It’s time to embrace the notion that people are not their party, just like your favorite pair of jeans are not the department store where you bought them. Sure, you might have a preferred brand, but it doesn’t define who you are. Political parties originated as platforms for ideas, but have devolved into machines of division and, let’s face it, a touch of entertaining chaos.
But our allegiance to our sides strains friendships, divides families, and causes dating profiles to be scrutinized for any hint of political leanings. We need to remember that we are complex, diverse creatures, not political party robots programmed to spew rhetoric on command.
Now, let’s address the elephant (or donkey) in the room: changing our minds. It’s not a crime. In fact, it’s a sign of growth, evolution, and a willingness to reconsider our perspectives. Changing your mind doesn’t mean you’re betraying your party; it means you’re engaging in critical thinking – a rare species in the political jungle.
Enter the added intoxicant, social media. In this digital landscape, the lines between personal identity and political allegiance blur faster than a disappearing Snapchat message. Suddenly your profile picture isn’t just a photo; it’s a political statement, a declaration of loyalty to the red or blue tribe.
In this brave new world, changing your mind isn’t just an act of intellectual growth; it’s a public admission of defeat in the eyes of your online comrades. Social media has become the jury, judge and executioner of individuality, holding people hostage to their past posts and tweets, and looping them into a circular reality fed by the algorithms that keep us surrounded by more of the same, and separating us from each other.
Imagine if we treated changing our minds the way we treat trying a new ice cream flavor. “I used to be a Rocky Road enthusiast, but then I tried a little Mint Chocolate Chip, and I think they might be onto something!” No one accuses you of abandoning your ice cream loyalty.
In the wacky world of politics, where hashtags wage wars on social media battlegrounds, it’s easy to forget that behind every campaign slogan, there’s a human being trying to navigate the maze of democracy. They need our allegiance to survive. But we don’t. We are not Republicans or Democrats. We are all just people who vote.
Vote your conscience. Not out of fear of the “other” or loyalty to a brand. Just choose people who you’ve informed yourself about and who hold similar values. Also go with your gut. People are people. Do you like that person? Would you be friends if you were neighbors?