I disagree. On many points, but they all run back to one single issue; there is no one way to run the US. No single interpretation of the constitution, no consensus of what is more important, the individual or the collective. And this carries in its wake all of those little things that make up the greater political struggle.
Covid enabled a sharp divergence in what people felt should be the response and how society should function. How heavy should be the hand of gov't? And the problem was compounded by it being an election year in which a polarizing president was up for reelection. So, yes, there was a lot of star-bellied-sneech type stuff, but mixed in with that was more than a bit of deep and abiding personal philosophy. Much of which comes down to that same question; the needs of the one verses the needs of the many. I think we can skip the points and figures that each side marshals to prove their point re covid, it is all pretty banal at this point. But each side takes their data whole, with no room for dissent.
I am often reminded of 1968 at this point, not because I was around then (I am only 51) but due to the intense social pressures being applied across the board. It was, in many peoples view a time of change over, socially. And I feel that we are in the middle of the change back from that paradigm. The progressivism that arrived from that period is being pushed back, not just in the states, but across the board, and much of this tsuris is related to that.
I disagree. On many points, but they all run back to one single issue; there is no one way to run the US. No single interpretation of the constitution, no consensus of what is more important, the individual or the collective. And this carries in its wake all of those little things that make up the greater political struggle.
Covid enabled a sharp divergence in what people felt should be the response and how society should function. How heavy should be the hand of gov't? And the problem was compounded by it being an election year in which a polarizing president was up for reelection. So, yes, there was a lot of star-bellied-sneech type stuff, but mixed in with that was more than a bit of deep and abiding personal philosophy. Much of which comes down to that same question; the needs of the one verses the needs of the many. I think we can skip the points and figures that each side marshals to prove their point re covid, it is all pretty banal at this point. But each side takes their data whole, with no room for dissent.
I am often reminded of 1968 at this point, not because I was around then (I am only 51) but due to the intense social pressures being applied across the board. It was, in many peoples view a time of change over, socially. And I feel that we are in the middle of the change back from that paradigm. The progressivism that arrived from that period is being pushed back, not just in the states, but across the board, and much of this tsuris is related to that.
This is excellent. Crisp, insightful, and to the point. Thank you for writing it.