I don't like politics. I run very far and very fast from politics.
It has nothing to do with disagreeing with my friends. My best friend and I will probably always vote against each other, but that's because different things are important to us for different reasons. I don't get mad at her when we discuss our differing opinions, because I know that certain things have shaped her life just as different--but no less important--things have shaped my life.
I will not argue with you about your voting policy. I will not argue with you about you opinion on who is better. I may, occasionally, engage in healthy debate about the way I think things should go, but I will not argue.
And this is why I don't like politics.
I had a debate in my English class on Wednesday. We read Oedipus the King over last weekend, and split into sides based on whether we thought that Oedipus was a victim of the prediction made about him before his birth, or if it was his character and choices that led him to his fate.
(For those who don't know, Oedipus the King is the Greek story about the guy who was sent away at his birth (him mom wanted him killed), and was raised by another king and queen because of shepherds. He grew up to kill his birth father and marry his birth mother. Greek legends are nasty as hell, really...)
Personally, I was in the "Human beings are illogical dumbfucks, I'm going to Vulcan" camp, but since I had to pick one side or the other, I went with "This is not Oedipus' fault". And I could expound on how it isn't. Maybe I will, because it's interesting, but it will be in another post. I'm trying to make a point (shocker!) here.
The thing is, in this debate, there were a bunch of eighteen-to-twenty-three-year-olds. The "immature" ones. The "entitled" ones. The ones who were raised to be spoiled and think that they are the second coming of Christ. Or something. However the hell you want to describe my generation. That was who was participating in this debate. You know what, though? We were respectful. We actually listened to each other. We brought up well-thought-out points and counterpoints. We actually debated.
To tie this back into the beginning and title of this post, there are some things that I have never heard the "mature", "unspoiled", "intelligent" participants of political debates say that I heard in that room. For example:
"I never thought about it that way."
"I concede your point."
"I understand why you see it that way, even though I don't see it like that myself."
Admittedly, the media would have a field day with any politician who said that. The opposing side would be all "OH MY GOD THEY DON'T STICK TO THEIR OWN BELIEFS HOLY CRAP THIS IS HORRIFYING THAT SOMEONE IS CHANGING AND GROWING ENLIGHTENED BECAUSE THAT IS WRONG YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT YOU SHOULD TOTALLY VOTE FOR OUR CANDIDATE BECAUSE HE IS IMMOVABLE."
I mean, they wouldn't phrase it like that, because the way I said it makes it clear that change is a good thing (or, at least, I think it does), and the media sources would want to make it seem absolutely terrible. I don't know why. I probably never will. See, if I heard a candidate say that, I don't think I would give a flying monkey fuck what his policies were. The fact that he would agree that he might be wrong or that his opinion isn't the only valid option would make me respect him immensely, and my respecting someone means one hell of a lot more (generally) than my agreeing with them. Any politician who says something similar to that has my vote.
It bothers me that Obama supports abortion. It bothers me that Romney thinks gays don't have families. It bothers me that Obama isn't really working with the Catholic Church on the contraception issue. It bothers me that Romney doesn't seem to care about hardworking poor people. Both these people have their faults. I don't even know how I'm voting at this point. But I would be swayed immediately by someone who listens, someone who understands, someone who respects their rival. That is all I want in a president. I want someone who isn't afraid to be swayed by good, strong arguments. I want someone who cares about what the other side thinks, even if he doesn't agree with him. I want someone who takes everyone's opinions into consideration, and then makes the best decision for the majority.
Who the hell knows if I'll ever get it, though.
