Mergers

Politics are problematic in this country right now.* There's a lot of talk and rumbling about the fact that no one will give, no one will compromise, politicians don't represent the people.

Over the weekend, it occured to me that, as detrimental as it is, our politicians DO represent the people.

Let me explain:

I was out and about over the weekend, and several of the routes that I take require traffic merging from two lanes into one. I am aware of these spots, and tend to drive in the lane that doesn't have to merge -- the lane that has the right of way. Every time -- EVERY TIME -- I am out and find myself in one of these areas, I notice that no one wants to yield.

NO ONE.

The people in the lane that ends -- the clearly marked "Lane ends, merge left" lane? Often seem truly to believe that it is in their right to be first. To push other drivers out of the way, to endanger other drivers, themselves, and their passengers, by simply pretending that yielding and merging are not necessary. They just keep driving, not looking, and when their lane ends? You'd best not be in their way.

The people in the non-ending lane -- the "right of way" lane -- often seem to believe that by virtue of being in the lane that continues, they don't have to watch for merging traffic. They don't have to let anyone in. They don't have to alter their driving habits in any way.  Again, at the potential endangerment of themselves, their passengers, and the people trying to merge.

Now take that attitude out of the car. Take it into the workplace, the classroom, the playing field. Notice where people -- where you -- like to put your needs ahead of others. Notice how often you find yourself being cut in line, or in fact cutting others. Notice the acts of rudeness ... and the acts of kindness.

Unfortunately, the acts of kindness will probably lag far, far behind.

We're a society that prizes the individual, and that's fine. However, we've also  become a society that thinks nothing of me first, of aggression, of putting yourself ahead of other people even when doing so is potentially dangerous. And that, to me, is not fine.

Our politicians are behaving badly.

But so, as a people, are we.

And to change our political system, I think we also need to change ourselves.

*Understatement of the year, I know.