It's "hard work."

[Mythsaje]

I sign on to DU at least once a day, to get a feel for the currents of political power blowing through the country at any given moment and I try very hard not to become disenchanted by what I see. There seems to be SOME progress in Congress--I don't think we're aware enough of it on a day-to-day basis--but often it seems both too little and too late.

But it's difficult to come here and maintain the positive attitude I need to go from moment to moment. And believe me, with what I do every day, I need a good attitude to stay sane and able to deal with people. Not only do I have my day job, where I deal with the odd and occasionally annoying peculiarities of the shopping public, but I have to keep my mind in a place where I can write my wild but hope-filled epics of speculative fiction.

I can't stand being mired up to my knees in shit. God knows I don't mind passion. But too often passion turns to something darker, and accusations begin to fly and, well, in a word--fuck that.

The fact that I'm left-libertarian means I'm not really on-board with the whole "there ought to be a law" motivation that seems to turn some cranks. I distrust those who would play the same game as their ideological opposites, should the shoe be on the other foot. I realize that makes me an oddball, but that's okay. I'm used to it.

We're wise to look upon utopian dreams with some suspicion, because many of the worst excesses of government and ideologues has been in pursuit of such a dream, so easily corrupted by human ambition.

"Seek not great steps in any direction, but small ones, so those that fall in the wrong place do not plunge you completely into quicksand. Leave yourself room to back out in case you misjudged your path."

Hope is a great gift. But we shouldn't let it blind us to danger in thinking ourselves infallible, or unable to fool ourselves into doing evil in the name of good.

Yeah, we may be on the side of the angels. But we're mortal, and hardly incapable of lapses in judgement. We may see our way clearly in some situations, but we cannot afford to assume we always understand the possible repercussions of our actions and intended policies.

Doing the right thing IS "hard work." It it was easy, any numbskull could do it. And, as we all know, the road to hell is paved with both good and bad intentions. That last bit was the one they didn't bother to mention.

So keep the faith, and give our brothers and sisters a little credit even if they don't see as "clearly" about some things as you do. You need their perspective too, even if you don't realize it. Sometimes there is nothing more valuable than the one who holds up his (or her) hand to say, "wait a minute. We're missing something here."

It doesn't make them adversaries, or partisan operatives. Though it's easy enough to paint that scarlet letter upon their foreheads. No...it means that perhaps they see something YOU do not. We all have our blinders. And, thankfully, sometimes others may see in directions we do not allow ourselves to see.

Something to keep in mind, at least.

edited because I forgot to proofread as closely as I might have. :)

[Quantess]

1. Hi Mythsaje!

I like reading what you write.
Doing the "right thing" is all the easier if there is money involved. And from there.....calamity.

[Mythsaje]

3. Thanks...

Positive feedback is much appreciated. :)

[Quantess]

5. A lot of people have good hearts but,

everybody has to make a living.

[hfojvt]

2. we should try to be on the side of angels

instead of thinking that the angels are always on our side.

Is it really that hard to do the right thing? Is it so hard, for example, to write "Respectfully, I disagree. Here's why ..." instead of "Sheesh, you are a bigoted moron."

Maybe they need your perspective more than you need theirs, but that ain't no way to teach.

[Mythsaje]

4. Indeed.

Everyone's perspective is valuable in its own fashion, even if it's wrong.

There's an awful lot of (self)righteous anger floating around these days and it's counterproductive to the extreme.

[Kiouni]

6. You leave us too much.

I completely get what your saying about the emotional distress this place can cause and their are too few beacons of hope. You are one of them, don't leave so much.

[Cults4Bush]

7. something all sides need to remember:)

Thank you so much Saje.. peace and muses to you:)

[Psyop Samurai]

8. Much to reflect on here...

...I will keep these thoughts in mind, thank you.

:thumbsup: