Erasing the lines...

Today I read an interview with President Obama about his book, The Audacity of Hope. This was my favorite part:

Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished.

In his answer, he exposes the political tendency of our culture to emphasize conflict, breaking into two distinct groups and waging this all-out battle. But, to my eyes, this is a human issue. I see this tendency to define two or more separate and complete parties in any and all areas of life. There's black, there's white; there's evil, there's good; there's North, there's South; there's religious, there's other; there's male, there's female; there's gay, there's straight; there's right, there's wrong. What is this need to create defined battle lines, drawn between people who could never possibly fit into one category? Show me two Republicans with exactly the same beliefs, or two Catholics with exactly the same thoughts, or two females with exactly the same abilities. It's ridiculous, and impossible. And, no one has ever solved anything waging brother against brother. How hard is it to instead be the people vs. the problem?

This is what I was referring to in my post, "Paying my respects...". For some reason, humans have this need to be right. And this need is so overwhelming and consuming that it causes people to turn against other people, even ones they love. It causes them to disregard their fellow human's suffering. It causes them to fight and argue an imaginary battle. And, why? To make yourself feel justified? To make you feel more powerful, more deserving? To make you feel that you are more worthy of love? To make you feel that you above others will be admitted into Heaven?

Well, in continuing my thoughts on the human progression, all of our greatest achievements have been things that bring us as humans together, not force us apart. Language, writing, transportation, technology- all things to bring people together. So why are we fighting so hard against each other? Do we not realize that we are damning ourselves not just to misery, but to a species of less meaning? Surely we were not put here to ourselves determine who is and who is not "good"- or right. I'm pretty sure Someone else has that covered. So why can't we, as humans, work together, all of us- forget "party lines", who cares?- to struggle through the problems of this life? No one knows all the answers. All we can do is lift each other up to have the courage to try.



What if all we were were lines? No variations of color, no skin tone, no dimension. No beauty.