First Thoughts……

Citizenship

Holy dysfunction! Trapped in another 2-year electoral process that probably should be four months and a small fraction of the cost.

And while constructive dialogue and discussion of competing priorities should be the core content, invective and fake news are the order of the day. Social media has led too many of us into a personal space (our own rabbit hole) that promises only to echo familiar and comfortable themes. Fact-checking, careful analysis, focus on reliable source materials - all of these disciplines readily abandoned.

My plan - a weekly commentary not on the election, but on the meaning of citizenship. How easily we ignore the responsibilities that come with our rights. Not so surprisingly, candidates are mostly not making this connection. Even more distressing, we mostly ignore this connection too.

My weekly comments are not meant to be scholarly or theoretical - more Tom Payne that John Locke. I hope you find them practical, direct, and not a bit subservient to the powers that be.

We’ll mention only in passing some of the obvious responsibilities of citizenship - serving on juries and in the military, and obeying the law (but not always). All important but hardly controversial. And except for those serving in the military, not a big lift.

I am more interested and concerned with our responsibilities to the “community”, small and large.

It strikes me that our notion of and expectations for local communities have almost disappeared. To the extent that we feel obliged to a community, it focuses on people with common interests, belief and biases…what we can keep out at the top of our list. The essential “right” to value our personal interests - what’s good for me (and maybe, my family) - over all else seems intuitive and maybe even virtuous.

The larger our community (state - country - world), the weaker our sense of common purpose and obligation. Happy, or not, to be caught up in the swirl. And no real responsibility to balance personal and community interest. Nor a commitment of our time, talents and personal resources to incorporate a thoughtful and nuanced view of the public good in our choices.

Of course, there are some easy targets - a favorite example, big businesses that revel in their “deserved” market and pricing power, and do their best to own the electoral process. Happy with no change. Comfy with their elected officials.

But we have met the real enemy, and they are us. Where are the big issues in our thoughts and actions? Why don’t we insist that these issues are the focus of our elections? The unaffordable costs of housing, healthcare and higher education make our children’s world far less attractive. The effects of global warming and our national debt promise a heavy burden on our grandchildren. What should we do? Do we have the courage to commit? Oh, my personal rabbit hole is so much more comfortable. Force fed and content.

From now to Election Day, some regular thinking (and maybe even a bit of practice) on how to be a better citizen, and to restore our will to seek the common good.