Tuesday, December 5, 2023

What Do You Mean, No Common Ground?

The chat rooms are all afluster about Liz Cheney appearing on Rachel Maddow last night. The two politically are polar opposites on practically everything, so (the alleged reasoning goes) how could they possibly sit down together amicably and discuss anything? The fact is, they did.

Did you meet with extended family and/or friends over Thanksgiving? If so, was your polar opposite there, freely tossing out opinions all over the place that made you wish it wouldn't be totally rude to get up and wrap your dinner napkin around their mouth for an hour or two? You think you have no common ground?

There are things we all agree on. How about our need to breathe air? Anybody care to argue that one? No?

Let's find more. How about gravity? Hating potholes deep enough to break your car axle? Thinking puppies and babies are cute, especially if you're not the one stuck with caring for them 24/7? Liking a spectacular sunset? Liking a comfortable bed even if your definitions of exactly what that means are different? Hating being sick? 

I could go on and on. You know I can. I usually do. But let's recognize that some things about humans are universal. It won't be politics, or religion, or sports teams, or condiment choices. So start a conversation and find out what those things we can agree on are.

No comments: