The Groupthink Groweth

Never thought I’d have to go into hiding in my own hometown, hiding my real personality and viewpoints. It always struck me as cowardly when I saw people doing it in novels and movies. And I always thought so highly of my hometown and my home state, my Missouri neighbors, that I never imagined it would be a choice I’d have to consider.

But it’s starting to feel as if I’m living in a Sinclair Lewis novel. The atmosphere of provincialism, xenophobia, anti-intellectualism, despite for the larger view, is thickening. I’m getting lectures, hate and ostracism from more and more people. The Trump-love is getting deeper and more widespread here. I’m feeling a growing pressure to either shut up and comform or get the hell out.

I always thought I’d be one of the people speaking up under Hitler. But I guess that’s because I thought I’d be safe doing it. When people very close to you start talking to you like you’re a fool and an anti-American, even people who only started following politics a few weeks ago, it gets hard to ignore. It even starts to seem like a premonition — that there is worse to come for anyone not stepping in line and sealing their mouth and mind shut.

The only step I’m taking right now is to change who I share my thoughts with on FB. I’ve created a list of people I have seen to be curious, wide-minded and more or less sympathetic with the  liberal vision of what a civilized society is and does. I will try to aim all my political posts only at this group. This post is the first: if you’re seeing it, you’re in the group I’ve labelled “thinkers.”

I’ve tried this before, but it gets tedious aiming some posts one way, some another, and I always revert back to just posting my thoughts for anyone to read. But I have to try it again. First, it’s painful when people you care about treat you like a despised communist and lecture you for things you didn’t even say. Second, it’s probably better anyway. There are very few examples in history of conservatives having their minds changed. Attempting to do it only seems to make them more hateful and dangerous. So there’s probably no significant value in letting them even know I’m worried about them.

I don’t like muzzling myself even a little. It feels like capitulation and cowardice. It feels un-American. But I’m going to give it a try.