Polarization and Neighbors

Polarization and Neighbors - Part 2

So why is there such polarization?  Has our ability to accept another person life view been completed eroded?  This polarization challenge can be seen in every corner of our life…..but why is it accepted as the norm?

A sense of competition is built into our DNA, as the survival of the fittest.  The instinct for survival is strengthened by our society early in our childhood years.  Can we get our child into the best pre-school?  All this is done in the name of creating the greatest opportunity for our child.  The dream of all parents is to help their child be happy, successful and safe, while being protected from the pain of life.  And if we start early enough, “my” child will have a better chance than another child. Right?  Isn’t that the thinking?

The next phase of a win/lose development takes place in school.  There is nonsensical competition among the “grade getters” for tenths of percentage points of GPA for bragging rights. 

We see bumper stickers that say “My child is an Honor Student at______”.   These life messages begin to permeate our collective thought process until we think it is normal.

We are surrounded by Win/Lose examples of life.  I am not talking about the natural events that occur as we move through our teenage years into adulthood.  But the staged events in which artificial competition celebrate the winner….be the winner at all cost! 

There are hundreds of electronic games that allow for perpetual devastation of a fictional enemy simply in order to “win”.  Win what? 

Reality TV might be the most egregious example of this life approach.  Strangers move to an island or into a big house with the intent that only one person remains standing at the end of the game….the Winner!  However, the winner has, most of the time, needed to plot against the group, lie, manipulate or cheat to become the winner.  Is this the type of behavior that we celebrate?

This is being accepted as the norm in all walks of life.  Conflict, in which winning is the only acceptable outcome, allows for very little room for any compromise, rule of common sense or making decisions for the greater good. 

We see this bad behavior being celebrated in our national and world leaders through posturing to win, rather than seeking understanding or get something done. 

We see it within Christian circles where a social justice mentality has replaced the Gospel and therefore the thoughts of man are determinative. 

We see it in medical circles, where the company that finds the next big pill wins the financial game, so there is little collaboration in finding cure, which dramatically increases cost.

Radio shock jocks politicize every word spoken, rather than seeking to understand the intent of comments.

If we can polarize a position….someone must be the loser.  It seems now that we must create losers, in order to be a winner!