The bad news? Cultural caricatures have become so pervasive that not only politicians but real people have, of late, been living down to destructively low expectations.
The good news? The persona of polarized rhetoric is getting an enforced ego-check. This thanks not to media manipulated by PAC supported-bully behaviors, but by real people rejecting the manipulation of their own middle-class identities.
How so? As real people engage their personal ideals in groups like DynamicShift with energetic intention, they’re finding their power.
The evidence? Powerful press and pundits are amplifying such “real-people’s” choruses.
Their message? “Middle-class citizens we depend on you—and not only for our paychecks—we are citizens too. Give us something constructive to cover!”
Some proof:
From Tom Friedman in his New York Times column A Tea Party Without Nuts.
Friedman calls for a “radical center,” in his personal plea for a nonpartisan grassroots movement to promote innovative political reforms that “will empower independents and centrists, which describes a lot of the country” to fix a broken political system.
“My definition of broken is simple,” Freidman explains. “It is a system in which Republicans will be voted out for doing the right thing (raising taxes when needed) and Democrats will be voted out for doing the right thing (cutting services when needed).”
Better known for covering energy and education concerns, Friedman is changing his editorial tune. And calls out all unproductive complainers—regardless party, profession or position in society: “to be empowered, centrists can’t just whine.”
His point? We, the real people, need to get moving on the change we want.
Friedman might be interested to hear that early indicators of nonpartisan collaboration by real people working in person with one another can change long-held biases’ for everyone’s gain are beginning to emerge.
Consider these examples from Burnsville, Minnesota:
• Gruff Fox-watching retirees in the local cigar shop offer support to the young female owner of the coffee shop next store where lattes and organic food is standard fare.
• Local artists coming out of their creative shells to explain their work with suburban leaders previously more interested strip-mall tax revenues than visionary artistic expressions.
• Neighbors of diverse ages, backgrounds and beliefs lingering over curbside conversations during an unseasonably mild March, overlooking deep political differences to catch up over shared concern for each other—and their community.
When more people like these get moving The New York Times and Fox News will come running to cover them. Commentators like Friedman might even publish a thank you for giving them something constructive to cover.
The Media Moral? Real people have real power to recreate cultural messages by cooperatively engaging personal passions for real culture change.
Andrea Morisette Grazzini is the founder and co-leader of DynamicShift.
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