The Disintegration of Group Think
I rely on a number of sources to keep myself informed on current happenings. One such voice is that of Tim Pool, youtube vlogger who provides commentary on top news topics and politics. The video title was Why Millennials are Becoming Conservative. I was heartened by the news and, I got thinking bout the fact that there was a time when I thought that I was born at the wrong point in history. I longed to be part of the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's, protesting amid political strife. I wanted to devote my energy toward making a difference in the world. To set things right. I'd discuss philosophy with friends who were attending college, and romanticized eras past. I felt as if my generation was missing out on something.
I started to read about what it meant to be a Progressive vs a Conservative, a Democrat vs a Republican. I looked at the lineage of the respective ideologies, and my mind, my heart could not ignore the destruction that has been left in the wake of those who advocate for, and work to implement the ideas and policies of those labeled today as the "American Left." I saw that the lineage runs deep and, spans far past the shores of America. I realized that my generation was indeed missing out on something.
My generation was missing out on the chance to rise up against the true villains of our history. I realized that the fight waged here in America is not between the various classes we're divided into, not between the rich white man and the black poor. The real fight is between collectivists and individualists. Between those who want to consolidate power to further their own ends, and those who want to disperse it as far as functionally possible. My generation missed out on the chance to raise the voice of the individual. To exalt the concept of complete individual agency. To stand up and say I AM NOT DEFINED BY THE GROUPS I HAPPEN TO BELONG TO! To demand recognition of one's character over one's appearance, economic status, sex, or sexual preferences.
Yet, today...today there is hope that perhaps the flag that lay wasted upon the ground during my generation's lost opportunity, is soon to be held above the fray so that the individual stands as the symbol of every man and woman. My dream is of a world where prejudice is recognized as a human problem not a racial one. My dream...my dream is of a world where words have clear, immutable definitions and our youth are not abused through efforts to twist the truths of the world. A world where right and wrong is not defined by feelings and social climate alone. I think that time is coming, the long march doesn't have to be toward the outdated and failed ideas of the ideological left. We as individuals can determine our own courses, marching to the beat of our own hearts and minds. No more political party plantations. No more monolithic expectations.
