Letting Go of Political Assumptions
Why "They'll Take Care of It" is a (really) Bad Approach
... and my heartfelt "THANK YOU" to DJT
So here goes yet another attempt to apply my yoga practice to my life -- but this time it's all about politics, specifically my political assumptions. Bear with me as I try to peel back the layers and figure out where I went wrong.
A Trip Down Memory Lane ... actually I should say, A Trip Through 'Crossroads' --> shout-out to all my Nisky peeps out there ;)
My general inattention about government started WAY back... back to Social Studies classes at the earliest levels. Reflecting back, I've realized that my initial approach to politics began by simply isolating myself from the system. I remember reading about terrible wars, political movements, economic developments, and general crises in our country, but I saw all of these things as contained entities... and what's worse, I saw them all as SOLVED. When scary things happened in our country, I told myself, "They'll take care of it! They always do."Take the Civil War as an example -- here was my BASIC teenage takeaway :
- Way back, Americans engaged in despicable actions by creating a system in which black people were used as slaves.
- The North said this was wrong, but the South wanted to keep slavery.
- Abe Lincoln became president, fought for the right things, and the North won the war.
- Slavery was abolished and everyone was free.
- Problem solved!
Yes, this is an incredibility ignorant and self-absorbed approach. And I know that it is wrong, and I am very sorry for any ways this may have impacted my actions and, ultimately, my (pathetic) involvement in "all things politics." But it is HONEST. And guess what, there are plenty of other people out there taking an ignorant approach to our government, too.
From Test-Taker to Actual Citizen
Ok, so I studied history and politics ONLY as a passive observer. I paid attention long enough to get a decent grade (usually in the 'B range' for Social Studies classes), and that was it. I passed my exams and promptly retreated back into my sheltered universe.Don't get me wrong, I fully knew that all of the conflicts I was learning about were critical information. The problem was, I crammed the details into my brain simply to pass the tests. As I memorized the "problems," I almost always memorized the "solutions," too.
But what I simply never internalized -- and this is the crux of it -- is this: All that change took time. A LONG time. And if we don't actively participate in maintaining those positive changes, they'll get lost. We don't just learn about history so it doesn't "repeat itself," we learn about it because we are supposed to get in there, too!
Let me reiterate: I was a self-absorbed, sheltered, and ignorant teenager. But that's not the real problem -- teenagers all over the world have those qualities. The critical difference for me, though, is this: while most of my other self-absorbed, sheltered, and ignorant teenage qualities were shed through subsequent life experiences, for some reason, my misconceptions about government remained rooted within me.
But not anymore. And for that -- for the first and (I'm certain) last time ever -- I will say the words, "Thank you, Donald Trump. Thank you for showcasing your ignorant, narcissistic, and self-serving qualities so that I could fully recognize those qualities mirrored in myself." The difference is, I'm gonna get rid of mine.
This morning, I started my day with optimism. I am thrilled about how much progress our grassroots efforts have made. And after ruminating in self-doubt and "what-ifs" over the last week, I am re-energized today. I am so grateful for all of positive stories of progress that happened all over our country with yesterday's elections. There were certainly some disappointments, too, but the take-away is clear: WE are making progress. And it's not because "THEY" are taking care of it, it's because WE are doing it together.
Namaste!
Connect with me on Instagram and (kinda) Facebook.
