Preaching to the choir here, dear Will. This group of conversationalists isn't arguing that people in the US are not capable of doing great things--forward-looking, progressive, positive things that would benefit all, not just some. But there are those of us who also recognize that this is a constant battle with the forces of repression,…
Preaching to the choir here, dear Will. This group of conversationalists isn't arguing that people in the US are not capable of doing great things--forward-looking, progressive, positive things that would benefit all, not just some. But there are those of us who also recognize that this is a constant battle with the forces of repression, bigotry, and misogyny that are also part of the US citizenry--and have always been here.
I'm an historian (medieval British and European) and I have a very long view of the ways in which western society has vacillated between the forces engaged in a more equitable and progressive vision of the future and those that are determined to present the future as a zero-sum game. It has been ever thus. And because progressive change requires thought, mindfulness, self-awareness, and generosity of spirit--all of which you have in abundance, Will--it is a hard slog for a lot of people who would rather not do any of that. Because it can be exhausting and it requires checking inward to see if one is (gasp!) wrong about "stuff." The history of the West has been a history of institutions determined to convey the message "Believe, don't think" at all costs pitted against individuals and small groups who say, "I'd rather come to my own conclusions, thanks." Institutions are powerful entities with resources that can seem overwhelming to those who are fighting against them. The process of change is not a single linear movement. It is a Sisyphean effort with progress being followed by backlash. The hope is that the damn boulder rolls only partway back down the hill each time--and that we all don't get flattened in the process.
Preaching to the choir here, dear Will. This group of conversationalists isn't arguing that people in the US are not capable of doing great things--forward-looking, progressive, positive things that would benefit all, not just some. But there are those of us who also recognize that this is a constant battle with the forces of repression, bigotry, and misogyny that are also part of the US citizenry--and have always been here.
I'm an historian (medieval British and European) and I have a very long view of the ways in which western society has vacillated between the forces engaged in a more equitable and progressive vision of the future and those that are determined to present the future as a zero-sum game. It has been ever thus. And because progressive change requires thought, mindfulness, self-awareness, and generosity of spirit--all of which you have in abundance, Will--it is a hard slog for a lot of people who would rather not do any of that. Because it can be exhausting and it requires checking inward to see if one is (gasp!) wrong about "stuff." The history of the West has been a history of institutions determined to convey the message "Believe, don't think" at all costs pitted against individuals and small groups who say, "I'd rather come to my own conclusions, thanks." Institutions are powerful entities with resources that can seem overwhelming to those who are fighting against them. The process of change is not a single linear movement. It is a Sisyphean effort with progress being followed by backlash. The hope is that the damn boulder rolls only partway back down the hill each time--and that we all don't get flattened in the process.