status quo: the existing state or condition.
How well does the existing state or condition of life in the U.S. suit you? Judging from the ugliness of today's bubble-infused political screaming matches, and my own experience with what passes for a civil political conversation today, I would guess many people in the U.S. - on both sides - might say the status quo is in the toilet. From my perspective, this miserable state of affairs is predictable given there are, in effect, just two sides. The political middle has become a relic, as quaint as my landline.
To those who want to make America great again, people who question the notion that "those were the good old days", aka let's return to some old status quo, are met with an array of epithets, repeated endlessly to suit the narrative du jour. The script on this side goes: "Anyone disagreeing with me is an anarchist, or a cancel culture-ist, or a socialist, or a snowflake"
Those on the other side, equally unhappy with the status quo, have their version of echo chamber, spoon-fed garbage ready to regurgitate, nuance and accuracy be damned. The opposing script - and rest assured it is a script, no improvising permitted - reads: "Those 'un-woke' lunatics disagreeing with me are (take your pick) - deplorables, fascists, racists, rednecks or all of the above."
Though I would assert my physical attractiveness, intelligence, and talent all have me solidly in bell curve territory, otherwise occupying a space in the middle, especially politically, has usually not been an enticement to me. Who wants to fence straddle? But I may have to re-think all that. Because some peaceful calm in the status quo would be a nice change right about now.
About Me
- Pat Barton
- My most recent single release - "My True North" - is now available on Bandcamp. Open my profile and click on "audio clip".
There’s that old saying that one should never discuss sex, religion or politics in mixed company. But so much of that has changed over time. Even the definition of what mixed company is. But politics ... always a good subject to get the juices flowing, especially in these trying times. My father used to love politics and he was very involved in local politics in the town where we lived. Thankfully, to some extent anyway, I did not inherit that love. I’m just not a fan of politics and the manner in which the game is played. So hurtful. So negative. However, it’s difficult today not to be somewhat involved. To stay informed. To know what’s going on. But trying to separate all of the differing views and opinions that are congesting every new cycle, and especially social media, has increased that difficulty.
ReplyDeleteI have my views. And I honestly try to respect the viewpoints of others. I have close friends, some of whom I have known most of my life, who have vastly different opinions than me. And that’s fine. We don’t agree. Or is that we agree to disagree? Either way, it works. It’s when people get nasty, dirty, and it unfortunately becomes dangerous that it loses all sense of comprehension. And don’t even get me started on conspiracy theorists. And there are those that I’ve had to turn way from as a result of all of this.
I totally agree that there doesn’t seem to be a political middle any more. And the ‘status quo’? Although I’d love for it to be a reality again, I’m not even sure I’d recognize it if it is able to make a return. But, I remain forever hopeful for better and brighter days. We certainly need a few of those.
Anonymous: Thanks for your thoughts. I too remain hopeful (what is the alternative?) that more civil - if not "...better and brighter..." days are ahead. And thanks for the additional comment about the conspiracy theorists. I didn't even mention that fringe because why give them any attention? That's what most of them thrive on.
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