Heh.
Its been awhile.
Why, indeed, has it been so long since I've written on the topic of Politics? It would be easy to blame my silence on recent political... lets call them regime changes, but that wouldn't be true. I'm not a shattered 'snowflake' looking desperately for a 'safe space' (as some might say these days)- but its true that recent trends have shaken my resolve. Trends in government, in the electorate, in political discourse. I've stumbled in my political ambitions. Why should I aspire to dip my hand into a pool seemingly so toxic that it burns anyone who touches it.
Who would want to willing step into the political arena these days? What good could you do without losing your proverbial soul? Well, I don't know the answer to that.
What I do know is that I'm still passionate about a healthy debate, about imparting my own personal theories and world view with others- whether they disagree with me or not. Over the years I've seen amazing results just... talking. Sharing concerns, outlining troubles that I see in society or politics at large and its amazing how receptive people can be (even in this day and age) to a sensible and respectful conversation.
So maybe I'm getting the spark back. Maybe my faith isn't quite as weak as I've feared in recent years. I don't know. What I do know is that you might see more from me here as I keep the conversation going. I already have a few ideas of topics I might want to cover- but I'd love to hear if anyone would like my thoughts on any specific subjects!
Until then let me impart some simple wisdom I've learned over the years. Yelling doesn't help. Contempt, condescension, and condemnation doesn't help. Building empathy with whomever your talking with is of paramount importance. Humanizing the context of whatever issue you're discussing can and will go a long way to garnering a sympathetic ear.
Until next time!
