The Choice
Which wolf do we feed?
At this point in history, there are two sides. Not because we are so different, or even because we fundamentally want different things - because we aren’t, and we don’t.
But there are two distinct ways of thinking that I’m seeing, two very different set of values and approaches to the problems that we all collectively face. And in many ways they are the opposite of each other. Consider these questions:
Is your primary concern solely for yourself, or for everyone collectively? During the pandemic, were you more upset about the threat you perceive to your personal freedom and ability to live your life how you want? Or were you more concerned about the health and welfare of strangers you encountered throughout the day? Which is foremost on your mind?
Do you believe that society should take care of people who are struggling and need help, or do you see governmental help for such people as a personal threat to your own well-being? Do you believe people are ultimately individuals who should fend for themselves? Or do you believe that we are all interconnected, and all ultimately reliant on each other? How willing are you to sacrifice a little of what you have in order to help out someone else in need?
How comfortable are you with paradox and complexity, when faced with the seemingly overwhelming problems of the world? Do you desire the comfort of reductionist analysis and simple solutions, or would you rather accept that problems can’t be easily solved if that is, in fact, the truth?
Do you prefer to see the world through the lens of villains and heroes, so you can feel like a hero? Or are you willing to accept the burden of personal responsibility from knowing that you are complicit in the world’s problems along with the rest of us, and that some humans may be misguided but aren’t truly our enemies?
And finally, the big one...
Do you want to ensure the greatest quality of life for the greatest number of people, because you see all people as equally deserving of respect and care? Do you want power to be evenly shared even if that limits the power you could one day hold? Or do you think of some people as inherently superior and others as inferior, with superior individuals deserving of greater respect, power, and wealth and inferior people deserving of less (or none)?
Yes, I am presenting two opposing sides here. But these “sides” are two different mindsets, two different ways of thinking, two different sets of values and priorities - not two different groups of people. Anyone can choose to change their mind in any moment. Some beliefs are fundamentally toxic to humanity and life itself, but that doesn’t make the person who holds them toxic. Holding them is a choice and a different choice is always possible.
We can embrace the wholeness of humanity while still recognizing that there are two very different ways of seeing the world, and that these two paradigms are battling for space in our minds and hearts.
What these choices really boil down to are self-centeredness versus empathy, hyper-individualism versus interconnectedness, simplicity versus complexity, and the lie of separation versus the understanding that underneath diversity and differences of opinion (not negating those), we are fundamentally all the same. Human.
There have been studies of the brains of people with conservative and liberal views, and they found that in the former, the amygdala was far more active (focused on fear and personal survival), while in the latter the frontal lobe (connected with reasoning and empathy) was far more active, when shown the same images. The researchers said the difference was so striking they almost looked like two different types of humans. In truth, we aren’t, as we all use both parts of the brain and patterns of neurology can quickly change.
But ultimately, which part of the brain is going to be more active in any given situation is the result of the values and beliefs that we hold. And cultural programming and influence from Fox News aside, what we believe in and how we see the world is ultimately a CHOICE. So choose wisely, please, for all of our sakes.
What do you think?
Share your thoughts! I would love to hear them, and it helps me to dive even deeper into these topics and consider perspectives I never would have on my own.
But however you engage with my writings, I am grateful.❤️🔥