Dealing with people that just don't "get it"

[teenagebambam]

I'm speaking specifically of my workplace - my academic unit is poised to make a GIANT leap forward in what and how we're able to produce, serve our students, and interact with the community....but there are MANY people here who just aren't willing to get on board, and are content to stay mired in the old patterns that haven't worked for the past twenty years, and WON'T work going forward. The driving force of change (full disclosure - he is my partner, so naturally I'm on board) is increasingly frustrated with the resistance to change, and rightly so. He can force change if he wants to, but of course wants to be as Democratic as possible.

I really feel like this is all part of the general "everyone-showing-their-true-colors" effect that's happening right now- any tips on maintaining one's OWN sanity in the meantime?

[ricochetastroman]

1. They "get it"

at their level of consciousness. Just keep on getting it, as you do. And the higher consciousness will lift up the others. They are simply afraid and unsure. Go forward with confidence and don't see "them" as "them" and my guess is that it will get easier. Good luck :hi:

[teenagebambam]

2. Thanks!

Immediately after posting this I saw your "get ready" thread....made me feel better about things....

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Divisiveness -- "them"

In speaking with a teabagger relative yesterday, who just couldn't understand the strong dislike (*cough*) of Palin, for example, I was able to clarify my emotions about things.

I realized that it's not about politics whatsoever. I'm usually able to be objective and detached about politics and politicians.

UNLESS they're divisive. That seems to be my issue. I can disagree with people, but when there is a divisive aspect to their message or approach, that's when I really get riled up and get emotional. Inclusion versus exclusion on a large scale.

It started with the Moral Majority crowd in the 80's and continues through today with the current crop of right-wingers.

Yet I get riled up with those on the left who are divisive, too.

I honestly never realized that's what is at play for me, until yesterday. It's anyone who preaches an "us versus them" mentality.

I get sucked into it...and do tend to see "them" as "them" :rofl:...but that's what I'm working on now, now not to get sucked into the us versus them approach to life.

Not easy. ;)

:hug: to you, Rick. Thanks for the positivity and inspiration. :applause:

:grouphug:

[MorningGlow]

4. Wow, that just hit me HARD

Thanks for this insight, OGR--I never realized why politics has bothered me so much this past decade, especially since I was always apolitical before the Bush regime. You're right--it's not the politics. It's the us vs. them--and, for me (oh dear I'm going to bring up that naughty verboten word "indigo" :P) it's also a negative reaction to injustice, thickheadedness, and general bullying by the rightwingers. I don't like that one bit.

[Cleita]

5. Actually, it was Bush who poisoned the well with his "you are with us or

against us" meme. The "uniter" was the most divisive President in our history. Even Nixon and Reagan didn't rise to that. Before that toxic administration you could have friendly differences with people, political or otherwise, without starting a war. You could also bring someone over to your side with information and logic. You can't do that anymore because the mind of those people, like the Tea Party crowd, is closed shut, just because.

[get the red out]

6. Agree 100%

After 911 everything changed over-night. Instead of political discussions you got political wars. I think back on my childhood and the way people disagreed was nothing like this. We are basically trained by society now to hate the "other".

The idea of "tradition" has also run us off a rail in numerous ways. It is an excuse to not accept change and to fear something new. It is just clinging to old things, but people will just about go to war for it.

[MorningGlow]

7. For the seeds of this, we can go back a little farther

with the behavior of the MSM toward Clinton and the Lewinsky nonsense. The repubs were bound and determined to not only take down Clinton but also to diminish the role of Democrats for as long as humanly possible. The only trouble was they didn't offer the public anything better in place of the Democrats. As we've seen, greed and selfishness can only take you so far. The American public is, by and large, pretty stupid, but not THAT stupid.

[Kind of Blue]

8. Absolutely. I remember once upon a time

in the '90s voting consistently for Rep. Connie Morella in Maryland - the only republican ever and I think an outstanding one (I guess these days she'd be known as Rhino). She knew her constituents and delivered. I didn't even know that she WAS a republican until 2002 with the Divider in office and party line became incredibly distinct. How I miss those blissful when it was about who actually represented your interests and it was a little more fluid.

[OneGrassRoot]

9. +1000 to everything you guys said :)

:grouphug:

:hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. About all I have in my life are people who don't get it.

"Klowns dress up as cops, and threaten to call my folks...this world is full of Klowns...who don't get my jokes." -Too Much Joy