Either-Or Thinking Is Killing Us

One of the characteristics of election cycles, such as we are in, is the abundance of either-or thinking. Either-or thinking is simplistic thinking. It attempts to reduce complex issues into either-or, black-or-white, right-or-wrong propositions. Sadly, life and the issues it raises are not that simple. 

(Full disclosure: this blog was prompted by a post that identified where each political party stood on a variety of hot-button issues. The post was inaccurate, in my opinion, designed to inflame angry reactions that would sway the reader to support the position of the person who posted the information. It successfully stirred a reaction in me - by its inaccuracy.) 

It seems to me, simplistic, either-or thinking does not help us. It seems to me to contribute to the problem rather than helping us resolve it. 

Simplistic, either-or propositions create emotional reactions. It seems to me they are designed for that purpose: to create an emotional reaction. They traffic in fear. The reactions they elicit are fear-based reactions. Fear of the other. Fear of differences. Fear of what will happen if the other position prevails. (Did you notice how both political conventions appealed to this particular fear?) Fear of change. Fear of anything that challenges my truth. Fear of the loss of my sense of being right and the standing I enjoy in it. Simplistic, either-or thinking traffics in fear in an effort to gain support for a particular party and to defeat the opposing party. 

In appealing to fear, either-or propositions short-circuit thinking, particularly mature thinking guided by principled truth. It seems to me the complexity of every issue calls for mature thinking, not fear-driven, emotional reactivity. 

Simplistic, either-or propositions polarize, creating an us-them mentality. They create an environment poisoned with "I'm right ... you're wrong" attitudes. They create a win-lose environment that discounts the other, devalues the other's experience, and dismisses the other's perspective. They are designed to promote a reality shaped by my way of thinking. They are an attempt to impose my will and my way on others. They pit us against one another, preventing us from working with one another. They are a obstacle to honest dialogue in the pursuit of mutual understanding and "the common good." They are a barrier to the broader, more encompassing perspective that diverse thought makes possible. 

It seems to me that those who promote simplistic, either-or thinking often come across as arrogant. They go beyond stating a position. They declare "I'm right!" But they don't stop there. They go the next step of discounting what the other thinks and demeaning them for thinking it: "You're wrong! I can't believe you could believe that. How stupid can you be! You're an idiot for not thinking like me." They, of course, do not recognize the arrogance in what they say, exhibiting little or no self-awareness. This arrogance reflects the fear behind their position. It reflects their need to protect their truth and the world as they view it. (My professor would say, "if your truth can be destroyed, it needs to be.") It blocks their ability to hear the other's perspective. It stifles any sense of empathy or compassion for the other. It keeps them stuck in a narrow way of thinking. 

Pick any issue: abortion, racism, white privilege, Black Lives Matter, police brutality, support of the police, law and order,  protests, respect for our national history (statues of Confederate heroes), respect for our military (symbolized in respect for the flag), personal liberties, the second amendment right to bear arms, wearing of masks during a pandemic, Nationalism and American exceptionalism, a capitalistic economy that demands that each person stand on their own two feet, welfare, health care, education, the sanctity of marriage and traditional Christian values/morals, LGBTQ+ issues, the place of prayer in schools, Christian religious symbols on government property. The list goes on and on. 

In our current national environment, each of these issues is generally presented as an either-or issue. Such simplistic thinking ignores the many layers involved in the issue. It demands a right-and-wrong response. It creates a win-lose proposition. It drives wedges between us. It demonizes the other and discounts their perspective and life experience. It pits us against one another. It denies the gifts of diversity. It robs us of our strength. It weakens us as a nation. It leads us to misplace our energies and our focus. It leaves the underlying (real) issues unaddressed and unresolved. 

It seems to me, simplistic, either-or thinking is killing us as a nation.