Compassion Must Be Our Point

And they will know us by our love.

An argument I’ve heard frequently since the dawn of the second MAGA age is that “the cruelty is the point.” As far as I can tell, this statement is meant to alert people to the supposed sadistic, super villian-like actions of MAGA leaders.

I find this argument uncompelling for a few reasons.(1)

1. It puts the focus on the people doing harmful things, rather than on the people being harmed.

2. It keeps us stuck in analysis-mode rather than prompting us to action.

3. It assumes motive, which leaves its proponents open to error since, truly, how can they know? Can they read people’s minds?(2)

4. It leads to insufferable debates about the veracity of the claim, which draws attention away from what matters.

In summary, this argument detracts and distracts from what matters.(3)

Many Democrats, and otherwise left-leaning people, have allowed themselves to be consumed by an abiding anger and contempt and fixation on the motives and actions of MAGA world.(4)

Don’t get me wrong. I understand the impulse. I understand the anger. I’ve been there. Everyone’s feelings are valid. Everyone ought to feel and express their feelings.

And yet, we ought not dwell on those feelings.

***

Too often, we focus on them at the expense of us.

Let’s stop doing that! (5)

I know that the people expressing outrage at the actions of the current administration are doing so because they care about the people MAGA is hurting.(6)

Here’s the problem: When you communicate outrage and contempt, you communicate outrage and contempt.

In a social-media environment saturated with outrage and contempt, it all sounds the same. It all blurs together. Your empathy and compassion and righteous anger become a part of the noise, the negativity, the problem.

If you care about the people being harmed, talk about the people being harmed. If you’re being harmed, talk about how you’re being harmed.

I’m not saying there’s no place for anger; what I’m saying is that it shouldn’t be our home base.(7) We must channel it into something constructive and more meaningful.

***

Let us act for ourselves and our people, rather than against certain other people.

Let us speak for those whose voices have been silenced. Let us advocate for those whose rights have been denied.

Let us stand for our freedoms and liberties.

Let us act in word and deed with compassion since that’s what we’re fighting for.

Obligatory Disclaimer: all views expressed here are my own personal views and do not represent the views of my employer nor those of the U.S. government.

Thank you for reading! Please share your thoughts! Do you agree or disagree with me? What am I missing or omitting?

To my subscribers: first of all, thank you for your continued support! Second of all, I intend to be more consistent with my posting schedule. As of now, my plan is to publish one post every Sunday with some additional ones here and there.

Side Notes, End Notes, & Tangents

(1) As hopefully goes without saying, this applies to other, similar arguments people on the left make, too.

(2) If they can, might I suggest we capitalize on this impressive talent!

(3) I don’t particularly care what their point is, cruelty or otherwise. I care what our point is.

(4) There are, by the way, plenty on the left who are not engaging in this kind of outrage-based politics, but their voices are often drowned out by the left-wing outrage machine.

(5) Please!

(6) So, let’s care about those people, our people, the majority of Americans just trying to get through another day or another week under this current administration.

(7) At the risk of redundancy, my point is: if you must speak in anger, be angry for someone or something, rather than at someone or something. Though, to be clear, I would not advise this very much.