America has come to a place in its finger-pointing, opportunistic excess where we can no longer view a news story without the lens of politics. Aspects of our lives that would seem to be, and should be, free of a political framework are now subjected to the desperate ploys of a news media searching for simple, bow-tied descriptions of the human condition. Indeed, our basic humanity is vapidly scrutinized for its political means and ends. Everything is politicized. Everything.
Of course, in some sense the news media is a reflection of the society and culture it speaks to. It may only be a snapshot, but like reality television the media does provide a very real glimpse of our past, present and future – triumphs, failures and all. The public, therefore, shares fault in the politicization of our lives: people crave, the media serves, the people consume, the media serves more. The two need each other.
So why is this? Why is our culture so polarized and fragmented that scoring political points is often more important than finding compromise? Why must every positive and every negative be accessed political responsibility?
We have politicized faith.
We have politicized art, music and movies.
We have politicized Mother Nature.
We have politicized natural disasters.
We have politicized education.
We have politicized history.
We have politicized crime.
We have politicized sport.
We have politicized science.
We have politicized 9/11.
When will we begin to politicize love? How about compassion?
I recognize that there are instances when crime or art or sport (etc.) are necessarily cast in a political light. There are very good reasons for political rock anthems. They have purpose. And it is beyond question that political interests motivate our lives in profound ways. We, therefore, cannot shy away from the duties and responsibilities thrust upon us by the experiment in self-governance known as democracy.
It is true too, however, that we have a penchant for rushing to judgment and not questioning our own prejudices with the same level of scrutiny we direct at political opposites. And these normative behaviors lead us to politicize that which should remain above the fray.
However fine the line is between the political and apolitical, we must vigilantly seek to identify that mark and refuse to step over it in a petty political game of one-upmanship. We must cut a wide, protective swath where our human emotions, instincts, struggles and joys can find solace from the trappings of jungle politics lest we all become creatures of opportunism and finger-pointing.
What’s the best example of politicization you have seen? What consequences do you think it engenders?
