We have become highly "risk-averse." The uncharitable would say, "cowardly."
I've been one of those. But I may be coming out the other side now.
We are afraid. We are overwhelmingly afraid.
We have a lot to be afraid of. More than most of us can rationally handle.
For most people, "truth" is almost totally determined by how much we trust the speaker. But Watergate began an irreversible erosion in the reliability of that instinct in this country. Iran-Contra was another milestone in that process. The 2000 presidential election.
The election of Barak Obama filled us with hope that the nightmare was finally over.
Then came Mitch McConnell and the R's war on the the first black Presidency, the Supreme Court's ruling on Citizen's United, and countless other recent events.
Now we have ISIS and Ebola... dangers for which it is socially acceptable to freak-out over because they are external rather than internal.
(Maybe it's like beating up somebody for calling your brother names... the same brother you pick on mercilessly every day.)
The freakout over Ebola is really our pent up fears finally having an outlet for their expression.
"Fight" and "flight" are both reactions to fear. Despite our prejudices, "flight" is often a wiser choice for ultimate success and survival than "fight."
Most species have a predilection, an instinctive bias, for one or the other. Cultures often develop such biases too. But unlike instincts, cultural bias can take less time to change in light of traumatic events.
By the 1940s, the Japanese culture had developed a "fight" bias when faced with adversity. A couple of atom-bombs however converted them to a more thoughtful "flight" bias. Look at them now!
The Republicans have a strong prejudicial "fight" bias. For them, "offense" is not just "the best defense," it's the ONLY defense. Anything else is considered shameful.
Democrats however have a "flight" bias. Most try to avoid conflict, "find common ground," and compromise for the common good.
Democrats force ourselves to respect the views of people we truly believe are just "bat-shit-crazy."
Democrats often have "bleeding hearts," but they bleed because their heads are restraining them from trying to give more than they have.
Democrats work hard to stretch forethought as far as possible to anticipate and overcome problems with our own ideas. (A practice that's often used against us, BTW.)
Democrats then, it seems to me, are the only hope our country has for survival. We are the only ones looking ahead, and using our heads, to overcome the dangers we face.
I never thought I'd say this but... Republicans are not "bad people."
They're just scared.
It is up to Democrats to protect them as well as ourselves.
It's up to Democrats to find solutions, as Republican fears have stopped them from even trying.
The Republican leadership have become like cornered animals. All rationality is gone. They see little or no way out. The only, very slim chance they see for survival, is an almost certainly suicidal attack.
We Democrats have to get off their backs and take action ourselves... though we don't know what to do any more than they do.
But their "fight" bias has them taking action anyhow. Actions that have put us all in that desperate corner.
Those Republican actions are lethal.
We Democrats had better figure out better ones... and quickly.
