Nov 16, 2016
Appreciating the Left and the Right
We currently have a heated political divide in this country not seen since just before our Civil War. Back then the divide resulted in a physical conflict and even the great Lincoln at the helm could not prevent it.
Today, additional conflict is inevitable, but let us hope it restricts itself to emotional and mental levels, but not all out war on the physical plane.
It is interesting that there are intelligent and sincere people on both sides that do not see those with an opposing view as such. To these their personal view seems so obviously correct that the guy on the other side must be in idiot.
So, why does this happen? How is it that two intelligent and sincere people can see things so differently? Why can’t they just exchange information and then see in the same light, or at least see where the other guy is coming from?
The answer is polarization.
The political right is polarized in the left side of the brain which focuses on the mental/analytical more male side of the duality whereas the left puts more focus on the right side of the brain where more focus is on the emotional/feeling female side.
I wrote a chapter in my book Fixing America to illustrate this point, but perhaps the easiest way to prove this point is the fact that the right draw a majority of the male vote and the left draws a majority of the females.
For instance, in the 2000 election, where the votes were split down the middle, Bush received 53% of the male vote and only 43% of the female. Gore received 54% of the female vote and only 42% of the male.
In 2012 53% of men voted for Romney where 57% of women voted for Obama.
Then in the recent election 54% of the women voted for Hillary and 53% of the men voted for Trump.
In general the left appeals more to the female/.emotional side and the right to the male/analytical side.
To understand this one must drop the black and white view and realize that each of us, (as well as the political parties) has elements of both sides of the duality, but that does not discount the polarization. The right is more drawn to the mental analytical side and the female to the emotional side.
Understanding this is a key to understanding the problem of the two sides having difficulty seeing eye to eye.
How many times have you heard males complain about how difficult it is to understand how the female thinking works and how the female wants to relate to feelings rather than just taking a logical approach? For instance, when the female gets upset a logical approach to the solution is not what she wants to hear from the male. Instead, she wants the male to understand and relate to her upset feelings. This is often very perplexing to the male.
Then how many times have you seen females being disgusted with males because of their lack of sensitivity and simplistic approach to things? The male is in the sending mode so he doesn’t like to stop and receive instructions whereas the female wants to stop and receive at the first opportunity. Fortunately, this is not much of a problem anymore due to GPS. The female gets frustrated with the male because of his analytical approach to problems before the feelings behind them is understood.
Fortunately, for the two sexes there is a strong sexual attraction that brings them together and once a successful relationship is formed the two often appreciate the differences.
The political left and right do not have this specific advantage, though they do have a corresponding one.
“How so,” one asks?
The sexual relationship is responsible for the human creative process insuring the creation of human beings to perpetuate the race.
Correspondingly, the left and the right, among humanity, supply us with creative endeavors needed and often desired by both sides.
The left dominates on the creative side which includes movies, television, creative writing, music, broadcasting, news, art etc.
Many of the staunchest conservatives will still gladly pay to see Star Wars created by the left leaning George Lucas.
The right dominates on the building and business side. They run most businesses and construction projects. The strongest liberals are happy to work in a business for a decent paycheck as well as fork out whatever is necessary for a roof over their heads.
It is interesting that they are both attracted to each other’s creations yet both complain about them corresponding to how males and females complain about each other, but of course with differences.
The right complains incessantly about most of the media, yet they still pay to use them.
The left complains to the extent they will march in the streets against business interests yet they still use their products and will not quit their jobs.
Again, let me remind the reader to look at the whole here rather than black and white detail. Yes, there are some conservatives in the media and liberals in business. We are looking at where the domination is.
The Key to harmonizing the left and the right is the same as the process of bringing harmony in a marriage relationship. Both sides must first recognize the differences and then must learn to appreciate and utilize those differences rather than see the other as an enemy that must be subdued.
The right needs to not present a threat to the creative endeavors of the left. The left needs to feel free to create in their areas of interest without fear of undue interference.
Similarly the left needs to not present such a threat to the more physical side of creation by the right through business and construction. They need to not have fear of unjust restrictions and opposition to their endeavors to benefit humanity.
Yes, there are legitimate criticisms that can be directed at both sides, but these must be made with goodwill and good judgment. Both sides make the mistake of seeing some ingredients of the other side as matters of life and death, when often there is much there to appreciate.
Solving the problems of duality is the great task of humanity and it may be some time before harmony is achieved, but as they say, a thousand mile journey begins with the first step. The task of both the left and the right is to each take a step toward the middle and resist the inclination to take a step backward toward greater separation.
Copyright by J J Dewey
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