Who said life was supposed to be Easy?

We keep hearing about polarization of politics these days.

Some blame the media.

Some blame politicians for fanning the fires of our differences. Looking south of the border we see Barack Obama storming out of budget discussions, frustrated with the refusal of the Republicans to agree to a permanent increase in the debt ceiling.. and Republicans frustrated with the Democrats refusal to remove tax increases from the discussion of how to bring down the deficit.

Are we just getting more unreasonable?

Are we just a hop, skip and a jump from Al Quaeda ourselves?

Why do you think there is this angst, this, anger over the refusal of the "other" guys to see things our way?

Well.

I'll give you a few of my thoughts.

Firstly, lets blame the media. They have learned, long ago, that subtlety doesn't sell. The general public lacks either the attention span, the intelligence, or perhaps, both - to spend the time to fully consider two sides of a problem - so better to serve them up one - and make it clear, black and white. No gray.

We don't want Walter Cronkite, we want Nancy Grace.

Secondly, lets blame politicians. They have learned, long ago, that subtlety doesn't sell. The general public lacks either the attention span, the intelligence, or perhaps both - to appreciate an elected representative who doesn't "rally the troops" by feeding them simplistic political rhetoric.

"More jails".

"More daycare".

"Global warming"

This blog itself, I have noticed, has a significantly spiked readership when I am particularly angry and, well, polarized in my view on an issue.

When I'm more subtle, well, readership drops.

I anticipate readership of this post will not be significant either.

Maybe that's good. Maybe my ramblings are at their best when they are read by the fewest. Maybe political discussion and debate shouldn't be dealt with by "selling" ideas like they are Coke or Pepsi.

The problems we deal with in this world are not simple. Pure capitalism or pure socialism, we have seen, doesn't work. For anyone.

We have seen how the theory of "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" is a stupid concept. Most of us, except for the most simple minded, accept that Karl Marx was, indeed, an idiot. That the "socialist" ideal robs us of freedom, and worse, it robs us of risk. Which takes away drive and initiative and, well, the ability to struggle and dream.

But Marx isn't the only idiot paving the way for current world stupidity. Because pure capitalism doesn't work either. A pure free market creates nightmares akin to the Wall Street meltdown. Without some regulation of the workplace, the rich will be able to exploit the poor and, to the disadvantage of all, an impoverished middle-class will, quite obviously, stop buying cars and televisions and Ipods and so forth.

And Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and their ilk, will soon be not nearly so wealthy, and innovation will stagnate (as what is the incentive to create the next Iphone if you're only going to sell them to a thousand people instead of a billion?)

Now.

Before I'm done casting blame.

Let's blame the rest of us.

We are the ones who turn the channel from the rather boring, but enlightening discussions on public television, in favor of getting our political guidance from Bill O'Reilly, or Rachel Maddow.

We are the ones who consider people like Jon  Stewart and Bill Maher "great thinkers".
We are the ones who vote for "more jails" or "global warming initiatives" without ever pausing to actually examine the factual under-pinnings of what we're being sold.

So.

Those of you who have made it this far - thank-you.

Those of you who passed this post by, hopining for an attack on Bob Rae or Barack Obama, well, sorry that I didn't feed you your dailing dose of "easy".

No answers today.  Just some stuff to think about.

And as for the tomorrow?

I'm going golfing. If you want some political discussion with yours truly, you can find me at the Great Northern Bar in Whitefish, Montana.

I'll give you all my thoughts for the price of a shot of Jack Daniels..  of course by the time you find me, my "thoughts" might be even less coherent jibberish than today.

But that's life.

You pays your dime and takes the ride.  But no one says it will be easy.