Lynn Espinoza is a broadcast news veteran with more than a decade of media, presentation and executive coaching experience. She has developed personal coaching sessions for Fortune 100 C-level executives, corporate communicators of all kinds, doctors, lawyers and leaders in non-profit.
I’m Right. You’re Wrong
Posted on October 21, 2008. Filed under: Latest News 6 Comments
I’ve had this post on my mind for days, but I’ve been too troubled to write it. If you’ve visited my blog in the past, you know that the political season is my passion. I relish the oratory, the hyperbole and the innuendo. It can represent communication at its best or very worst. It can be broad and inspiring or targeted and serious. I try not to take it personally, and I try to keep an open mind. In a sense, I want to be persuaded to see issues and people in a way that challenges my own thinking, through clear and thought-provoking communication. That’s what politics are all about. Or, that should be the case.
This election season has been tough to swallow. There is little art of persuasion evident. Instead, leading politicians on both sides have taken to personal attacks, not just on each other, but on everyday supporters of one side or the other. Name calling. Finger pointing. Friendships fractured.
I witnessed a discussion between two friends last night. One is a staunch Republican, the other a die-hard Democrat. They have enjoyed countless meals together over the years, despite their political differences. Something has changed, and dramatically. In the end, there were red-faced charges like, “you socialist!” and “you LIAR!”. The man who was not throwing insults, unable to find a small patch of agreement on which they both could stand, left the table. The two may never enjoy a meal together again. So much for bringing the country together.
The “in-between” of the political discussion has disappeared. It’s no longer about using great communication to persuade others to join you. It’s mean-spirited. It’s dangerous. But like children model their parents, voters are just modeling top politicians. The election train of tolerance has flown off the tracks; its philosophical and ideological cars have crashed violently into pieces. Voters are left confused by the mess. And angry. At each other. Reasonable political discourse has turned into a game of “I’m Right, You’re Wrong”, and when the election is over, there may not be any winners.
6 Responses to “I’m Right. You’re Wrong”
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it isn’t until Joe the stupid sees more money in his pocket after dems rule and prices go back to reasonable and taxes are cut, that the repubs won’t be able to snow them anymore. i just wonder why they don’t just try governing smartly, instead of campaigning stupidly and dishonestly. you can not be happy with yourselves. and no one else is either, unless they are stupid. great post.
spm – I think you sort of missed the point. We can do with a LOT less name-calling (can we just call him Joe? Really. Regardless of where your vote goes). And I agree with you on this: We need them to govern smartly instead of campaigning dishonestly.
Boy Lynn, I REALLY agree with you on this one. TOTALLY.
I have literally STOPPED saying anything within my own family about the election. I won’t even discuss one word of it– because of this scenario.
It’s been an interesting election on SO MANY LEVELS.
I’m having such fun watching it from the sidelines for a change.
Lynn, I agree with everything you said.
My question: How did we get to this point? Unless we figure this out, civility will be like Disco, will be a distant memory. Let me take a partial stab at it.
It started in 1968, with the candidacy of Richard Nixon. He figured out that the best path to the White House was to divide the country.
His rallying cry for “states rights” (wink-wink-anti-civil rights) unified the southern states. It carried him to victory in an extremely close election. He then dispatched VP Agnew to educate America about the “moral majority” , I mean the “the real Americans.” (Can you say? Joe the plumber?)
We can then trace the further disintegration of civility to Lee Atwater’s famous Willy Horton ad in 1988. That was a clear signal that a segment of our country will even risk a race war to win.
Then came Karl Rove with his own specialty for not only tearing down opponents weaknesses but harpooning their strengths.
He also figured out that the tabloid media had become main stream media. Get anything negative out there on your opponent and the 24 hour cable news networks in desperate need of a break from a car chase in LA or a house fire in Glendale, AZ will run with it. It doesn’t matter if there is any vality to the charge, just make sure it gets the maximum reach and frequency on the 24 news cycle. The thinking: If the average person hears the report enough, he’ll believe it.(Where did jounrnalism ethics of checking out two or three sources before you ran with a story ever go?)
Bottom Line: You ask. Why has politics sunk so low? Because all of the tactics I have outlined and many more have WORKED!!!
Solution? You and me. Politicians are not leaders, they are followers. We must communicate that we will not vote for a candidate who employs these methods and not watch the so called news until they clean up their act.
That’s my take on why people are so fractionalized today.
I think I will now go and walk my dog.
I will be really glad when this election is over.
Is your dog a red dog or a blue dog?
Blue all the way….she has been wearing an Obama collar for over eight months!!!