When did it stop being OK to be square? When did being an independent thinker become passe'? Furthermore, just what is 'square'? Just because I do not agree with another's views does not make me 'square', nor conservative, nor uninformed, nor disinterested, nor apathetic, nor WRONG, it just means that I have a different viewpoint from YOU.
I was part of a lively discourse this past summer (how sad to have to say 'past') that circled around, and wove through, politics and political viewpoints. Part of the discussion revolved around whether one could have liberal political views and be a social conservative OR have conservative political views and be a social liberal. I enjoyed the conversation because everyone kept it civil, even humorous at times, and no one made another feel foolish or WRONG due to his or her opinion. However, I came away from the confab puzzled that the over-arching thought was that people must automatically fit into one position or another. To be sure, those assembled heartily agreed that a person could also be liberal/liberal or conservative/conservative, but no one expressed the viewpoint that a person could move between 'camps', depending on the issue at hand.
This puzzles me. Why can't a person have multiple positions, moving between conservative and liberal? Just because a person does not subscribe to a single set of views and mores does not make her or him a waffler, or weak, or timid, or cowardly or WRONG. It just means that, depending on the 'issue', I have a differing opinion from YOU.
It is said that the subject of politics does not make good dinner conversation. I'd like to add ethics and morals to that list. There are just too many items on the menu of life to choose from when discussing politics, ethics, and morals. 'Polite' conversation should stay with 'safe' topics like PC v.s Mac, Bears v.s. Packers, sailing v.s. powerboating, cats v.s.dogs, dark chocolate v.s. milk chocolate, crunchy cookies v.s. soft cookies, white popcorn v.s. yellow popcorn, full-day kindergarten v.s. half-day kindergarten, the Glass Ceiling, Margaritas with or without salt on the rim. You know, really important 'stuff'.
Agreeing to disagree is more fun, don't you think? We might even be able to talk about yellow mustard v.s. Grey Poupon!
Ancora imparo
