When “Half a Pie” is Sufficient.

I have written many times over the past years about the poisonous political divisions within our society.  They are not disappearing.  They are becoming more pronounced.  There is little, if any, evidence that they will even begin to diminish any time soon.  While there can be much debate about when the civility and statesmanship in our government’s political nature began to recede, there is no question that a short backwards glance in the range of 25 years will find that it has not been that long since Democrats and Republicans once knew how to co-exist in a political environment without the use of long knives and hand grenades.

There is a reality among us that we must each simply address.  Our society and culture is 40-45 percent liberal, 40-45 percent conservative, and the ones in the center are not real sure where they stand politically on a daily basis.  They have no allegiance to a national party and many have checked out on the subject of politics.   They are busy living their lives, paying their bills, raising their kids, earning their paychecks, and dealing with the occasional personal crisis that rears its head in each of our worlds.  This is where we are; this is who we are; and this is how we are.  The entertainment world has embraced this situation.  Most of the late night comedians have made the decision to tailor their acts to those of a liberal persuasion.  They understand that their over-the-top rhetoric and subject matter will alienate and offend people with different, more conservative opinions and frankly…they don’t give a damn.  If you don’t drink their kool-aid, you are not a concern to them.  The majority of those folks popularly known as journalists have also decided that they can coddle the segment of the population that will warm up to their agenda and can write off the others.  Do you actually believe that Sean Hannity really cares about how many liberals watch his show?  Reality has demonstrated that a particular 40-45 percent of the population that can be effectively targeted is quite sufficient to support many types of commercial and political efforts.  Many enterprises from every segment of our culture have decided that “half the pie” is sufficient.

There is something about this seismic shift that concerns me.  Perhaps it is just me and I could be mistaken, but I believe that I see this attitude crossing over into the very fiber of our nation; going deep into the entertainment industry, mixing in with the marketing of various products and services, and dominating the polishing of images both commercial and political.  It is seeping into our judicial system, our education system, and yes…in some instances, even into our religion.  It is sobering to watch Stephen Colbert and realize that he honestly could not care less whether you watch his show or not.  If his liberal rhetoric and crude humor offends your conservative senses…tough luck.  He could really care less about you, what you think, and how you live.  He is a child of the left, just as Tucker Carlson is a child of the right.   These folks know you control the clicker and can switch channels; and they DO…NOT…CARE.  It is has gotten to the place where product and service commercials are so heavily messaged with social context that you wonder exactly what it is that they are hawking.  Is it just me or is anyone else sick and tired of being constantly bombarded by Corporate America and their marketing efforts that show me in graphic detail how our society should look…and think…and speak…and act.  What happened to the days when an actual product or service was featured in marketing efforts?  I hate myself for this, but I have to admit that part of my purchasing decision process as a consumer is now the consideration of how the manufacturer handles their social messaging.  Who really needs this foolishness?  I want tape that sticks, pens that write, deodorant that keeps me from stinking, shampoo that keeps my hair clean, investments that make a profit, cars and trucks that are reliable…well, you get the point.

Don’t miss the next post!  Follow on Twitter @centerlineright.  If you enjoy the blog, pass it on to your friends.

The really scary part of this whole deal is that the truth is becoming evident that we CAN exist as a divided society.  The left can sell to the left, the right can sell to the right, and there are sufficient numbers on each side to make the respective boat float.  The gulf between the two philosophies can continue to widen and each side will simply polish up their demographic targeting, pick off a few of those independents in the middle, and write off a huge part of the American people from their business.  Our institutions of higher learning and the fields of academia have long been liberal bastions; but it seems like they used to be a bit more subtle and cautious about their leftist agendas.  We now see college administrators, faculty, and organizations openly and proudly opposing even the consideration of opposing points of view.  We now see instances where this political and social tunnel vision is seeping into K-thru-12 education.  Is this the future for our country?  Will conservatives have their own preferred states to live and work in?  Will liberals exclusively attend a handful of colleges while conservatives choose others?  Will the media take that last, short step towards obvious political bias and throw away any semblance of balance? 

When we consider the possible consequences of the path we are on, it is impossible to predict with any degree of certainty where it will all end.  What can be said with complete certainty is that we as a divided nation are weaker, less just and caring, less judicious in our compassion, less admired in our global world, and certainly of less value as a culturally rich society.   The concept of America is now in full debate.  There are those who advocate allegiance to the fundamental tenets set forth in black and white with our constitution and founding fathers.  There are those that submit that we, as a nation, are an evolving experiment that can be changed, improved, and reinvented to a new and enlightened level.  And even though our nation’s founding principles provide process for changes in our government, that process to many is inadequate to address the changes they so fervently desire.   It is not an exaggeration to say that the heart and soul of our nation is at stake in the great debate and divide that is ongoing.  Has the blood and treasure spent throughout history to preserve the tenets of our founding fathers been invested to preserve the original concepts of these United States or were they the price we paid for the freedom to reinvent our nation and change it into a new and different country driven by progressive concerns and considerations?  You decide.