Ideology...

I did something tonight that anyone that knows me would find shocking...

I went with a friend to see a political documentary, Death of A Nation.

A film that, to be honest, doesn't quite fall within my sphere of beliefs.  Which by the way happen to lie somewhere in the middle.

But...

I'm a strong believer that what we have in common is far greater than what divides.  So as I sat quietly and attentively watching the screen I suspended any pangs of my own ideological leanings in hopes of finding that common ground.

Thing is, strong ideologies tend to dismiss such hopes and this movie ultimately left me feeling like I was watching less documentary and more propaganda piece.

...and I was disappointed.

I was hoping to find that common ground, see an intelligent presentation of an alternative view not colored by extremist ideologies and conspiracy theory.  

That's not what I got.  Instead it was little more than red meat for a political base.  That it was seen in any other light by otherwise well meaning, intelligent people was discouraging. 

I was hoping the overwhelmingly negative reviews that used words like "laughable" and "preaching to the mentally unsound" were unfairly leveled.  

Hard to rebuke such barbs when the core message of the film was that Democrats were aligned with the like of Hitler, Mussolini and ultimately Satan while Republicans walked in the glow of the almighty.  

Not exactly a call to unity...

So at the end when my friend asked what I thought my only response was...

"Interesting"  

Let me be fair here.  If such a presentation had the opposite political bend I'd be just as disappointed.  

I have a real problem with extreme ideology and a strong believer that truth lies somewhere near if not at the middle.

My friend went on to emphasize her belief in the  "truths" portrayed in the film.  My response...

"Truth is malleable"

"I'm sorry you feel that way,"  said she...

I was sorry she didn't understand what it was I was actually saying.  In case you're wondering what that is it's simply this.  I feel that such a work, regardless of its political bend, is less interested in truth than an agenda.

We all have our own agendas even if we don't acknowledge them.  But agendas are inherently selfish things. Existing often for no other purpose than to manipulate others to get our own way even at their expense if necessary.

In the end I kept my opinions neutral.  I'm not interested in throwing away a relationship over one aspect of someone's personality.

Nor do I evaluate the value of a relationship by such a narrow aspect as politics.  

...but many do.

So here we are.  

Embracing ideologies with no more value than dust in the wind.  

Embrace the wind and you're touched by nothing.