I’m convinced there is a proper response for every situation in life in either a Bruce Springsteen lyric or a Seinfeld episode. Any issue, any emotion, any incident has been dealt with by one of these two cultural phenomena.
And if you are a regular reader of this blog, you know very well that I am a huge Springsteen fan. While I’ve mentioned Seinfeld in passing, I don’t know if I ever mentioned that I loved the show. Well, just did.
Moving on.
For my feelings these days, it is a Springsteen lyric I’m turning to. It’s nothing complicated, but this line from the song “Sherry Darling” which is on the album, The River, sums up how I’m feeling.
Tell her she wins if she’ll just shut up.
Now, to be more accurate I have to change the her, she, and she’ll. In this case, it’s hes and theys that need to shut up.
Everyone is talking too much these days. Each side of the debate, and I don’t even have to say the debate and you know what I mean. That’s part of the problem.
The squabble goes on and on, and it is inescapable.
This one is executive ordering this, and this one is protesting that. It’s been two weeks, and already, it seems like a never ending cycle of altercations.
Neither side seems capable of talking to the other, to tampering down the rhetoric, to even considering what the other is saying.
And this leaves the rest of us stuck in the middle.
Me – I can’t take the noise. The constant bickering and yelling and arguing is too much for me. I don’t want to hear it.
Democracy is messy. People have a right to protest. A politician has to answer to his/her constituents and do what he/she thinks is best.
I get it.
I also get that the issues being debated are significant and meaningful, and real people are being impacted.
However…
Maybe, I’m naïve, simple, or just plain foolish. Yet, I maintain that debate can and should happen civilly. Two sides need to appreciate compromise. Two sides need to stop threatening the other. Two sides need to recognize that they will not get everything they want.
I can’t be the only person who feels this way.
Right?
Please tell me you are out there and also longing for decency, for quiet, and for elevated discourse.
Please tell me you also want the constant clashing, bickering, and quarreling to stop.
Please tell me that perpetual tension will not continue.
Tell them we all win if they would all just shut up.
It is the lack of civility that really chaps my hide here.
It just makes me grit my teeth and want to scream because nothing is accomplished when all we do is yell at each other.
I could not agree with you more! Thanks for letting me know it’s not just me.
Haha yes but those that keep quiet go to an early grave! Sometime you cannot win. Lovely blog here just found it by chance through a comment you left.
Keeping quiet has its negatives too – no doubt. However, in this hyped up environment, I thinks that’s the better poison to pick.
What comment are you referring to? Curious. Anyway, thanks for the visit Clare.
Just yesterday I had a silly post on Facebook (about common core math) turn into a battle between friends– all mature adults. I got an email from a separate friend letting me know the thread had blown up, so I deleted it without reading any of their comments.
I am **this close** to deleting my accounts. Sheesh.
I saw that post. I almost commented myself but didn’t after seeing the comments. We all seem to have to be on guard all the time. Exhausting!
I, too, would love it if people would stop the noise. This is crazy how much backlash and this and that is happening. I’ve never seen it before. I look forward to the day when (hopefully) things settle down and we can just accept what is that can’t be changed and move on.
I look forward to that day too. But I worry – is this the new normal? Please say it ain’t so!