The Sad State of a Closed Mind

I'm not entirely sure of the purpose of this note, except that I need to write it. I suppose you could call it complaining- but I wouldn't.

After being a member of my local town's "Uncensored Bitching" forum for a while, I can't help but wonder about a few things that I've seen. To preface, from all appearances the area appears to be mostly liberal, but it's difficult to say because I think conservatives tend to be quieter until there is something worth discussing. Daily posts to the forum are nothing but ORANGE-MAN-BAD-style posts, or mocking Republicans with various statements or memes that may or may not be factual. Whatever the case- it's reminiscent of a gang of kids in the schoolyard pointing and chuckling at those students who are different, making fun of everyone else, whether or not the students are even there. It's interesting and entertaining, but sad.

Something that I can't help but wonder is this: what if the energy that these people spent was put into objectively analyzing the state of the town, state, or country? What if everyone (notice I said EVERYONE) in the group spent an equal amount of time making sure that the community's children were properly educated with proven factual information- you know, like science, math, and literature- rather than ideologies, and parents were responsible for teaching their children about everything else? What if the community objectively questioned what they saw on TV, and said, "How does this affect my community? Is it for the good, or does it harm the people? Is it factual, or just someone's opinion?" What if the community allowed for differences of opinion and vibrant discussion and actual learning?

I am not a sociologist or psychologist, so I can't define what I see- not that those "sciences" are worth their weight in schoolbooks, anyways; I personally prefer the good old-fashioned "you're either working towards good or towards evil," myself, and are accountable for your actions either way. What I see begs the picture I painted above (the school kids making fun of others)- but what is that, exactly? Is it a need to make a comfortable place for like-minded people? To me that implies some insecurity that is filled by boosting oneself relative to another, at their expense. Is it the restlessness of a mind that needs to be filled by something? That, again, seems to point to insecurity, or misery, satisfied in a twisted way by the misery of others. Is it purely the biblical prowling, "seeking someone to devour"? Interesting.

I don't know that I'll ever know exactly why people do what they do, but I find that it's disappointing but not surprising. I found that typically people there (and honestly in general) don't speak to listen and learn, but come with their opinions fully guarded, ready to attack and defend, even if that view is flawed.