3 ms·

looking at the division in society (not just US but all across the West and on the world-stage even), it's absolutely hard to remain neutral. not hard because I

looking at the division in society (not just US but all across the West and on the world-stage even), it's absolutely hard to remain neutral. not hard because I'm a "crazy commie" Democrat thinking Trump needs to go, nor because I'm a "dumb" Conservative thinking the election was stolen (not my language but the way these camps view another). This is sadly pretty standard political discourse even in other countries. The thing that really scares me in all this is how each side is 100% certain about all the bad the other side is and how a single comment can land people as labelled as "the other". I know for myself and in my bubble that Trump and his cohorts are terrible and playing dirty, and responsible for thousands of corona casualties. But I take a look at the other side and see how absolutely hardened they are in their view that they got conned. They are equally convinced as I am about them backing the correct side. It's no longer only about who got conned but by how discourse in this climate is impossible. It's easy to just hope things are going to settle if only the right kind of leadership steps in. But the amount of work that camp has cut out reuniting this division is almost impossible. Impossible because the division has been instigated from the top so we automatically trust that it gets mended by the top. But the real work is in bringing those families back together that no longer talk, or those friends people lost due to "politics". the only reason I still tune into my own biased news bubble is to scour it for signs of rhethoric, or ideas in how to mend this mess. and what scares me is I haven't seen anything yet that addresses some of the root causes here. class divide, racial divide, and the richest of this world (those leaders HN often celebrates, Bezos, Musk etc) having become richer even during the pandemic. Maybe we wouldn't have all this discussion if a human life was valued differently than just in terms of the revenues they generate for society. It also shows me that the place to find peace isn't a "democracy", or certain pocket of society, but within myself.

solaceb 6y ago
FWIW, I believe seriously in the potential for drugs like MDMA and psilocybin to help those with closed minds — on left and right — to approach tired political divides from novel perspectives. And that this is necessary moving forward. I am an extreme pessimist. I think our perspective is so warped, and our cognitive biases so deeply baked that meaningful collective healing and growth will take place if and only if it’s partially energized by psychological healing & opening on the individual level through psychedelic therapy. I am routinely laughed out of serious discussion for this view.

solaceb 6y ago

FWIW, I believe seriously in the potential for drugs like MDMA and psilocybin to help those with closed minds — on left and right — to approach tired political divides from novel perspectives. And that this is necessary moving forward. I am an extreme pessimist. I think our perspective is so warped, and our cognitive biases so deeply baked that meaningful collective healing and growth will take place if and only if it’s partially energized by psychological healing & opening on the individual level through psychedelic therapy. I am routinely laughed out of serious discussion for this view.