I am binary and I must change.

The world is such a simple place, as simple as we make it that is.

Once we are able to apply a label to a person, place or thing - we have the ability to compartmentalize how we will approach the person, place or thing evermore.

Case in point, how many buzzwords can I throw out there for you in the next paragraph and how quickly or rather how crisp are the images these words bring to mind: liberal, conservative, fundamentalist, minority, republican, democrat, christian, muslim, terrorist, freedom fighter, peace keeper, working class, protester, pundit, administration - see, even as I was writing those words, it seemed that each and every one bought a very clear image into my minds’ eye.

And... that’s a problem.

Because, it’s been my experience the world we live in is nowhere near as simple as black or white, wherein every issue can be divided into two clear areas of (dis) agreement. Here’s the rub though, I find I have a natural tendency as I get older to gravitate towards the ease of breaking down each and every ideological dilemma I run across into a very clear and distinct binary mode of thinking: black or white, good or bad, right or wrong. It’s never as simple as that though and I have to take a step back and remind myself of the very fact all the time.

The reason I broach the subject is I find an increasing amount of rhetoric broken down into these terms. It’s bad math. It‘s the math of a static society and I think it is a very important thing for all of us in this country to be aware of it and to try and resist its pull. The point I’m trying to get at is in a democracy, it’s healthy to disagree. Plurality is supposed to be one of the strengths of democracies and I believe we are well along the way to forgetting that.

So, I am going to try and make a promise and stick to it. The next time I am ready to apply a label to someone, ready to paste one of those buzzwords prominently across them and their argument, I will take a step back and try to look at the issue from their point of view. I know I will more than likely screw up a majority of the time but, I won’t ever change unless I make the attempt. My small effort probably won’t have the grand sweeping effect I would like but, I figure you’ve got to start somewhere and maybe if you’re reading this you’ll be willing to give it a shot too.