Pondering the polarized debate of today, I was wondering how we got there.
I think a key moment was depicted in one of the movies about Louisiana politician, Huey Long. The movie started with him making deals, and you saw him talking with white business folks about how to keep the negroes in their place. And then it shifted to him talking with the blacks, about how’ll continue to make their lives better.
He worked on both sides, he tried to help both sides, but his conversations with each were private.
Then they introduced TV into legislative proceedings, and when forced to talk so that everyone would hear, well he just couldn’t do it. He was a skilled politician who understood each audience, and couched his words accordingly.
Imagine if you’re friends with a couple, Bob and Sue, going through divorce. You’re friends with each, and you can sit down with Bob, and listen to his complaints about Sue, and be sympathetic and be there to support him. And you can sit down with Sue as well, and listen to her, and be sympathetic.
But what if everything you said to Bob was with the knowledge that Sue was listening? And visa versa? How awkward would that be? You couldn’t say things like, well Bob was a bit of a jerk that time, or it’s annoying when Sue does that.
Well you just couldn’t do it. You couldn’t keep both as friends, you couldn’t keep the dialog with both. You’d have to wind up in one camp or the other, and either Bob or Sue would like your support, and the other, Sue or Bob would feel you were the enemy.
So what’s a politician to do these days? The ability to talk to both sides, to understand both sides is gone. One can’t get the rapport of one side without totally annoying the other.
The problem is magnified by a media that is listening to every word, looking for any slip, any comment that might annoy a lot of people, and shining a harsh, readership increasing, spotlight on it.
I suspect this is why our politicians, and our debate, is so polarized these days.
