"Hating Tucker Carlson" Redux

Wokesters and MAGAs

Readers may recall the video posted here recently with Glenn Greenwald interviewing Tucker Carlson. Among a number of responses, one came privately and I found myself giving a somewhat detailed reply … shared here just below. For those who may have missed the video, it’s also posted below the text of my reply. For your interest:

”Thanks for your comment. First let me agree with you that I find a great deal of what I'm hearing to be repulsive and nauseating. I saw recently that the deranged and unhinged Alex Jones has been allowed back on Twitter/X, even though Musk had previously said he would not do so. Perhaps the crash in X's value influenced his reassessment. As hard as it is to believe, Jones has a large coterie of followers. Of all motivators, money seems to be one of the deepest and most persistent. I always think of the traditional "Three Poisons" posited by Buddhism: greed, anger, and ignorance. We are plagued with all three.

I share your outrage about some of the things we are hearing. But I wouldn't agree at all if you were to suggest that it comes just from the Right.  It's my firm belief that both poles of the political spectrum are perps.

Permit me to make one more observation. The following isn't meant to be preachy. It's more a matter of thinking out loud with someone I respect and admire.

People are complex ... neither simple nor black and white. All of us. I'm not at all making a claim that Carlson has changed, although Greenwald thinks he is
in-process. I'll let time reveal the trajectory of any evolution on his part. But if Glenn is right, isn't that a cause for joy ? I'll take 10% change over nothing.

Right or wrong, evil or good ... I believe just as I said that social change cannot happen unless all sides begin to understand that they share more issues and interests in common than in difference with each other. Economic well-being, freedom of speech and assembly, 4th and 5th Amendment legal rights, education, the orderly conduct of society, religious freedom (or freedom from religion if you prefer), peace, a clean and healthy environment ... to mention only a few. I find that EVEN when talking to MAGAs, I can almost always find at least some areas of mutual interest; often many. One MAJOR such issue is the concentration of power in the plutocracy. ALL SIDES agree that this is a clear and accelerating danger.

If we prefer to see the system collapse ... and I concede it appears inevitable .... then all we need to do is "hunker in our bunker," continue to feed the division, disparage and vilify those with whom we degree or fail to understand. Our children and grandchildren will deal with the consequences.

If we want peace and security for the land ...and a good quality of life for our children and grandchildren … then it seems to me that we must learn how to reach across the gap and try to understand the motivations of our citizen-adversaries. And when we do agree on a policy -- even if it is for different reasons -- we need to learn how to collaborate to advance mutual interests. More important even than understanding, however, is the need to IDENTIFY with their concerns and fears. In my personal experience, we share at least three quarters of the same concerns. Empathy and deportment are the glue of society. No glue; things fall apart.

That's why I take a little encouragement -- however small and tenuous -- from Glenn and Tucker's exchange. I think they both did a good job, especially Glenn. This kind of interchange is an art. For my own part, it has been a long and ongoing struggle to acquire, insofar as I have, the skill-set.

Naturally I have no expectation of universal agreement. Neither do I believe even for an instant that my own views are indisputable. That's why comments are always welcome.
Stay well.

Ken”