“I wish I had your passion, Ray... Misdirected though it might be, it is still a passion.” - Terrance Man to Ray Kinsella in the movie Field of Dreams.
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Today, November 8, our entire country seems to be pitching a hissy fit. Everyone is hissy fitting because they think the other half are, said in a civil manner, “misdirected.”
This election has been an experience. Everyone has tasted the food, and no one likes it.
Many words have been used to describe the presidential race, among them contentious, divisive, and unprecedented. It was all that, but I prefer the civil, passionate.
In her book, A Wealth of Possibilities, Ellen Miley Perry warns that we often confuse Values with Preferences. People share values and have preferences.
All those pitching hissy fits are passionate about politics – a value. They just have different preferences – blue, red, green, and white (absence of color).
Choose Civility is a community initiative led by the Howard County (Maryland) Library System. According to choosecivility.org, “The project intends to enhance respect, empathy, consideration and tolerance in Howard County.”
The election has severely tested the project.
Is civility a value or preference? By making it a choice, Choose Civility implies it is a preference. Merriam Webster defines civility as “polite, reasonable, and respectful behavior.” That sounds like a value.
Can we be passionate about civility -as passionate as we are about politics?
Of course, some people will prefer to not be civil (discivil?), just as some people choose not to vote. There is a lesson in there somewhere.
Be passionate, be civil, vote.
How about you? What was your civil adventure? Share a Story.
