Who deserves contempt? Have you ever pondered that question? To be clear, I’m not asking Can you validate your case against a specific individual or group? I’m guessing we all could submit at least one example that feels obvious, maybe even irrefutable (
Great essay! I think the internet and the culture wars have driven a lot of this contempt as it has turned politics into a consumer choice, a readymade identity, a personal fashion expression. We're not taught to think, but how to react.
The most important question you can ask yourself is: "Why do I think what I think?" Most people don't know the basis of their political beliefs, because social media encourages us to hold them socially and not fundamentally. This can build a distorted sense of self-assuredness that leads to myopia, if not willful ignorance. Nowadays, if I find myself in political discussions, I just ask people pointed questions instead of trying to debate them.
I've touched on similar themes in a series about internet politics if it's of any interest:
Thanks for sharing these observations (and sorry it took me so long to reply!). You offer some very useful insights here: politics having become "a personal fashion statement"; "we're not taught to think, but how to react"; we're conditioned to hold political beliefs "socially and not fundamentally" leading to false self-assurance and "myopia, if not willful ignorance." Sounds like you've developed a useful response in asking pointed questions rather than debating. Thank you for the link; I'll be interested to see how you've developed your perspective.
Wow… this was just great!! I’ve so often felt myself aware of feeling contempt during a conversation with someone whose view I adamantly oppose…quite discomfiting. Sometimes, I’m able to push back the feeling, but not always. I am, however, in a constant personal struggle with wondering how I can disagree with people I do love and admire. I find myself in such a hard place these years in our country as I so wish for us to be a nation of respect and love. I look forward to seeing more of your work!
Thanks, Ellen. I am totally with you in that struggle—it's very real! And I'm gratified to know you enjoyed the essay. Fair warning, though—I publish very sporadically, as I find time to write (which is, itself, a very slow and painstaking process for me). I do have an archive of essays on my Substack, though, most of which were written since this piece. So feel free to browse.
Great essay! I think the internet and the culture wars have driven a lot of this contempt as it has turned politics into a consumer choice, a readymade identity, a personal fashion expression. We're not taught to think, but how to react.
The most important question you can ask yourself is: "Why do I think what I think?" Most people don't know the basis of their political beliefs, because social media encourages us to hold them socially and not fundamentally. This can build a distorted sense of self-assuredness that leads to myopia, if not willful ignorance. Nowadays, if I find myself in political discussions, I just ask people pointed questions instead of trying to debate them.
I've touched on similar themes in a series about internet politics if it's of any interest:
https://thatguyfromtheinternet.substack.com/p/everything-is-political-now-but-nothing
Thanks for sharing these observations (and sorry it took me so long to reply!). You offer some very useful insights here: politics having become "a personal fashion statement"; "we're not taught to think, but how to react"; we're conditioned to hold political beliefs "socially and not fundamentally" leading to false self-assurance and "myopia, if not willful ignorance." Sounds like you've developed a useful response in asking pointed questions rather than debating. Thank you for the link; I'll be interested to see how you've developed your perspective.
Wow… this was just great!! I’ve so often felt myself aware of feeling contempt during a conversation with someone whose view I adamantly oppose…quite discomfiting. Sometimes, I’m able to push back the feeling, but not always. I am, however, in a constant personal struggle with wondering how I can disagree with people I do love and admire. I find myself in such a hard place these years in our country as I so wish for us to be a nation of respect and love. I look forward to seeing more of your work!
Thanks, Ellen. I am totally with you in that struggle—it's very real! And I'm gratified to know you enjoyed the essay. Fair warning, though—I publish very sporadically, as I find time to write (which is, itself, a very slow and painstaking process for me). I do have an archive of essays on my Substack, though, most of which were written since this piece. So feel free to browse.
You express yourself beautifully. Well done.
Thank you. And thanks for reading.