Mixed Emotions

My workplace is overwhelmingly far left. Wednesday was like working in a funeral home the day after a mass casualty incident. People who suspect my political inclinations would not look me in the eye. Yesterday and today you could see people working through the stages of grief.

I have been trying to be considerate and not look like I'm pleased. I understand what they are going through and I know they need to work this out without having my grin rubbing salt in the wounds.

But I've discovered that at moments I don't feel very patient or kind toward them. In fact, I feel very much like turning at some ridiculously apocalyptic bon mot and saying something like this to them, except I wouldn't and didn't vote Hillary over Trump.

Yes, spittle spewing, arm waving, mansplaining foul language and all.


But there are good reasons not to do so. One, I genuinely like my co-workers and don't want to ruin friendships. Two, they're still Americans, they still get to vote, and we're stuck with them.

6 comments:

Tom said...

Yeah, yeah, you have to edit out all the "I'm a good leftie" stuff. That's not me. But the reasons he gives for Trump winning, his tone and attitude, his solutions, yeah, I'm there.

Gringo said...

Good video. As "Jonathan Pie" points out, the lefty game of throwing epithets at people who disagree with them has reached diminishing returns. People keep quiet and tune out the lefties. As Pie suggests, the left would be better off trying persuasion and discussion. There is a Jonathan Pie [Tom Walker] video on YouTube previewing the election, but in the election preview video he speaks too fast for me. I suspect he is from the north of England, given his velocity of speech.

Your post-election tale reminds me of a short visit in early 2004 with cousins from NYC, whom I see about every 5-10 years. We had no discussion about politics during their visit.They sent me a Christmas card that year. "Nice to see you.I was so sad that Kerry lost." Everything is politics with many on the left.

douglas said...

Sounds like what I've been going through around here in deep blue (in more ways than one) L.A. It's getting to be a bit much. My daughter's Girl Scout Troop is planning what sounds like some kind of support group meeting for coping with the election. I'm starting to wish Hillary won so all the crybaby stuff will go away. Their smugness when they won was easier to take- and that's saying something.

E Hines said...

I'm starting to wish Hillary won so all the crybaby stuff will go away.

I'm enjoying the tears. I've got a deal with Morton Salt in the works.

Eric Hines

raven said...

My wife started talking about moving . The rain is one thing, but the level of hysteria and vitriol coming from her friends is really upsetting.

I think if these riots do not tamp down in a few days, things are going to get spicy. John Robb has some comments on this at global guerrillas. If the rioting and attacks are handled the same way the attacks on the trump candidacy was, that is to say with complicity from the press and the governments,and are treated as valid and normal, all bets are off.

Ymar Sakar said...

Cut them off. If they want to grieve, tell them to do it in private instead of upsetting society. What are they, children... oh right.

But I've discovered that at moments I don't feel very patient or kind toward them. In fact, I feel very much like turning at some ridiculously apocalyptic bon mot and saying something like this to them, except I wouldn't and didn't vote Hillary over Trump.

The problem people usually don't realize is that I can see past their civilized masks. Especially if they have dropped it even once in my presence.

It's easy to see what people are really doing behind that mask afterwards. According to Jesus sermon at the mount, under Divine Law, if you even look at a woman with lust in your intent, you are guilty of adultery, within that context. Under human laws, feeling something and doing it are different matters of guilt. For me, it's not so much different though.