Losing our minds

Politically, I fall pretty much to one “side” on most issues. In my younger years, I was one of those guys that talked often and loudly about my political opinions. You know, the guy that everyone just loves to be around because they are just so smart and always right about everything?

My beliefs have changed relatively little in the last 10 years, though I have a much firmer grasp these days as to why I believe what I believe. Reading enough books on economics and history can have a profound effect on either affirming beliefs or upending them entirely. For me, the effects have been largely affirming. Safe to say I am lucky to feel now that I’d reached mostly sound conclusions a decade ago, because I certainly wasn’t smart back then.

Interesting, I have a lot less to say on politics the more confident and mature I’ve become in my beliefs. Perhaps it is because I am so wildly unimpressed by the pseudo-intellectual, cowardly, Facebook-delivered nonsense that otherwise normal adults share from both sides of the political aisle.

I have a friend that is vehemently opposed to the COVID vaccine. But instead of just saying, “I’m not going to get it, it seems a bit risky given how quickly it was introduced and how relatively little we know about possible long-term repercussions,” she goes on and on and on about how, basically, if you get the vaccine or think the vaccine should be widely adopted, you’re some kind of liberal idiot that wants to turn our government into Maoist China.

Then I have another friend that is very pro-vaccine. His general premise is that if you don’t get the vaccine, you, and obviously Donald Trump, are responsible for the deaths of everyone that dies from COVID (even those who chose not to get the vaccine?).

Both kinds of people get heated up in person, but the real hate starts flying online. Which is, of course, incredibly brave and mature.

Are we losing our minds? This is the kind of behavior I was guilty of back when I was in college, but even I’d have blushed at some of the pure venom that leaves peoples’ mouths nowadays. The friends I’m referring to are both over the age of 40. I think it’s time we all grow up.

We can, and should, have constructive debates about the role of government in administering, paying for, and mandating the use of masks and vaccines. That’s important and potentially very dangerous territory to mess up. But it could still be civil, right?

If you’ve spent more than 10 minutes a day for the last six months thinking about, watching the news on (not helpful), or otherwise discussing the vaccine and you are not a credentialed medical professional doing so directly for your job (not a medical professional just whining like everyone else), you should really pause and reflect on what your life is about.