No doubt I have irked many readers and writers with my persistence and vigor in arguing on behalf of third parties in this election. I ask that you understand this persistence and vigor stems from the lens which I view this election through.
A man is defined by his experiences. I have detailed my experiences through this article, which details my transformation from a Democrat to an Independent.
My experiences and my transformation have created the lens that is influencing my ruminations.
My transformation to me is akin to liberation. Like the scene in Dead Poets Society where the students are standing on their desks shouting “Carpe diem!” the article I wrote when I became aware of my transformation is exemplary of a moment when I finally “got it.”
I had been working on a documentary called Seriously Green and was reluctant to ditch the Democrats. I wanted to be a progressive force within a weak and spineless party that was adept at losing elections. But, I came to the realization that it wasn’t like that at all.
René Descartes is well-known for writing, “I think therefore I am.” This came from his Meditations.
I have found what most humans do, which is that true bliss and true awareness of one’s self and one’s capability can only be reached by understanding that your thoughts define who you are.
Mikel Paul, an OpEdNews member, left me a comment that said I have a “willingness to stand naked” as I walk. This is true. I do not gain anything from hiding my passions and my logic and reasoning; the musings which I have to offer on politics and society have no value to me unless I can gather reactions to them from others who I derive support from.
We’re all in this together, right? And so, why hold back my intuition? I’ve learned to say what I mean to say and not be ashamed of saying it.
Paul’s comment also included a quote from Mark Sashine, another OpEdNews member. The quote was, “To love your country means to find, nourish, and cultivate the HONEST PEOPLE in it.” I do not disagree.
And therefore, I must confess to creating a dividing line based on whether or not I think progressives and liberals are truly finding, nourishing, and cultivating honest people to lead this country or represent us in this representative democracy. I do not think progressives are vetting their leaders or holding them to high standards like they should.
J.C. Garrett believes that I have a “strict, intolerant, and uncompromising ideology that precludes all rationality and all chance of actually achieving those goals.”
My rationality is a result of my ideology as is yours, Mr. Garrett. And I would suggest that is the case for most human beings too.
Mr. Garrett makes the choice to be pragmatic in order to ensure progress, compromise, and consensus. I make the choice currently in life to remain true to my ideals based on the conviction that the progress, compromise, and consensus which might be gained if I gave up on some my idealism would not be worth the self-censorship I would engage in when making the shift to being pragmatic.
Mr. Garrett offered up a parable to describe how ideology precludes my ability to rationalize.
The parable said my situation was "comparable to a man treading water in the middle of an ocean, and a helicopter drops him a life raft. But instead of grabbing on to the life raft, the man decides he’d rather wait until a cruise liner passes by." He added that this cruise liner had no chance of showing up to rescue me.
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