Fundamental Values

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Don't let politics ruin good things. 

With the Presidential election just two weeks away, this is especially salient advice. 

Over the years, I've lost many friends due to ideological differences. Many of my right-of-center friends have also encountered this. 

I refuse, however, to give into toxic polarization; if we let trivial political differences fracture good relationships, we will, ultimately, come apart as a country. 

Remember: we have, in some capacity, always been politically pluralistic. The Jeffersonians and the Hamiltonians; Whigs and Democrats; Democrats and Republicans; libertarian-oriented Republicans and their paleo-conservative counterparts. I can go on and on... 

One's own politics - which, if you are anything like me, are constantly evolving - should be of little import. There is only one thing that we should take into consideration when it comes to relationships: fundamental values. 

Earlier today, I read a beautiful piece by David Spereall in BBC.  He tells the story of a group of Englishmen who, since 1968, have been meeting for pints every Thursday. That's 56 years of regular meet-ups! Can you imagine that?

Even during COVID, the group continued their tradition via Zoom. 

But, what about the political make-up of this group? Are they ideologically monolithic?

"Everybody is different, " one of the ole blokes remarked. "We have incredibly contrasting political views, which leads to the most incredible, illogical arguments."

So, that should be it, right? A politically diverse group could never possibly endure in the long-run! Well, according to Brian, "We are quite different people but I suspect we’ve all got the same fundamental values." Huh... Could this be?? "If we argue with each other, it’s not about critical things."

What do ya know, it looks like people, whether they be Labour, Conservative, Democrat, or Republican, can actually get along just fine. 

But, this begs the question: what are these fundamental values that trump political trivialities? Well, I can give you my answer: respect for animals, the surrounding community, and me. That's it. If someone holds doors for others, tips their waiters and baristas, refrains from any sort of littering, and cares for God's creatures, that's all that matters to me. Their views on immigration or economic policy, on the other hand, are utterly meaningless, albeit potentially interesting.

Speaking of political depolarization, I was actually profiled by photojournalist Paola Chapdelaine in the Guardian last week. See here. She did an awesome job. 

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