The unfortunate reality of taking sides

We take sides. A lot.

Us against them, popular vs alternative, familiar vs the strange, easy vs hard, new vs old, art vs commerce, and so on. We make this decision in some form everyday, without even noticing it.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d realize that most of the time it’s not necessary. We confuse our need to be part of a community or to feel welcome with needing to “win”.

It’s not an either/or choice. We don’t always need to be fans or haters. We can mix appreciation with criticism. We can have perspective without being a judge or an arbiter. But it takes work. In many ways, our brains are wired to be lazy with decision-making and that work against the will live with nuance. A soundbite culture has no time for deliberation. Are you in or are you out? Let’s go, our side is waiting. That side is the problem.

Elections, like last night, feel historic in their importance, then quickly recede to their rightful position, one point on an ever-evolving continuum. Politics, as a wise man once said, has become “professional wrestling, with suits and ties.” Don’t confuse belief with spectacle. If you’re going to take sides, just be honest about why you’re doing it.

The wrong reason to take a side is because it’s easy.
The right reason, even though it’s hard to articulate, deserves more effort.