Skepticism and Hope: Encouraged by the Latest Negative Polls – by Jesse Wolf Hardin
Skepticism and Hope
A Reason To Feel Encouraged by the Latest Negative Polls
by Jesse Wolf Hardin
As someone who has witnessed again and again the miracles of nature and potential for extraordinary human feats, I am not inclined to be a skeptic. I do, however, like to expose harmful illusions and challenge manipulative lies. And in the face of a climate of increasing unquestioning acceptance, adherence and obedience, I’ve actually come to find reasons for hope in periodic eruptions of skepticism among the general population.
For example, I periodically read various accredited national polls, in an attempt to gauge the mood and test the knowledge my fellow citizens. It can be unsettling, realizing how little most voters know about the issues they help decide, or about the legislation their elected officials sign into law. I am most alarmed, however, not when there is great fractiousness and diverse opinion, but when a uninformed consensus forms in blind allegiance to dated illusions, or else in knee-jerk reaction to unexpected situations. Any President getting an 85% approval rating exposes a degree of self serving delusion that bodes poorly for any nation. And we need to beware any constituency we ever see lock-stepped in near 100% agreement.
It is encouraging to me, on the other hand, whenever both doubts and expectations are reported on the rise, and the poll numbers again indicate a taste of reality if not genuine sober reflection… that it’s just possible we may may as a nation not be as easily fooled as the bulk of evidence would seem to indicate. I actually found this week’s reported low appraisals reassuring in a twisted sort of way, with folks starting to act like auction goers who too recently thought they’d bought themselves a priceless antique and then finally discovered it was a fake. People surveyed gave the floundering Republican party a dismal 26% approval rating, while the bankrupting, over-legislating Democrats did only a little better at 39%. Both earned a failing grade, it should be pointed out, by the standards of even the least demanding school board.
And this at least temporary holding-to-task didn’t end with elected leaders. In an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released a few days later, I was relieved to see that a mere 17% of us trust the health insurance companies. Only 65% of us reported that they could trust our government to do the right thing even “some of the time,” while 11% reported “never!” Only 39% have any confidence in the Supreme Court of the land, 24% in the Federal Reserve and 19% in the U.S. Treasury. The ignoble winner turns out to be the U.S. Congress, with only 15% of respondents trusting their Senators and Congressmen as far as they can throw them.
Not to be outdone, I have conducted a little poll myself, drawn not from anything like a fair cross section of the population but from the thoughtful, heartful, sensitive, radical, passionate, self motivated, questioning, un-bought, tree hugging, adventure taking, home schooling, medicine making, chicken feeding, wild foods gathering, cage rattling, garden tilling, song singing types with whom I have the privilege of mainly dealing with. I’m pleased to report that only a very few believe in the lies handed out by the powers-that-be or the lap-dog media, and that the 3 or 4% who do, do so not out of obedience but a deep need to imagine the best in everything and everybody. The folks I know consistently rate the dominant cultural paradigm low, with no gold stars for either low morality wars or half fought efforts. Less than 5% trust what they read in the papers, the slant that school textbooks put on world events, or the purity and sanctity of a majority of official religious leaders. And it can be said that only the same incredibly low number have any confidence at all in lawyers or legislators, recent vehicle quality or modern product warranties, advertising claims or flu vaccines, carbon credit programs or weight loss plans, in government action on global warming, tax fairness or hair restoration.
Likewise, a high percentage of these confidants value the very things that modernist techno-culture obscures and the powers-that-be threaten. As with all polls, the replies would depend on how I phrased the question, but even at that, the folks I know are special and a good portion of them would be certain to come out in support of personal liberties and individual responsibility, at a cost to so called “security.” Of privacy, as well as the right to express ourselves, and of justice for all just as the Constitution says. Of the sanctity of home and family, the importance of regional governance, the vital nature of community, and the protection of nature. Of not just less pavement but more trees, breathable air, drinkable water, habitat for more than simply the human species. Support of more natural health care, and healthier-lived lives. Of the old ways and land based traditions, and a lifestyle more conducive to our own truths. Of more truly precious time with our loved ones, and for a world with both more truth, more courage, and more love. Of those challenges that inform us. Of the struggles that strengthen. And support of any opportunities to distinguish ourselves, tend who and what we most care about, to serve a larger purpose or calling, or to simply savor the awakened moment.
It remains a positive thing, nonetheless, that there will always be a small percentage among my students, friends and readers who insistently think and do the opposite, who buck even what I know in the very marrow of my bones to be right and healthful… who through either rampant optimism, deep generosity, fool hardy acceptance or simple downright obstinacy ensure that I – unlike various corporations and despots, gurus and dogmatists – will never have to suffer from the uniformity and ignobility of unthinking agreement.
(to learn of the ways and practices of Animá, consider an engaging online 8 Week Course, possibly beginning with Orientation, Principles & Pitfalls: www.animacenter.org)
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Categories: Advocacy & Activism, Practicing Animá Lifeways
Amanda
This is great! And I wonder if you are seeing an increase of folks seeking out a different kind of way of thinking and being, who haven’t maybe been chronically resistant, as I’ve been seeing, and in particular, within my own family. Certain members in particular, who used to scoff at my “crazy, hippie” ways, and who’ve recently apologized for said scoffing and even gone so far as to give me kudos for them! And, the recent release of Earth defender Jeffrey Luers, who had been called an Eco-terrorist at the time, and was re-labeled at his re-sentencing, a “veteran of an ugly campaign”. I have never and will never have any faith in a two party system, but I find a great deal of hope and optimism in these things.