February Focus: Day Eleven
One thing that’s been quite apparent to me these days is the disconnect between each other, and I’m not just talking about the phones. This goes beyond that. It’s like I can’t hold conversations with anyone outside my circle anymore, and I’m not even sure what that circle is. It’s also not everyone else’s fault, it’s as much about my choices as it is the rest of the world’s.
At breakfast the other morning, I was sitting near a group of four elderly people, a pair of couples. I don’t know if they were native Vermonters, but they were certainly speaking like them. Like good left-wing liberals, they started talking about Bad Orange Man and how the Supreme Court is looking at the Colorado primary ballot case, and why he’s ineligible to be on it, and what a scumbag he is, and how in the world can anyone like him. This, the morning after Joe Biden dropped a late-night press conference defending himself over his classified documents case. The ‘vote blue no matter who’ mentality is still largely in effect these days.
I just absorbed all of this, as I’m no stranger to people’s utter contempt for the 45th President. I am from New York City after all. Still, I don’t know how you bring that kind of energy to a breakfast meal with your friends. Then again, what did I expect when I decided to re-enter liberal-land, even after leaving my own deep blue sh*thole?
It’s become more apparent I need a break from more than just the news lately. I think the next time I travel somewhere, I need to see what red states or more conservative areas bring to the table. I just don’t identify with the modern-day liberal. I long for the days of the Blue Dog Dems, where there’s ways to agree to disagree, and even find common ground in our American values. I’d like to at least give myself a chance to connect outside the blue wave, as I wade through the cringeservatism and find conversations again.
People aren’t always going to think like me. I’ve accepted that, just as I’ve accepted I can’t change minds simply by talking at someone. Which is why I resisted the urge to whisper “Trump won” and wink at the group as I left. That would have accomplished nothing, even though I’d find it funny. But then I’d be participating inthe cringeservatism I’m talking about. I guess I’m not immune to it either. Oh well. I’ll find a way to connect one of these days. The polar opposites have to balance out sometime. Make Purple America Great Again and all that.