A Guide to Basic Human Decency - Pt. 2

Hi, this is the filthy American here again! I'm expanding past the dead people's side of respect and talking about people just treating each other well. This is not just gonna be US politics, this is not limited to my political opponents. This post will be my opinion on what SHOULD be the way we handle differing opinions, opposing parties, and ideologies, and what is appropriate. This is not what is legal, or typical standards of behaviour. This is what I think SHOULD be normal and/or expected within politics, and also with just daily life.

My Struggles with ADHD and Work

As you may or may not know, I have ADHD. This causes me a range of troubles from social issues to basic executive function. One thing I've particularly struggled with is working. I lack the intuition to know what is expected of me. If I don't have clear and precise targets and find a way to keep myself accountable, I will fall short of what is expected. My longest job has been 2 years with many much shorter than that. But on some level, I pride myself on being a good employee. Sure I fall into traps others wouldn't fall into, I get complacent when I find a groove, and I suck at knowing how to speak with management. 

However, also I'm always polite. I never cuss, never pick fights. I don't drink or smoke. I am completely professional and cause no issues with drama or harassment or any kind of HR issue. I know the basic level of professionalism expected of me and I have no issue sticking to it. It's not much, but I'm professional and a hard worker. I miss some of the finer points and end up messing something up, but apparently, I've at least got an up on US SENATORS! 

American Politics, At Its Best...

Back in November of 2021, a strange news story broke in American politics. Half the country was horrified, half the country was cheering, all of the anime fans cringed. Paul Gosar released a video, themed to the opening intro of Attack on Titans, depicting his face on a main character swinging and slicing into a titan shown as a senator from the other side of the aisle. In the end, we saw him swinging with swords out toward a titan version of President Biden. We could talk about the fact that tax dollars were spent for this man to have his assistants photoshop his head into an anime theme for a childish and petty video. We could talk about the responsibility he has to use his position and the tax dollars used for his position wisely. But that video hits something deeper. He spent hours, let alone tax dollars, depicting himself murdering a political opponent and literally attempting to assassinate the sitting president! 

Now we've all gotten frustrated and had bad thoughts, and joked in our heads about killing someone who was being an A-hole to us. But he didn't just have a glancing thought. He took that thought, developed it, paid someone, and made a video of that thought, then released that video to the public! That's no longer an intrusive thought, that is a death threat, plain and simple. If I made a video depicting me killing my coworker and posted it online for my boss to see, I'd expect to be fired in handcuffs! And yet, this man still holds a seat representing Arizona.

For many of the reasons I will talk about in this blog, I despise a lot of politics. I've always told my family if I suddenly get into politics, just go ahead and slap me! I still don't have the kind of fortitude for political life, but I saw a video by Beau of the Fifth Column talking about something some politician was doing or saying. I can't remember what the topic was but it was someone spouting pure nonsense as if it was fact. He looked me in the eyes thru the camera and said something similar to the following.

If you want to change the world but you don't think you can be a politician, or be in a position of power, I want you to ask yourself, can you do better than them? If so, maybe rethink whether you could be in politics, could use that power,  and use it for good. If you're watching this video, I bet you'd be better than them.

Closing Thoughts

It was a weird realisation. I, the man who can barely hold a job, and barely function through normal life challenges, I could be a better politician than those currently in power. The bar of basic human decency had been lowered so much that someone with a basic sense of morals and a high school understanding of civics was now a better candidate to represent the people of this country. We shouldn't put our politicians on pedestals and assume the best of them. 

But at the same time, can we at least expect some basic knowledge of the government? Can I expect the people running our country to act as decent and professional as any person who wants to keep their job must do? If I was so unknowing of my own job, or if I showed a video of me pretending to kill my coworker, I would fully expect to get fired! Why are we letting the bar sink so low among the people we entrust to represent us, and make decisions that decide every aspect of our lives? In the first decency post, I argued that regardless of someone's actions, it is on us to be better and to maintain respect. That isn't just for the common folk, the working class. While we need to be respectful of those with different actions and ideologies, we still need to hold those in power to a basic standard of human decency. If we expect these people to represent humanity, is it so much to ask that they show a little humanity themselves?

With love and insanity equally,

J.M.