Monday, October 20, 2014

Addito Salis Grano, or: Who Do You Love, Who Do You Hate?

Recent comments by Frank Freeman, one of my UNC-Chapel Hill classmates, led me to some thinking, resulting in this little flow chart of sorts. Active reference to this may help clarify how you or anyone feels about anybody, ranging from the president of the United States of America to a next door neighbor.

Frank pointed out that a person in general support of President Obama would support a certain specific action by him, but if President G. W. Bush had done more or less the same action, they'd have stood in opposition; likewise, political enemies of President Obama would not and will not support his actions no matter what they were or are or could be, precisely because they are opposed to him. Seeing this, Frank said he was more or less "on the fence," and took a more neutral position in many matters.
To play the game, imagine various different names as Person A.  What if Person A was Abraham Lincoln? Frederick Douglass? Angela Davis? Try Ted Cruz. Dick Cheney. Sarah Palin. Hillary Clinton. Bill Clinton. And so on.

Figuring out your attitude by using one of the columns may help clarify where you stand on just about anybody and anything.  

Some attitudes shift with the passage of time. A person may hate a certain boss only while said boss holds any direct power over said person. All power is temporary, if only though mortality or external change in circumstance. 

Another person may unconditionally love a spouse for a while, and later unconditionally hate that same spouse, perhaps as s/he changes status to become an ex-spouse. And so on. 

What do you think?

In conclusion, people on either end of the spectrum will probably never be able to get through to each other. To a person in love, the object of love can do no wrong. To a person in hate, the object of hate can do no right. Neither side will ever convince the other of anything, at least for the time being.

Today's Rune: Fertility. 

3 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I know that I have some biases, but I generally know that I'm also rational and can be persuaded to change my mind, if only reluctantly.

the walking man said...

I know that who and what I care about is unshaken no matter the hand holding the rattle. I know I have within me the capacity for great hatred and tremendous love, both can forgive and both can never forget why I have forgiven. An emotional release that must be asked for.

I know as a lone man nothing I do makes a difference but as lone man speaking the right words can make all the difference in the world. Where do i fit on the matrix, i do not fit on it for i have found that boxes confine and contain and i simply want to sit on the porch in my trousers and wave at whom I wish and finger them who I want. And it changes from hour to hour. Time passes too fast.

jodi said...

Erik, Oh Lord, after reading the Walking Man, I don't know what to say!