It seems to me that many of us have forgotten how to think. In this time of polarization, it seems we are doing more reacting than thinking. Think with me for a moment.
Thinking engages the mind. Reacting bypasses the mind. Thinking is intentional and disciplined. Reacting is automatic and unconscious, an expression of unrecognized anxiety rooted in archaic fear. Thinking uses the intellect, logic, and reason to pursue truth and to gain a clearer grasp of reality. Reacting defends "my truth" as though it were the only reality - and if not the only reality, the only reality that matters. It is unable to recognize, much less understand or respect, the reality of others. Thus, it discounts and debunks any reality but its own. Thinking is a dimension of emotional maturity. Reacting indicates emotional immaturity. Thinking leads to fuller understanding and, thereby, to growth that leads to even greater maturity. Reacting is a survival mechanism. It is an attempt to protect my ego and the view of reality that I have constructed to prop up my ego. Reacting is the indication of a sense of identity that is tied to a constructed persona. Such an identity is fragile. It is threatened by anything that is different from "my reality." That which is different from my reality suggests I might be wrong. It threatens to expose the weak, disowned side of the persona I have created (my shadow). Consequently, I fear diversity. Everything has to conform to what I believe. This kind of emotional reactivity blocks my ability to learn or change or grow. It keeps me stuck in emotional immaturity.
The kind of polarization we are experiencing in our country and in The UMC today is driven by fear. This polarization and the fear that produces it make it difficult to think. They elicit reactivity, not thoughtfulness.
Most of us believe we do think clearly. After all, we can give arguments that support our position and that debunk anything that contradicts it. We believe we are thinking clearly when, in reality, we are simply reacting emotionally. We cannot recognize our own reactivity. We are blind to it.
How do we know when we are reacting rather than thinking?
Reacting is always tied to triggers. It's the proverbial "who pushed your button?" or "who pulled your string?" In the current polarization, the triggers of the self-identified conservatives are abortion (the hot button of evangelicals), Black Lives Matter, rioting and looting or any kind of protest, Defund the Police, disrespect of the flag, rewriting our history, anything that questions the greatness of our nation, immigrants, taking away our guns and 2nd Amendment rights, socialism, increasing our taxes, and anything associated with the DemoBats. The triggers for the self-identified liberals are "Trump," MAGA, police brutality, talk of "law and order," efforts to overturn Roe vs Wade, global warming, handling of the COVID pandemic, children in cages, and stacking the Supreme Court. These triggers elicit automatic, knee-jerk reactions full of anger and unrecognized fear.
Aside: Notice how many political advertisements play on these triggers and fears. They are attempts to get you to vote "for" by voting against the thing you fear. They appeal to our fear-based nature rather than our best thinking, to our most base nature rather than our best selves.
How do we know when we are reacting rather than thinking? Reacting is expressed in attacks that ridicule, discount, and demean anything that does not align with my thinking. It is expressed in bubble-listening - only listening to those who express what I already believe and who attack those who disagree. It is expressed in canned arguments that justify my position.
How do we know when we are reacting rather than thinking? Reacting is expressed in either-or, black-and-white thinking. It ignores the nuances that are inherent in any issue, treating them with a "my way or the wrong way" attitude. It refuses to engage in genuine dialogue that explores the issue from multiple perspectives.
This kind of reactivity solidifies the polarization. It is the way of self-destruction.
In the face of polarization and the fear that fuels it, we have to work at not reacting. We have to work at thinking clearly.
To do so calls for self-awareness and self-control. It calls for humility that recognizes my understanding of an issue does not represent all there is to the issue. It calls for respect of those whose experience is different from mine. It calls for a teachable spirit that is willing to learn. It calls for a willingness to stand against "evil and injustice in whatever forms they may present themselves" (UMC membership vows). It calls for a willingness to stand for "liberty and justice for all" where all means all. It calls us to move beyond anxiety-driven, fear-based thinking and functioning. It calls for an ability to escape the what's-in-it-for-me spirit that is inherent to the human condition. It calls us to think theologically under the guidance of the Spirit as the followers of Jesus. In other words, it calls for emotional and spiritual maturity.
It is so much easier to just react. But at what cost?
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