The recent debate among Democratic Presidential candidates was depressing and concerning. On a few levels.
It was chaotic. The candidates constantly spoke over each other, prevented one another from completing answers, and made it impossible to take any exchange deeper than the slogans.
It was rude and disrespectful. Some went out of their way to throw brutal barbs at one another, to discredit, mock or chastise. How will they pretend to support and respect one another in November?
As the current face of the democratic process, it made a really ugly appearance.
Is this any way to chose a leader?
This reminds me that Trump emerged out of a process. Sadly, he was no accident. Nor was his bullying, disrespect, and intentional distortion of realities. All of this is now accepted in US politics, largely because its chief practitioner simply refuses to acknowledge anything wrong with this behavior, let alone stop doing it. He keeps lowering the level of dialogue, mocking the rational and reasonable, sneering at standards of professionalism, diplomacy, management and science.
So among the democrats, it's come to more outrage, boasting and trading one-liners, . I like to think that I have good reasons for supporting Sanders, but media discussions of the substance of candidates' platforms remains overshadowed by focus on tactical campaign maneuvers and stage delivery, and to the odds-making and handicapping.
I'd like to see a debate in which the moderators had mutes for the candidates' mikes, and the willingness to use them. Though they too seemed at times more interested in poking at vulnerabilities than clarifying positions.
We're at a time in species history when it's so crucial that we manage information, yet in so many ways, we're promoting the arts of deception and manipulation. There is so much hypocrisy and pettiness obscuring the bloodless morality lessons about duty and sacrifice that, unless they reject our example, the next generations will devote themselves to holding onto power, in whatever form, at whatever sacrifice.
We must find better ways to do politics!
It was chaotic. The candidates constantly spoke over each other, prevented one another from completing answers, and made it impossible to take any exchange deeper than the slogans.
It was rude and disrespectful. Some went out of their way to throw brutal barbs at one another, to discredit, mock or chastise. How will they pretend to support and respect one another in November?
As the current face of the democratic process, it made a really ugly appearance.
Is this any way to chose a leader?
This reminds me that Trump emerged out of a process. Sadly, he was no accident. Nor was his bullying, disrespect, and intentional distortion of realities. All of this is now accepted in US politics, largely because its chief practitioner simply refuses to acknowledge anything wrong with this behavior, let alone stop doing it. He keeps lowering the level of dialogue, mocking the rational and reasonable, sneering at standards of professionalism, diplomacy, management and science.
So among the democrats, it's come to more outrage, boasting and trading one-liners, . I like to think that I have good reasons for supporting Sanders, but media discussions of the substance of candidates' platforms remains overshadowed by focus on tactical campaign maneuvers and stage delivery, and to the odds-making and handicapping.
I'd like to see a debate in which the moderators had mutes for the candidates' mikes, and the willingness to use them. Though they too seemed at times more interested in poking at vulnerabilities than clarifying positions.
We're at a time in species history when it's so crucial that we manage information, yet in so many ways, we're promoting the arts of deception and manipulation. There is so much hypocrisy and pettiness obscuring the bloodless morality lessons about duty and sacrifice that, unless they reject our example, the next generations will devote themselves to holding onto power, in whatever form, at whatever sacrifice.
We must find better ways to do politics!
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