Debates and other distractions
I can hear the question tomorrow. Did you watch the Debate?
In my opinion, perhaps unlike other historical periods, debates make no sense. Zero. No one in our culture watches a debate to learn something. They watch because we are card-carrying, dues-paying, addicted members of what Guy Debord called the Society of Spectacle (thanks for educating me on this Stephen West). We watch for verbal bloodsport.
I want to see a poll that asked people if they watched the debate to learn something they didn’t know or to modify their beliefs or political preferences. As someone once said, Our minds are like concrete: permanently set and all mixed up.
In these times of widespread cynicism and polarization, we should withdraw from politics as verbal bloodsport, especially those from which we aren’t prepared to learn and change.
What we should be focused on is change: reflecting on our losses (thinking about September 11, 2001), what we can do - where possible - to cultivate a more respectful global community, and what we need to do now to avoid the painful circumstances we will face globally in the near future. In that near future, we will all be trying to acquire starkly limited resources (clean water, air, removal of harmful substances, provision of a healthy environment. and education that builds on humane characteristics). How can we live together in such circumstances?
We don’t have an hour of electricity, water, or neurons to spare. An hour of consideration about how we will live with greater respect, vitality, strength, and mindfulness is a far better use of our primetime hours.