Sometimes when my siblings and I have our bi-weekly Zooms, we will talk about politics. My sister and I will go off on how stupid and mean and mendacious the current crop of Republicans are. My brother reminds us, and accurately, that they say the same things about us ("us" here referring to Democrats/liberals/the Left). "But this is different," sister and I could cry out.
I've never felt as though I were adequately explaining, or even understanding for myself, in what ways the Left is different from the Right these days. But it suddenly hit me: I can't think of a liberal equivalent of Sean Hannity, or Tucker Carlson, or Marjorie Taylor Green, or Steve Bannon, someone whose mission in life is to sow discord, rile adherents to violence, spread lies, relentlessly excoriate the other side.
That's the trouble with us Lefties: we want the world to be fair. We want everyone to win. We don't seem to have it in us to fight unfairly. We're like the Eloi to the Republican Morlocks. We just don't have the stuff to fight dirty, to eat our opponents.
I certainly don't want to become like what I hate, but I do see the disadvantage to the famous Lefty bleeding heart. That's thrown in our faces like an insult, but isn't it a compliment? That we want to be generous and take care of others? That we feel for those who are suffering? In a way, I don't care that the Morlocks will 'win', at least in the short run. I'd rather be a loser than a Rush Limbaugh or a Maria Bartiromo. Those people are ugly, inside and out. There is a vileness in them, at least in their public personae, a viciousness that seems to know no bounds and no shame.
I know, I know, they're human, I'm acting like them right now, see, there really isn't any difference, blah blah blah. But I beg to differ. I'm thinking these things, but I do not act on them. And if I had a spotlight and a microphone, I would not use them to rave about how terrible 'those others' are, or spread lies, or support what is clearly corrupt, or try to rile anyone to violence. I just don't have it in me. Which may be both my finest quality and my downfall.
Good post, Babs, and a thoughtful discussion of the differences. I do admit, I have seen plenty of excoriating the "other side" on left-wingTwitter comments, but, no, they are not lying or advocating violence. I'm just so glad WE are on the same side.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. I am a Democrat and can't imagine enjoying seeing others suffer in order to benefit myself. Like the police during the Capitol riot. But this is most likely considered our weak spots.
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