blog doesn't get as much attention as your other projects, but I'd love for you keep updating it.
Much love.
So I thrive on being in an environment where people don't think like me. Being an Ailien. I love doing things that most people don't do....like dancing in a huge snow covered parking lot for hours...most people are like "who's that wierd guy?" but I'm enjoying myself. But If dancing in snow covered parking lots was a popular passtime...then I might not enjoy it so much...or maybe I would, it is quite enjoyable!
So if I were trapped on an Island with a hundred of myself I think that Each one would come out a different person from all the rest...and possibly who they had sworn that they would never be. Jjr}
This may be an inaccurate judgment, but it seems to me like most extremist are already a bit isolated in the sense that they (like most of us I would dare say) already tend to surround themselves with somewhat like-minded people and by doing so seem to not necessarily have any personal connection to someone who is their extreme opposite. I would just be curious if extreme views would be seen as more important than being able to see your fellow humans as equals.
http://waterbubbleatsea.blogspot.in/