Please Tell Me This is Just a Horrible Dream

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I am starting to feel ill watching the darkness that has settled over my country during this election process. I am amazed at how we will lay down our life and our own relationships to defend a candidate that we believe we know everything about yet we have never even met. How could we choose a stranger over our own flesh and blood or destroy friendships that have survived for years over the choice of a candidate or differences in opinion when it comes to politics? Times have shown that we value our opinions and political affiliation over the people in our lives. I find it sad and disturbing but who am I? We have become a people who love to tell others they are wrong. We have become internet bullies waiting and lurking to use our freedom of speech to degrade someone or tell them their opinions are wrong. Who do we think we are that we assume we know more than somebody else? And what kind of monsters have we become that we will fight til the death to get in the last chide comment or nasty, know-it-all word?

Frankly, I have had enough. I never thought I would live in a time where we go out of our way to say an unkind word and tear others down. I never dreamed I would live in an era of dissension, disrespect, and verbal war. I never thought I would see people grow so big that they are bursting out of their own skin. Please tell me this is just a horrible dream. I can’t seem to wake myself up.

37 thoughts on “Please Tell Me This is Just a Horrible Dream”

  2. the-reluctant-parent

    this electoral season has brought out the highest amount of emotion among the lowest common denominator and has dragged a lot of people who would otherwise be very respectful of each other under any other situation into the mud that is otherwise occupied by people who use insult and in some cases injury for what they view as a clear political advantage to lead our country.

    What is sad about this whole scenario is that people have chosen to be less than respectful, they have selected to allow political positioning to override relationships and as a result, people are abandoning friendships over characterizations of political opponents and belief systems of those people who they don’t even know personally. I will be the first to admit that I have thrown my share of mud, excoriating people who don’t share the views that I have, and to all those people, I own my part in all that and need to apologize for acting so venomous during what has become the most divisive political season in modern times. Do I believe that Hillary Clinton and Donald trump will both be horrible as leaders of this country? Absolutely I do and for those who closely follow me, you probably understand why, and though you may not agree with either premise, that is okay. I can be opposed to a person’s political ideology and still have that person as a friend. I am honored to have a community of friends who are all so diverse and very different from each other in so many ways.

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    • You make so many truthful points. It’s just crazy what is happening. I try my best to stay out of the negativity and destruction but sometimes even I get sucked in. It breaks my heart to see what we are becoming and for what really?

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  3. We’re all a bunch of Plinko chips tumbling down a grid of pins until we fall into a category pocket. This casino just happens to have red and blue chips. If there were purple chips…

    All the talk about democracy being this great system is so flawed, it’s no wonder other government (or “terrorist”) groups try to shake the boat with war. The concept of a two choice system isn’t bad. It’s just how ugly some people made the decision. It’s like turning a peaceful game of rock, scissors paper into some American Ninja Warrior or UFC contest. Why people get so fierce and ugly about politics, wasting so much money on these convention rallies that are like 30 car salesman trying to convince you their Prius is better or worse than a Volkswagon, can only be explained by the school days popularity/trend principle. Those who can influence, start the boulder rolling down the mountain. Any and all who are scared little mountain goats either run with the roll/flow or get out of the way. But, the mountain wants to motivate all goats. So, more rocks fall in different ways til all goats make a decision that pleases the mountain.

    Does that make sense?

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      • Sounds inviting…warm blue and green waters washing over us as we dive deeper into the sea to be greeted by dozens of oceanic species…hoping that shadow over there on the left isn’t some predatory shark…and watching our toes lest we step on or bump into some stinging creature. We’ll just imagine we’re colorfully scaled and dancing with a red crab and his striped buddy. That thing clinging to your head? Just a playful sea anenomonie…anenenom–…anemone. 😛

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  4. tshackleford1982

    Agree with you. There are other candidates out there, but the media (which is a big problem in our country) picks certain story to talk about and left other important story out. Welcome to America😞

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      • Yeah, not that I am complaining since I tend to lean toward the Democratic side…but is it just me or does the “media” seem ruled by the Democrats? And, if they get that, what do the Republicans get? Some underground society like the Illuminati or mafia? I’m getting a lil tired of late night talk shows putting Republican faces up for a pie-throwing contest.

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      • I recall someone saying once: In every lie there is a grain of truth. I don’t think the media can lie completely. But, they can dramatize things to induce emotional response.

        On a semi-related note, I was thinking about my guilty summer pleasure show, Big Brother, just yesterday. And, I was thinking…why don’t these people who give up their families and jobs for # months vote out the pests in the house instead of keeping conflict around to make their stay miserable? Why must it be so complicated that they gossip and scheme for days as if they were prepping for the SAT or LSAT (is that the correct abbrev. for the law school test?)? I realized there must be some network conspiring to direct the decisions made on the show, to keep the “juicy” stuff around til the end. If only happy, friendly people remained in the house, enjoying the company of each other, there wouldn’t be much reason to watch…or so certain minds would believe. Would you watch people sharing a temporary house happily? Or, would that be like vicariously sitting on your neighbor’s windowsill every day?

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      • Good point. I have no idea. We are watching the Bachelorette and one of the aggressive, physical guys got chosen to do another show related and I’m pissed. It threatens the well being of others and I don’t want to watch that crap. I see it everyday 😦

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      • Don’t get me started on that insane falsehood about “finding the one.” The host of those shows must have had his privates removed. The whole business is a scam. Whoever makes it to the “final” just gets recycled for the next branch of the show.

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      • No, you go scrounging to find something better while that crap is on the air. I’d rather go looking for good berries than sit with rotten or poisonous ones just cuz they’re within reach. In this age of everything internet, surely, you can do better than the bache–kech–KACH! I’m gagging just trying to say the name of that swill.

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      • Well, if that helps you sleep better at night. Sure, and casual sex with condoms is better than turning tricks for hundreds of dollars. Or, shooting Hitler is better than going to war with the Nazi party. But, why make excuses? Fool me once, season one. But, if you let them fool you twice, how sad are you? I once was a loyal fan of Survivor…til it got old and I realized it wasn’t as much about surviving as it was convincing people who had nothing better to do in life to wear next to nothing and eat shit as if their lives depended upon it. Come on, people, how much can I pay you to eat this animal’s private parts?

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      • Ehem, as I reassert my self-confidence in the confrontation of negative opinion…

        I do not think too much…just more about something at the moment than you are. I see your posts sometimes and think YOU are the one overloading with thought. But, I just let it roll off my back because we’re both capable of festering with thought when emotionally affected.

        What’s amusing?

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      • I can’t say I’ve picked fights with myself. But, I do often divide myself into voices and sit around a table. It’s like a lil UN inside myself. More often, I have two voices that clash in my head. They’re not exactly the good and bad voices you typically see in movies. It’s hard to tell who’s the right and wrong voice. Neither is exactly pushing me to take big risks. Usually, one says give it a try, and the other says try something else.

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  5. I have yet to figure out why so many people think a difference of opinion means it’s okay to belittle & bully another person. — That they are so right in their opinions they can walk all over everyone else to make their point & feel justified in doing so. — It’s certainly a sad & sickening reality…. and yet, it’s our reality. One that makes me super disappointed some days and down right angry others. — Tis’ a shame. Kindness goes so much further than hatred. If only they could see that.

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    • With your heart in such a noble, right place, how do you think we go about changing things? How do we re-establish balance and curb the ugliness? Must we all think of ourselves as grains of helpful sand, or can we be just as good at banding together as those who throw mud and carry pitchforks?

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      • I don’t engage in conversations with people who are aggressive anymore. I don’t explain myself more than once and I walk away from somebody trying to pick a fight. Aggressive, angry people make me uncomfortable and I just choose to eliminate them from my life as much as I can. I try my best to treat everyone with the same respect that I like to be treated with. It’s not always easy and I don’t always succeed but I do make a constant effort. I don’t have any answers. I just think a kind, compassionate, helpful voice needs to be as loud as the destructive ones.

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      • Is that why we never have coffee talk? 🙂 I’m too aggressive? 😛

        I’ve been picked and poked into too many fights myself. But, they seem to arise when my values are at stake. As I watch some old Zelda cartoons, I see myself as Link defending what I value most against a bunch of ugly bullies. I can complain or I can shrug, say, “Excuuuse me, princess,” and get to removing the jerks from my peaceful place.

        Respecting others is lost on those who are unaware of the definition. Yet, perhaps, most likely, everyone’s definition of respect varies. And, we may perceive some “slob” as lacking respect when he knows very well what it means.

        As an example, as I refer to Big Brother again, the guy Paul on that show, the one with the original big beard and fashion line, he started out a big mouth I expected to go home quick. But, in a matter of two weeks, he proved to be a good friend to Victor. I found respect for a guy I did not think I’d ever like.

        A kind, compassionate voice cannot be as loud as the destructive ones. That is hard to imagine…a loving explosion. But, perhaps, soft-spoken kindness can speak volumes without volume. 😛 In greater volume, of course. hehe It’s not easy, though, because we must tune our kindness to different minds. We must appeal to individual interests. Though, some basic acts of kindness may be respected by most in times of need, when people are most humbled. Being loud and destructive with the intent of upsetting peace seems rather easy in comparison.

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      • True. Very true and we never have coffee talk because I r given up coffee 🙂 I know at the end of the day, if I feel I did my best to do my part to contribute something good to this crazy world then I sleep much better.

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      • I only drink iced coffee, myself, so…

        I don’t sleep well, regardless. I’d have to save a village or raise a barn, I think, to feel better. I am not sure what it will take to sleep easy. But, my whole being seems racked with anger, frustration and misery. I feel like I am standing before a mountain I cannot climb and always missing out on what others enjoy so easily.

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      • I have yet to see a dog dig through a mountainside. I don’t even have to try climbing it. But, its presence alone is bothersome. It’s like sitting with a smoker all day. You want to breathe clean air, but they can’t stop feeding their insecurities with the stuff. If the mountain doesn’t go away and I don’t climb/get past it, I might as well suffocate. I put up with a jerk in my school life for 11 years. He was one of the worst monkeys you could have on your back. He never went away. And, every year, I had to think of ways I would avoid conflicts with him. But, it felt futile. I just had to put up with breathing foul air.

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      • That’s a bummer. The older I get the less intimidated and afraid I am. I do have periods though that I resort back to a helpless, damaged girl and I know I just have to wait it out until it finally passes

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      • I wish I could say I was less afraid of more than I am. I guess, it took this long for me to no longer be afraid of Bill Bixby turning into Lou Ferrigno. I guess what’s another mmebebreb years to get over the teen fears.

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