Support Your Side Or Support The Right Side
Written by: Tom Sawyer
The saying “Can’t see the forest for the trees” is appropriate for this subject.
Each person can decide for themselves how this would apply personally, but overall I’m wondering how people go about making decisions. For instance, when the discussion concerning health care in America is brought up, would people decide what they would like based on their political affiliation or the result that would be best for them personally? I would think most people would agree that there is a problem with the health care system, but what we do is what matters most. Keeping things the way they are would mean many people could die due to lack of care. But changing it to a government run system isn’t the answer either – after 20 years in the Air Force, trust me on this one.
Then of course there is the whole political thing. You know what I’m talking about right? Some people will follow their party, Republican or Democrat, right off the cliff like a lemming! Forming opinion along party lines is one of the dumbest things to do; everyone is wrong sometimes.
Now, flip all of this and apply it to many other situations because normal news items – Obama, health care, the war – isn’t even what brought this thought to mind.
I might be the craziest person in the world because my first inclination is to do and/or say what is right (at least what I think is right) first and worry about everything else second. Your side could be the right side also, but there is always a chance that it isn’t and then what do you do? The alternative is to follow mindlessly. I’ll pass on that, what about you?
Tags: decide based on right, How to choose, individual decision-making
October 6th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Ummm… this post made me really stop and think.
I might be the craziest person in the world because my first inclination is to do and/or say what is right (at least what I think is right) first and worry about everything else second.
This wouldn’t work for me. There are so many people, in all aspects of my life ,that if I said to them what I think is RIGHT (key words being “I think”) … woo wee! All kinds of hell would break loose! I think it is typically human nature to think about consequences and repercussions before we act and speak. Even if we don’t actually remember giving it thought, I still think we do it. I believe we have mastered that split second process and we do actually give thought to the outcome of our words and actions.
Your side could be the right side also, but there is always a chance that it isn’t and then what do you do? The alternative is to follow mindlessly.
OMG! If that statement were true, life would be completely black and white! There are so many gray areas here! Not agreeing with your side doesn’t mean the only options are to abandon the team or follow aimlessly! Here’s my take.
I think this is a question of how we support things and people. I think there is a big, big difference in supporting something or someone and agreeing with someone or something. I think it is a good and honorable person who can support a person regardless of what that person says or does. Now I am not talking about agreeing with that person when they do wrong or condoning their wrongs, but to support a person regardless, is a phenomenal thing. Just support them. Many are incapable. (which always leads me back to my thought, there is no such thing as unconditional love). Being a supporter of someone and telling them how you feel when it differs from how they feel and still maintaining that rapport/relationship is the gray area. Choosing to go right when your team is going left but still maintaining your standing in the team is a gray area. Agreeing with 9 out of 10 things your partners says and the disagreement not affecting the cohesion of the partnership is a gray area. I just don’t see this as an either/or situation but more like a compromise or an area where you just do your own thing.
Some people will follow their party, Republican or Democrat, right off the cliff like a lemming! Forming opinion along party lines is one of the dumbest things to do; everyone is wrong sometimes.
I agree with it being dumb but as far as supporting something, like a political party, I feel the same way. I am a democrat and an Obama supporter. No, I don’t agree with everything he says or does but because I am a “supporter” I would not put him on blast about those things I don’t agree with. I will let the non-Obama supporters do that. It’s kind of like, if my child did something wrong that would eventually surface and be made public, sobeit. I would not be the one that reveals it. To me that is not being a supporter. As a blogger, I will never write a blog against Obama, even if it is “news”. I will never write a blog making him look bad or even questionable. There are too many haters out there to do that. I will holler, cheerlead and write about him on his good and great decisions and silently hope and pray for him on his not so good ones. There is no reason to claim to be a supporter and do that when I know, whatever he does, he does for the good of the American people. I will never shine a light on his wrongs BUT ALSO I will not become the lemming or conformist that drinks the koolaid just because he says to drink it!
Would people decide what they would like based on their political affiliation or the result that would be best for them personally?
I would have to go with the option that would be best for me personally.
This was an interesting post with many different things to think about.