Can we open-mindedly discuss the issues instead of just labeling people and ideas and missing the point?

Question

I want to apologize...I have gotten caught up in the labeling and partesianship that is the biggest problem facing America and the world today. I realize that placing labels upon people and ideas makes understanding of the people, actions, ideas, and concepts impossible.

Why don't we all turn over a new leaf and start looking at ideas for their merit and workability instead of immediately placing a label on them and agreeing or disagreeing based solely on the label?

Perhaps if we can set all of this aside, we can work together towards "a more perfect Union" like the Constitution talks about.

Anthony...you are just proving my point.

There has never been a communist nation in the history of the world. Cuba sort of comes close, and I suppose that some of the aboriginal societies are kinda communist, but the USSR never was, the Republic of China never was, North Korea never was. They do not follow the basic tenets of communism at all. They are all oligarchies and dictatorships, but the things that define communism...like every single person having equal status, democracy, universal health care and higher education...are not present in those countries. They use the label of Communism to get people to think that they care about the common man. That is all.

In the world wars, it was the Republican policy to be isolationists, not the Democrats, with the exception of a few radicals that supported Hitler...like Prescott Bush. Actually, most people at the time believed that we should not go to war unless we were attacked. When we were attacked, we went to war.

Answer 1

I chose to view this question from a foreigner's point of view and not quite the same old Democratic/Republican civil war type thing that is raging through the USA. It's because people are disconnected. In the old days, you would wander outside your house and talk to your neighbours. Life wasn't so hectic. We weren't caught up in the competitiveness of organized sports. Everyone played outside and together. Nowadays in the world of technology, people communicate through DEVICES...not by word of mouth anymore. We have become robots who are desensitized to real human beings and everyone knows that when you talk to someone face to face, it's nothing like how people talk to one another through the phone, or internet or any other means where you can't look directly at someone when you are talking to them.

So is it any wonder, the tv is our lord and master...that people beleive everything they are wire fed....that the "truth" is what they are fed by the media...and that they believe everything their closed little minds tell them.

You hit the nail on the head when you said "open-mindedness". But you are assuming that all people listen to thier conscience and they don't...or at least the consciences that exist in the world today have become very psychopathetic, perhaps as a result of this self-imposed isolation that we have imprisoned ourselves in.

People of the third world live in similar vacuums...never knowing the realities that exist beyond their boundaries. Most have no exposure to media or airways so they have no ideas but what they are taught to believe and thus it must be very frightening to many to suddenly be exposed to the rest of the world through bombings and terror. Imagine their fear?

People really do need to put themselves into others shoes and really understand before they open their mouths and say stupid things.

Obviously, many are just children and should not be judged as adults...they have little understanding and they will react based on how thier parents and other adults react. So we all should remember to treat one another as human beings, as brothers and sisters, as friends and neighbours. Even closed minds will open when shown the way how.


Anthony, wow I cant believe you said this: "Once a group declares war on the US the right thing to do is for the US to use ALL of its might to destroy them and those who support them."

That is the exact mentality that makes the USA appear arrogant and self serving to the rest of the world. You make the bed you lie in, and I doubt very much anyone would wage ANY war without some sort of provocation or wrong done them.

They say what goes around comes around...you can't just walk into someone's house and take what you want or tell them how to re-arrange their furniture or tell them, hey we're taking over and get rid of their social structure and replace it with yours, just because you're the big bad bully who says it should be so.

Answer 2

I agree totally. It's about trying to understand people rather than misunderstanding without trying. Although there are some idiots on this site who are so overwhelmed that they can use a PC they forget their lack of intelligence shows through every time they attempt to insult or offend people for what they are rather than for who they are.
I disagree slightly on the Cuba question. They do have excellent health and education programmes and who knows how they would have turned out had they not suffered the US embargo for the last 45 years.

Answer 3

Unfortuanetly the main thrust in politics is to gain power and stay in office, not what is best for this country. Also since incumbents have such a huge advantage we have very little turnover in our politicians. The longer they are in power the less idealistic they get. Maybe one term and out is the answer and open up the process so all Americans, not just the wealthy could particpate.

Answer 4

Many people reach political convictions based upon their reading of history. It is there right to do so and just common sense to learn from history rather than waiting for it to be repeated over and over.

Some of us see the threat from Radical Fascist Islam as a parallel that Nazism and Communism posed in the first half of the 20th Century. We see the "let's get along crowd" behaving just as the Left did in pre-WWII Europe and America. We see that appeasement encouraged war and made the results even worse than needed to be so.

The people who openly declare that they are at war with America will not change their minds if we act more pleasantly toward them. Once a group declares war on the US the right thing to do is for the US to use ALL of its might to destroy them and those who support them. You can practice the Muslim religion in any of the "Christian" nations of Europe and North America. Can you practice Judiaism or Christianity in the Muslims countries? No, you can't and that is further proof of the weakness and the evil of those cultures. They are undeveloped and backwards because of their cultures, not some grand conspiracy between Jews and Christians.

As Winston Churchill said leading up to World War II, " I will not be neutral between the fire and the fire brigade."

Answer 5

How can people not be labeled ? We're all Americans, British, Polish, Irish, Swedes, or whatever. We're all farmers, doctors, street cleaners, politicians, or something else. In America, we're Democrats, Republicans, Independents, or members of the smaller parties.
Most are male or female. That can't be changed. Well maybe.
People are either well known or unknown. Rich or poor, or something between.
We will never all be alike, and the filthy rich will never feel comfortable mingling with the ditch diggers.
Don't even try to imagine Muslims being palsy-walsy with the Jews.

Answer 6

Labels just allow us to know what type of person or ideal we are addressing and how to better deal with it. People are all very different/labeled. You are a calm intellectual with good thoughts but have you actually acted upon this idea besides on here? We all can talk and discuss for years but until we act upon workable solutions we are still just a bunch of lazy, whining, opinionated, labled Americans!

Answer 7

I am guilty making fun of some Liberal positions.
On the other hand I enjoy a witty insult back.
But yes, I think we have alot more in common than either side is comfortable with.

Some fellow Conservatives got a little miffed with me when I said, "I'd rather have W in the White House but I'd rather party with Clinton."

We should all try to keep this in perspective as we are all quite fallible. (As my girlfriend will gleefully point out.)

Answer 8

Unfortunately our 2 major political parties have become so much of the same thing, that I think they almost have to label each other Conservative or Liberal (or whatever else) to make the American public think that they actually have a choice. Im disgusted with both of the major parties at the minute (can you tell? :) )

Answer 9

I am always open minded and never (hardly) label people. How some ever, when there is no point to miss and a lack of ideas, what is a poor soul to do?

Answer 10

I agree with you, but the political parties are more interested in labeling the other party in terms of the extremes that they don't have to talk about the real issues rather than the issues they can't do anything about.