In his commencement speech on May 19 at Brandeis University, renowned filmmaker Ken Burns identified the real culprit in the poisonous mix of tribal polarization in our nation: us.
We are the enemy of racial, religious and cultural harmony in our not so united country. We expend unproductive time demonizing “others,” those people who think, look and act differently.
We find ourselves shackled by self-imposed chains and barriers, unwilling to see the goodness of others who simply disagree with us. They become “them.” They become our enemies. If friends and family, they become estranged, emotionally, if not physically pushed aside.
I am guilty too. I wish it wern’t so. But truth hurts.
In email traffic with treasured friends, politics emerges as a treacherous battleground. When right-wing friends offer their conservative thoughts to me, I sometimes lash out. I add fuel to an already boiling cauldron of opposing perspectives.
I regret my angry response. I fail to respect another viewpoint. I forsake my predilection for civility. I set a verbal trap for myself and find it inescapable momentarily. I first apologize to myself and then to my friend.
Tribal thoughts enslaved me. I added to the destructive dialogue that engulfs our country.
In his 21-minute speech, Burns said, “But it is clear as individuals and as a nation, we are dialectically preoccupied. Everything is either right or wrong, red state or blue state, young or old, gay or straight, rich or poor, Palestinian or Israeli, my way or the highway.
“Everywhere we are trapped by these old, tired binary reactions, assumptions, and certainties.”
“Othering” is a national disease as insufferable as a pandemic. It afflicts the soul. It hardens sensitivities. It blocks us from listening and liking. It is easier to hate and harass. We find it difficult, if not impossible to understand and respect a person who dares to voice a political or cultural opinion that conflicts with ours.
Consequently, we isolate ourselves. Our tribal connections strengthen. Our ties to proponents of counter-arguments weaken. We fail to build or sustain relationships.
If one listens, wisdom does flow from commencement speeches, a rite of passage for graduates, their parents, siblings and friends. I enjoy them. The candor is refreshing.
I listened to Burns on YouTube. He hit a home run for this oft-impatient consumer of information.
As a filmmaker of documentaries such as “The Civil War,” “Benjamin Franklin,” “Hemingway,” “The Viet Nam War” and “Baseball,” he understands our imperfect human condition.
Good and bad.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.
John Fischer says
Mr. Burns is brilliant, as usual.
His remarks on “otherings,” which you include here, brought to mind the divisiveness of separating Americans into various victim and oppressor classes. Actions have consequences, especially those cancerous.
Reed Fawell 3 says
Excellent comentary.