This post consists of some thoughts I had when I read Jane Smiley's contribution to the Slate's "Why Americans Hate Democrats" discussion.
Inflamatory language and gross generalizations aside I think she has a couple of good points, though I would expand them to address her party as well. The vast majority of Americans ("red", "blue", and other) don't think. We absorb information (both factual and otherwise), but we don't digest it, consider it, reason through it.
Unfortunately I have to agree that Christians are particularly bad about this. Many of us have been trained in our churches to not question, but just to accept. We're taught to memorize Scripture but not to consider it. We're taught "what to believe" but not why we believe it. We're taught to trust our pastors but not question their teachings. I'm sure this way of thinking spills over into every area of life, including the political arena.
I even have to agree with her point that we cultivate (and even value) ignorance . It seems that after we form an opinion on something (political or otherwise) we like to validate our opinion by exposing ourselves to information that reinforces that opinion while at the same time igonoring information that contradicts that opinion.
Ugh :p
Posted by amduffy at November 8, 2004 11:17 AM | TrackBackUmmm - this woman is an idiot and so is her supposition. She's an elitest that assumes that anybody that doesn't share her views and directions are uneducated cattle that are just doing so with no thought.
There is nothing in the Constitution that says you have to be "thoughtful" about your position and that you must have considered all the subtle implications of your position. In fact, the framers of the Constitution dealth with this concept. Alexander Hamilton (call him the first Democrat) believed that the "common man" was not intelligent enough or thoughtful enough to rule the nation. His direction for the country was to have a ruling elitest class that would "do what was best for the poor stupid masses". Madison and Jefferson both opposed this and won the battle for the most part.
Each person in this society has freedom to believe what they want to believe, consider what they want to consider, and support what they want to support. It is critical that the people rule themselves. Good ideas and good values are not solely owned by the intellectuals. Perhaps scripture, imagination or just plain out of the blue inspiration can bring an idea to a person. Remember stupid old Einstein had trouble with high school algebra.
Our old friend Jane is assuming that 51% of this country is cattle that was motivated by mind control or greed or just plain stupidity. There could be no other reason. Lets see. I'm not a fundamentalist born again Jesus is my co-pilot sending money to Jim and Tammy mindless Christian. I'm not Rich. I'm not a baron of industry. I'm not greedy (but my kids are). So I guess I must be stupid... ...nahhh - she's stupid, arrognant, elitest and the perfect example of the "I know what's best for everyone" attitude that pervades the left as much as it does the right.
I gave long thought to my vote. I voted for the person I thought was best for reasons that are just as valid as anyone elses. Lets be honest - votes are just opinions. For better or worse, this country is governed by its people. The intellectuals, the truck drivers, the data analysts, the garbage men, the engineers, the people at McDonalds, the accountants, ..."We the People". If you want to have a bunch of smart people that centrally plan the economy and direction of the entire society perhaps you should read up on the U.S.S.R., thats how their government worked.
Sequoyah