(I, probably foolishly, posted this on my FB page today.)

These days I find myself getting irritated (even sad) when I see heated, borderline hateful Facebook posts from the left or the right.

The more extreme the post, the more disillusionment wants to take hold in my soul.

I mean, the words are often coming from people (again—on both sides) that I see as intelligent, thoughtful, caring people.

But there’s zero balance in what they’re saying. Zero nuance.

They’ve just completely bought into “their side” and any other view must be seen as completely devoid of common sense or even human decency. The other side, they would have me believe, is just made up of wretched, immoral, brainwashed fools.

Really? It’s that simple, is it? You have it all exactly right and “they” have it all exactly wrong?

I’ve come to the following conclusions about FB as a platform for political expression.

Any post I make is going to convert exactly no one to my view.

Those who agree will tap an agreeable emoji or leave a positive comment. Those who disagree will probably ignore it or maybe tap an ambiguous emoji or leave a challenging comment.

No hearts or minds will be changed.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe in reasoned dialogue, and I love to see people actually able to exchange differing, nuanced opinions with respect and humility.

But that is very rare.

It’s rare in the world, and rare here on FB.

The partisan posts, then, are either an echo chamber of preaching to the choir or they’re along these lines: “only a moron/cult member/snowflake/libtard/N*zi/fascist (insert your favorite derogatory political insult) would see things any way other than mine.”

Not helpful. Not fruitful. I would add not even accurate.

Just adds to the fire, widens the division.

More shouting over the fence where no one is being heard.

Once in a while I post political pieces. Even then, I try to do it with great care. Because people I know, even people I love and respect, see life and death and god and morality and truth through a very different lens. I don’t hate them for that. I won’t. And my post is not going to change them. It just isn’t. Any more than their post is going to change me.

So, I mostly post stuff I think is funny. Or something about art or music or philosophy. Maybe something personal.

Most people who really know me, know pretty much where my politics lean. I don’t really feel the need to remind them.

Now, if we could share a tea or a beer and have a real conversation about politics and religion (with respect and nuance and calm), that’d be great.

But we’d both still most likely walk away with our views unchanged.

In this incredibly divided moment, I think we’re going to have to hash out common ground through intense listening. If there’s any hope, it will require compassionate, reasonable compromise.

Somehow. Someway.

We’re going to have to figure out how to get along in this world while holding wildly different views about what matters.

I’m not sure we can.

Yet, we must.

Or something is gonna break in a tragic and irreversible way.

Let’s pray we don’t see that.

(PS. Believe me, I do understand that people feel existentially threatened by certain ideologies. And I see why they are so sure they’re on “the right side of history”. And you may feel that trying to arrive at some kind of “centrist compromise” is an immoral betrayal of fundamental moral principles. I get that. Try to remember that “the other side” feels the same way about what many of your ideas represent. Again—sane, reasoned compromise is our only hope. Each side loses something and gains something. Maybe it’s not possible. Maybe something truly scary is coming to this country. I hope that’s not the case.)