My girlfriend, some friends and I traveled this weekend to
The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, where we saw an amazing exhibit by outsider artist
Henry Darger. There, a thought returned to my mind that I have harbored for quite some time. A thought that, though basic on its face, remains unheeded by our friends on the right.
Here it is, in all of its simplicity:
Republicans need to get out more. There's nothing to fear about new experiences. There's nothing wrong with stepping outside of your comfort zone. There's nothing to lose by broadening your horizons. But there's so much to gain. And the sooner more people - especially Republicans - realize this, the better for all of us.
Earlier, when I attempted – as we liberals
love to do, of course – to offer therapy and understanding to the right, I
suggested that Republicans remained Republicans because they were either too stupid, too fearful or too spiteful to come to their senses. Specifically, they were too afraid to admit failure, that they had been sold a bill of goods and were ashamed to admit otherwise.
But it's more than that, really. What I missed then is what I'm saying now. It's not only about a fear to admit failure, but it's also about a fear of trying something new. A fear of change. A fear of departing from a rigid existence. This fear is rather insulating. It helps shroud people in a sense of the-way-things-ought-to-be. It gives them a comfort level able to combat an ever-changing world. It allows them to miss out on life experiences without feeling as though they've really missed out on anything at all.
But that fear, as we know, has some very negative side effects. It turns those gripped by it into a
nuisance to the rest of us. It causes them to think that Howard Stern, SpongeBob SquarePants and Janet Jackson's nipple are a threat to American democracy. It leads them to believe that the only thing standing between our society and armageddon is them. And, knowing that, if they don't assume the role of culture police, the world as they know it will soon come to an end.
Think of the climate this fear breeds. A philosophy bound to a world that no longer exists and that is incapable of change is one very hostile to the world in which we live. It breeds demonization of
homosexuals and other minority groups. It sparks
violence against those whose only crime is disagreeing with one's world view. It enables
rhetoric that
closely mirrors that of those extremists the fearful so tirelessly fight.
I also think the climate this fear has bred has led directly to the ascension of Bush-era conservatism. The people voted for a president who similarly held irrational fears, fears just like theirs. A president who, along with his party, work to erode the rights of those not exactly like them. Fearful of gays?
Keep them from marrying and adopting. Fearful of Mexicans?
Use them as a scapegoat for America's problems. Fearful of women?
Take away their right to choose. Fearful of sex?
Fine broadcasters millions while fining mine officials hundreds. Fearful of the truth?
Promote failed ideologies like intelligent design and abstinence-only sex education.All of this fear. And it's getting us nowhere. America, one could argue, has rarely seen a darker time. All because we've placed the reins of power in the hands of those afraid of their own shadow. There's a whole world out there that half of this country is simply too scared to experience. Think of the new experiences you've tried and how they broadened your horizons. A couple of years ago, you would have had to issue a warrant to get me to try new foods. These days, thanks to people like my girlfriend Casey, you'd have to pry me away from a good sushi bar. Or Middle Eastern restaurant. Or Thai spot. And there's so much culture people miss when they spend their entire lives glued in front of a television. Movies and theater that make you think. Music that challenges you. Art that provokes discussion. There's just so much out there to do, to experience. Isn't it a shame that many of us are not only unwilling to accept change, but also actively fight it?
What are they so afraid of?
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