Avoiding Polarization

We live in a polarized age.  I tried to take advantage of that with my most recent novel, Schism.  That said, I still try to keep my own personal politics close to the chest.  People want me to write good stories with compelling characters, not give my opinion on police brutality or Donald Trump.

But it’s getting more challenging to stay non-political.  Not because I would go out and write a bunch of essays on race relations or talk about marginal tax rates, but because so many others are not only talking about politics, but expecting others to talk about it(and hold the same view they do).  I was on an author’s site recently, an author I admire, and his post was about seizing the moment in writing.  Find an opportunity and take it through to a good story.  Had that been all, I’d have had no problem, but he ventured off into political territory talking about how to seize this moment to change the world(of course, in the way he thinks it should be changed).  Most of what he said politically, I was diametrically opposed to.  I managed to provide a comment on his writing advice while avoiding politics, but it was hard.

I have several authors on my blogroll who will get political, and they’re from both ends of the spectrum.  It gets tiresome to hear about how everything is political.  We get politics every day now from the news, TV shows, books, movies, and even our damned sporting events.  Is it too much to ask that we have at least one area where we don’t have to find ourselves in political conflict with someone?  Can’t we just say, “I’m tired of the rancor and just want to veg out on a good story.”?

There is nothing more polarizing today than the current political climate.  I’ve seen friendships of decades ruined over whether one likes or dislikes President Trump, whether one supports or doesn’t support the Black Lives Matter movement, or what one’s position is on the nature of the transgender movement.  Think about it for a second – how would your perception of me change if I held a different view from you on any of these topics?  Most folks think that no one of rational mind and good character can possibly disagree on their position, so it becomes a dividing line.  Well, I’m not interested in a dividing line – I want everyone to buy and enjoy my stories.  But I’m also as human as the next person(I think), and I have strong opinions, so when I see someone say or write something I disagree with, my inclination is to get involved.  While it may make me feel better in the moment, it will alienate someone over the long term.

I want to stay even keel, but it’s getting harder.  I wonder how long before everything comes rushing out?