Division

I'm sick and tired of division, provocation, and manipulation by the media, by influencers, and by our politicians.

Division
Photo by jean wimmerlin on Unsplash
We have met the enemy and he is us — Walt Kelly
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
Well, all I can tell you is, brother, you have to wait — John Lennon

I’ve written this note about 5 times now.   The first versions were unhinged; the process has been somewhat cathartic.   I’m at the point in my life when I thought I would be kicking back, drinking mai tais on the beach, playing pickleball and golf.  And yet, here I am — trying to be upbeat, but a little exhausted, and concerned about the future.  I’ve talked to friends, and they are all equally exhausted.  Everyone feels like something, or many things, are wrong in our country.  

Division and provocation are the problems

I am optimistic and excited about our future and the role technology could play in it.  Biotech, energy technology, space technology, and digital technology are all improving by leaps and bounds, and we should be entering a golden age.   And yet, some of those very same technologies, notably our digital technologies, are being used to sow division and hatred, and we are seeing intense political polarization around some of the other technologies.   Joan Westenberg observed that we don't know how to handle the arrival of abundance:

A hundred years ago, most of humanity staggered through life underfed. Now, the problem is metabolic disease in one place and starvation next door. The world produces more than enough calories to feed everyone. We choose not to distribute it well. That is a moral failure, not an economic one.

Similar issues exist in energy, material goods, and medicine.   We are surrounded by abundance, or on the cusp of abundance, and we are failing to adapt, to lead, to share.  Instead, we are sniping at each other, hurling labels at each other, turning everything into a political issue.  Our news media, social media, and the personalities that inhabit media all amplify the worst, most divisive messages, spurring us on.  

And it’s not just the media.  A big part of this is leadership — at the government level, business level, civic level.  Many of our leaders are ineffective, inflammatory, and divisive.  There are a few who rise to the challenge of the times — Utah Governor Spencer Cox has tried to tamp down the rhetoric, and Bernie Sanders is leading with a clear message.  But so many other leaders are failing the challenge.  Robbie Bach, a former colleague, called for new leaders this week:

What we need is a new wave of leaders.  A group that is more capable of dealing with modern challenges…a group that can motivate younger generations…a group that is able to separate itself from the self-gratification and grifting amongst our current leaders.

We are suffering from a shortfall of leadership, integrity, and character.   And there are influential organizations in our world that benefit from division and outrage — media, social media, pundits, political parties.  They encourage extremism, and we are all susceptible to it.  It creates fertile ground for horrific actions like the Kirk assassination.  Cristi is fond of saying about our political parties, “Two wings, one bird” — they are both part of the system that feeds division and antagonism; they fundraise off of these messages, and they hold onto power via these messages.

I am fed up with all the division and fear-mongering.  I’m fed up with the leaders and provocateurs who push these messages.

Choosing to engage positively

My first realization is this — no one is coming to save us.  Our problems are of our own making; they are a product of our system, the leaders we pick, and how we behave in the system.  And we can blame the system, blame forces bigger than each of us, but all we can do each day is control our own actions, our own words, our own use of our own time, and our own attitudes. 

Which is why I no longer feel like I have the option of sitting on the beach and hoping it all works out.  Those of us who have been fortunate enough to achieve a comfortable retirement and understand the technology or media industries, well, we have work to do.  We have to pitch in to create the world that we want and that everyone deserves.  We have to lead by our actions and by our voices.

I’m starting by turning my attention away from the media, leaders, and pundits who preach division.   I am going to deny them the attention they crave; their histrionics and their labels will not manipulate me.  I am not infallible, I will of course still watch some media, still use some social media, but I will trim out the voices of division and extremism — I will not follow them, I will aggressively block and mute divisive commenters, whether they be family, friends, or strangers.  I will take breaks away from the media regularly.  People can say whatever dumb, divisive stuff they want to say; they are free to do so, and I am free to not listen to it.   

I’ll instead talk to real people in my communities and give real people my attention.  And I will steer towards different forms of media — I’ve recently rediscovered Islands Weekly which is a thinly staffed local news source, but it turns out to have some of the stories that are actually most relevant to me — news about the local school system budget woes, about the local health system challenges — issues that impact me, and that I can have an impact on.  I don’t need to sit around and wait for the feds or state to help — I can work on these issues right in front of me.

I’ll seek out and amplify the good stories around us.  For example, this story out of New Mexico heartens me — New Mexico becomes first state to offer free childcare for all: ‘model for the nation’.  The facts behind this program are strong — 

“Every dollar spent on high-quality, birth-to-five programs for disadvantaged children can deliver a 13% per annum return on investment from better education and health outcomes for children, employment gains for parents, greater economic productivity and reduced spending on healthcare and crime.”   from James Heckman

The program benefits the children, their parents, who see real economic gains, and childcare workers, who earn higher wages.  Good news all around.  I didn’t know about James Heckman, and I am glad this New Mexico program introduced me to his work.  His “Heckman Curve” seems dead on – the sooner we spend money to help children get off on a great start in life, the greater the returns for our society.   Investing in children — in childcare, education, healthcare — seems like something that people from all parts of the political spectrum can agree on.

Idiots and Losers

Noah Smith says civil war is for idiots and losers.  The path forward is not division — it is connections and a shared commitment to a better society.  Our neighbors are not our enemies — they are working moms, dads, children, and grandparents, just like everyone else, and we can find common ground and create a better future for ourselves and our children.  

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