I'm home from work today with a pretty bad cold, so I've had quite a bit of "deep thought" time. As I read back over my posts before the election and some of the links therein, one theme is constant: our nation is divided like never before. The 2004 election was close; 2000 was even closer. Anti-war protests, while not common, are no longer rare. A snapshot of our times would be enough to make one worry about the future.
But I disagree with the entire premise. I do not believe that this nation is any more divided now than it was, say, a generation ago. There are several reasons why I say this; for the sake of my aching bones, I'll be brief:
1. Communication is better now among common people than it has ever been. The fact that you are reading this blog is proof that anyone with an internet connection and an opinion can now air their laundry for the world to see. I know many of my readers personally, but I dare say that I would not have come into contact with many of you if not for this space. I believe that forums such as this one inspire people to share their opinions more than ever. Before common use of the internet, how much political debate did you have with people outside your family? You may have had some but, for some of us, political and social debate is now a daily part of who we are. Thus, I know more about your opinions than ever, which makes a difference in opinion seem larger than it would've seemed before.
2. Division in our country is nothing new. Look at the debate over slavery in the 1850's or civil rights in the 1960's. These debates split families and, in the first case, caused a war. We will have no civil war over Iraq or Social Security or the New York Times. I think we all like to see our time as being the "most" something, but we do not own the day with regard to cultural division. But, because of reason number one above, we know more about it.
3. The media loves a good fight because we love a good fight. Why is reality TV so popular? Because it's all about fighting and personal divisions. The news networks, in my opinion, are "awfulizers"---the worse you can make a story, the more people will watch. Thus, a few hundred protesters at the inauguration become a symbol of a nation divided. Nevermind that there are always protesters in Washington, DC.
Do we have problems? You bet. But I look at intelligent debate, overall, as a good thing, not a sign of division. And the fact that any slob with a cold can talk to the world from his computer (and be taken seriously by a few) is awesome.
Posted by Matthew at January 26, 2005 04:59 PM