What I'm thinking tonight:
1/ I know it feels like the nation is unraveling. Yesterday's shooting was a watershed moment, but long before this moment, our politics had become dangerously hostile, zero sum, and too prone to violence.
The question is: what do we do?
1/ I know it feels like the nation is unraveling. Yesterday's shooting was a watershed moment, but long before this moment, our politics had become dangerously hostile, zero sum, and too prone to violence.
The question is: what do we do?
2/ I know for many active citizens, there will be an instinct to retreat. In such a dangerous moment, better to just focus on me and those closest to me.
I begrudge no one that choice. But with our nation unravelling, I believe this is a time to lean forward.
I begrudge no one that choice. But with our nation unravelling, I believe this is a time to lean forward.
3/ Our nation's politics are badly broken. But not unfixable.
Our modern world is a world based upon the mythology of the omnipotent individual, living in a purpose-built culture of scarcity, in which no matter how hard you strive, there is never enough for everyone.
Our modern world is a world based upon the mythology of the omnipotent individual, living in a purpose-built culture of scarcity, in which no matter how hard you strive, there is never enough for everyone.
4/ But human beings are solidaristic, not solitary. We exist to be part of communities. We don't have to be as isolated or alone as we are today.
And there IS enough to go around. We just reserve so much of it for elites, everyone else is left to grind and claw to get a piece.
And there IS enough to go around. We just reserve so much of it for elites, everyone else is left to grind and claw to get a piece.
5/ But in a culture of isolation - where people feel alone and angry and powerless - and a culture of scarcity - where everyone has to climb over others to succeed - people start to get desperate. They will do anything to win.
And that desperation seeps into our politics.
And that desperation seeps into our politics.
6/ When you are hurt and angry and desperate, you listen to political leaders who tell you to hate others. When there isn't enough to go around, each election feels super high stakes, with your side or the other side vying to control the limited resources for the non-elite.
7/ That desperation turns quickly to violence. A violence made much more deadly by our nation's inability to keep weapons of mass slaughter out of the hands of assassins.
But this all a choice. To accept weak bonds between us. To accept scarcity. To accept easy violence.
But this all a choice. To accept weak bonds between us. To accept scarcity. To accept easy violence.
8/ It is NOT too late to save our nation from this spiritual unspooling.
We can choose to build stronger communities and institutions - where people find connection and meaning.
To reorder resources so we all have enough.
To limit the means of violence.
We can choose to build stronger communities and institutions - where people find connection and meaning.
To reorder resources so we all have enough.
To limit the means of violence.
9/ Yes, this means choosing leaders who don't divide us.
Who don't lift up violence as a means of solving our problems.
Who are actually going to reform the economy away from scarcity.
Who think that would be assassins shouldn't have assault weapons.
Who don't lift up violence as a means of solving our problems.
Who are actually going to reform the economy away from scarcity.
Who think that would be assassins shouldn't have assault weapons.
10/ And it means that all of us have a role to play.
Yes, this moment feels scary because it is. But this violence...this unraveling...is a result of choices we have made. And we can make different choices.
This isn't a time to retreat. It's a time to lean forward.
Yes, this moment feels scary because it is. But this violence...this unraveling...is a result of choices we have made. And we can make different choices.
This isn't a time to retreat. It's a time to lean forward.
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