Step Away From the Fringes to Find Common Ground

We've had big doings on the planet this year.  A lot of people in the Middle East are rising up trying to secure their freedoms, and in some cases giving their lives in the process (there are many others who've been doing this for years, but unfortunately aren't in the day-to-day focus of the media). 

Closer to home, we've got huge political battles on the state and national level.  Both sides are polarized, dug in and, it seems, unwilling to entertain the thought of compromise.

I think the things we believe in are born from our own values and upbringing, but I also think they are influenced by what we see and hear.

These days, we see and hear things on radio, TV and online — in other words, the media.  The media has changed alot over the course of my life, and I think nowadays it tends to focus on whatever is extreme and whatever can make us angry or afraid.  If there is someone to blame, all the better as far as the media is concerned. (In my opinion, we've gotten pretty far from what Edward R. Murrow & Walter Cronkite focused on in their day).

In order for the media to satisfy this need, they tend to listen to who is talking the loudest.  Regardless of whether the talkers are liberal or conservative, I find the loudest to be on the far ends of the spectrum — the fringes.

Most of us, regardless of what we believe, aren't on the fringes.  The rest of us are somewhere in between. 

I believe the rest of us have far more in common than we think.  We all want to make an honest living that provides adequate money (at the minimum), and is something we enjoy doing.  We all love our children, and want them to have the best education that can be provided.  We all want to be able to prepare them for adulthood the best way possible. 

We all want to be healthy, and, in cases where we are not, we all want to be sure we'll be taken care of.  We all want to live a long life, and in our later years we want to ensure we've got a roof over our heads and have others to watch out for us.

I think the rest of us would be doing ourselves a favor if we ignored what is said on the fringes, and instead concentrated on what we have in common, and how to achieve the things that we all want.  I've always been amazed by what can be accomplished when people communicate and compromise, and focus on common ground. 

It sure would be nice if we all gave that a try.