I agree with you that when one side takes an unfair position, the opposing side can lose the battle if they stick with the rules.
But I think in the larger cultural battles that are playing out, there is such a thing as us collectively losing the war (as such) by using dirty tactics to win individual battles.
I tend to think that civility and incivility rise and fall on the tides of history. But that doesn't mean incivility- or the inability to see your opponents as part of the larger shared humanity that you yourself are a part of- is not a huge problem for us. I think in our country, when we lose the ability to play along together, terrible things (like the Civil War) happen.
I also think that there are other ways to deal with dirty tactics besides smearing oneself. I think drawing attention to those tactics and airing them, working to educate people, and maintaining one's integrity are all incredibly effective against smear tactics. Those behaviors are inspiring because they ask the humans around the person who is acting that way to be their higher selves. I think we respond well to leadership who asks that of us (as opposed to cajoles or demands, and as opposed to leadership that pays lip service to our higher selves while validating the hate or fear based reactions of our lower selves).
Also, though, it's midnight and I have grumpy insomnia, so maybe this is all babble. That is a possibility too.
(Also, in the instance you sited- someone hit you first, so you respond with force to prevent further harm on you: I feel the current situation is more analogous to someone hits you, you deal with it however, then wait four years later and smack them on the face. At which point the "he hit me first" argument becomes a bit juvenile)
But I think in the larger cultural battles that are playing out, there is such a thing as us collectively losing the war (as such) by using dirty tactics to win individual battles.
I tend to think that civility and incivility rise and fall on the tides of history. But that doesn't mean incivility- or the inability to see your opponents as part of the larger shared humanity that you yourself are a part of- is not a huge problem for us. I think in our country, when we lose the ability to play along together, terrible things (like the Civil War) happen.
I also think that there are other ways to deal with dirty tactics besides smearing oneself. I think drawing attention to those tactics and airing them, working to educate people, and maintaining one's integrity are all incredibly effective against smear tactics. Those behaviors are inspiring because they ask the humans around the person who is acting that way to be their higher selves. I think we respond well to leadership who asks that of us (as opposed to cajoles or demands, and as opposed to leadership that pays lip service to our higher selves while validating the hate or fear based reactions of our lower selves).
Also, though, it's midnight and I have grumpy insomnia, so maybe this is all babble. That is a possibility too.
(Also, in the instance you sited- someone hit you first, so you respond with force to prevent further harm on you: I feel the current situation is more analogous to someone hits you, you deal with it however, then wait four years later and smack them on the face. At which point the "he hit me first" argument becomes a bit juvenile)
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I agree with everything you just said.
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