What is really happening with this election campaign

This election campaign is so polarized it has pushed the American System off the charts.  And frankly, I am frightened of where it is going and where we – Americans and the rest of the world are to be dragged with it.

Looking with a different eye

Yet I hear the gentle but nagging voice of Butterfly Woman reminding me to look at this with different eyes.  Specifically, look at what’s right about this scenario.  I don’t know about you, but I am groaning here.  What’s good about this?  The system seems to be falling apart before our eyes.

So ok, let’s look. First, we have deeply polarized sides. Democrats vs what once was Republicans are taking extreme and opposite positions. Not to be outdone by the media joystick at being able to play these scenarios to their extremes, erasing the trust of ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ with every new twist on words.

Examples of polarity

1. Appealing to intellect and business logic vs.  appealing to extreme and intense emotionalism.
2. Hope and faith in the system vs. fears about personal, societal and country safety.
3. Big business and bigger government including conspiracies vs. deconstructing the old ways of doing things.
4. Humans as responsible and compassionate vs. humans as untrustworthy, retaliatory and vengeful.
5. Power and hierarchy  vs breaking the bastions and systems of power over others.

Let’s look with a different eye, and find out what’s right in this scenario

So what is right about this scenario we are witnessing and participating in?  Actually, we can use the what’s wrong list to understand the rightness that is emerging.

The Paradox of Extreme Opposites brings understanding of new directions

In social science, we say the keys of change lie in extreme paradox.  When the paradoxes are loud and clear, it is a symptom that things are getting ready for change.  Now this is not said lightly.  It means that WE THE PEOPLE are in the process of gearing up for some big changes in our beliefs, our paradigms and what follows as our way of doing things.

The five examples above are showing us where we are and how ready we are to move into a better way of doing things…in this case, governing and electing those who govern.

What we can do now

There are two positive things that stand out immediately.

1.  The first is to explore the wealth in these paradoxes.

Let us look at trends in society and begin to see scenarios we as American People can bring forward to make our way of life more in alignment with the present day needs and values.

Looking at the ‘what is wrong’ part including the electoral college process and the willful manipulation of it, here is a good strong beginning for what WE THE PEOPLE can turn into a ‘what is right.’

We can use our voices and votes to see that we update this outdated process that harkens back to the pony express, probably.  Now we have these new newfangled things like TV, cell phones, internet, Skype….instant responses offer many positive options for making the electoral process more up to date.  We may not even need the electoral college. Like horses and candles, they seem to have outlived their usefulness to us.

Looking at the values collisions we’re expressing through the rhetoric of the parties we can see that we are wanting to explore what our social values are evolving forward into and we can do it consciously.

It appears that too many people have been left out of the decision making process…white men and values have been pushed aside without understanding the difficulties of giving up the old style powers.  But this is just as true for all the other people of races, gender, and sexual orientations. The ‘What is right’ about this is realizing we haven’t included thoughtful ways of allowing all of us to participate in choosing the directions we as a society wish to evolve.

For each of these five polarities or paradoxes, we can explore our options, discuss them, (Sesame Street taught us to “use your words.”  Well, let’s do just that.  Let’s talk to each other.  Not scream, not yell, not ridicule.  Communicate with the languages we have and all the fancy electronic means of using them. Out of this we will arrive at the changes we are growing forward into and this time we can include all involved who wish to be heard and understood.  The key to hearing is learning about other people’s thoughts and concerns.  Once we know what they are, and don’t make assumptions and DON’T POLARIZE, we can learn how to craft our new policies and improved cultural systems in a better way.

2. The second is to hold love in our hearts and know that things will work out.

I hear the groans from here.  But this is a fact of physics and metaphysics.  We can help stabilize the playing field by simply allowing and loving us through these uncertainties. We are in the middle of turbulent white water rafting as we co-create a wiser way of living in society.

When things are unstable, we can stabilize just by holding on to love and trust.  The more of us who can do this, the faster we can arrive at healthy and helpful solutions.  There is danger, yes.  Danger lies in allowing the fear talk of others to push us out of balance. That means we don’t let ourselves fall into fear and anger or retribution.  We trust in the better side of humanity expressing itself.  The simple fact is that what we think we get, or more correctly, what we think we begin to manifest.

There’s another really important element to this love stuff.  For some readers you will find it preposterous.  But trust me, it really works. So hang on a moment.  When you can’t figure out what to do, or you can’t get beyond thinking the candidates running for President are crooks, crazies or both, here is the best strategy of all.  And I would add the most powerful, even if it seems contrary to logic.  Ready for this?  Just love em.  Imagine giving them a hug, hold them in your heart and send them unconditional love with a little helping of “I don’t know what you are doing or where you are coming from, but here you go, here’s some love.”

What that does, my friends is it boosts their energy frequency, and of course yours. The higher the energy frequency, the more pieces of the puzzle one can see. Even if you have to say inwardly “I think you are nuts,” send them that hug or love from your heart anyway.  And if a bunch of us do it, who knows what we can help to create or what problems we can help to solve.

Photo by Sasse.

Let me remind you that the eagle is our symbol.  The eagle flies high and sees everything with keen sight and from the highest perspective.  Let us be like the eagle. Take the high road and see the big pictures and be patient and wise.

I for one choose to manifest exciting, gentle but wise changes in the American society.