Hardliners Don't Understand That Keeping An Open Mind Can Move Their Agenda Forward:
My Way or The Highway. Is That How You Roll?
Don’t waste your time. The age of persuasion, once an art practiced by gentlemen, no longer exists. It seems that we as a society no longer have the rationality nor the ability to change our minds once we have made a choice .Whatever course we have locked into is now our permanent guiding light with no chance of compromise or change in direction. We have lost our ability to think freely
It seems that once we make up our minds about any key issues, we are not willing to expend any further energy rethinking those positions and feelings about issues. Our convictions become ingrained, then serve as a lifelong model for us, with little chance that we can be persuaded otherwise.
Some actually think that this mode is the test of a real man, a person locked into his convictions. Those who have the ability to reconsider and reevaluate a position based on new facts or more effort to understand are branded flip floppers and as men who lack conviction. What you are you must remain. In their minds, moderation is the face of cowards
And so it is as we watch our process become increasingly contentious. Congress stays deadlocked with little likelihood of resolution simply because they have locked themselves into those positions from which they can deviate, for fear r of violating their principals.
To alter one’s position because of someone’s persuasive logical argument is considered “flip flopping,” by anyone opposed. On the other hand, thankfully there remains reasonable men and women, who regard that ability to listen to the facts and make an intelligent decision based on them to be a more desirable trait.
While others, Tea Party Conservatives and similar hardliners, who come to mind, think it despicable. The mere thought of changing a position because a tenable alternative made more sense is beyond their comprehension. It’s ridiculous, but absolutely, true.
But that is what we have given into over the years., No one can change their point of view or adjust their thinking to reflect on what’s best for the country. Congressional members on the right side of the aisle have signed the pledge to cast their vote against anything proposed by the other side.
No longer does the rule of moderate, intelligent citizens hold any value. That manner of pure and honest expression has been replaced by the actions of those strong but wrong willed members of our governing body to continue their negative campaigns, marching cohesively backwards in lock step and with locked minds
Closed minds did not create this democracy. They can destroy it if we continue on this track. People on both side of the issues have members aboard with genuine persuasive powers. Each side should be persuaded to choose a path that makes sense but will also involve compromise. Stop using the term flip-flop derisively for every decision that goes against your individual way of thinking. It’s called give and take, moderation and compromise.
We conduct ourselves as if the future direction of our life is predetermined and locked in a quagmire, never again open to persuasion and certainly never to be convinced that another alternative exists. We must all have a change of heart and open our minds to the possibility that there is good on both sides of every issue. If we can not achieve that goal our political process and American way will continue to be endangered.
Wake up America. Think of the dinosaurs, whose inability to adapt caused the creatures to become extinct.
