Thoughts about Political Thoughts

Being down in a religious town in New York has given me many opportunities to hear a variety of political opinions. I could go on about my response to each and every political opinion but I simply am not interested right now. Today a friend of mine was telling me about how annoying extreme left or right politics is, and how much she'd like to get her mind off of it. In many scenarios I do agree with her and would rather think of much more interesting things like Psychology, Religion, The Human Body, Friends, Family, School, Research and my future. I don't know what it is about political discussions that bother me so much but I really can't take too much of it.

I think it might be the idea that I have to completely close myself off to someone else's perspective. Sometimes I notice that such discussions strive to prove that someone else is wrong. That their whole system of thought/behaviour is the wrong way to go and their way is the way to go. I think that might be what I am uncomfortable with. On the other hand maybe I just have difficulties having my values challenged...

Definitely something to think about!

Coming down here has led to a lot of re-evaluation of what I hold to be true. It does take a lot more out of you to have a dialogue with people who don't agree with your values than with those who think the same as yourself. When I think about it that way it makes having my values challenged seem a lot more important. If people more openly disagree with what I think here then coming back here at some future time can only help to further solidify my thinking on the many different issues that concern life in 21st Century North American Society.

In sum: Social divisiveness and/or conscientious disagreement makes me uncomfortable. In either case it seems like I need to wake up and smell the diversity!!