An Interesting Way of Looking at Things.
What is the Lunatic Fringe? If your answer is the Song by Red Rider, then you get a C. If you know that it is by the same guy who wrote the song Life is a Highway – and thus became the only person know for producing 2 one-hit wonders, then you get a C+. But if by reading this, you at least have that opening guitar riff followed by the pick screech, you are at least in the right mindset. I am including the song and the lyrics at the end of this post just because it is lots of fun.
Like many songs, you may get lost in the music and not pay attention to the lyrics. This one talks about anti-semitism and its rise at the time. The fact that it was recorded on the same day that John Lennon was killed was a coincidence. But it may have held an influence on the recording.
True Believers
Outside of a kick-ass song, the Lunatic Fringe goes much deeper. The Lunatic Fringe involves weird resistance groups dedicated to some fucked-up causes. What we know are these causes are polarizing. And they span the political spectrum and grow on every side.
More that weird groups, it involves everyday things as well. It could be a school board meeting or a group at church. Anywhere that people gather together and there is an issue to debate about. The question is about how deeply entrenched the divide will be.
You have to question why this happens. Is it a result of the issue itself or is it human nature that causes it? Is it encoded in our language and speech patterns. Have we learned it thought academia?
If you want to read a whole bunch of Philosophy about it, google the Hegelian Dialectic and hope you have consumed a whole lot of coffee. The Hegelian Dialectic is an argument technique perfected and employed by the the political left – specifically Marxists.
Problem – Reaction – Solution
This Hegelian Dialectic is at the heart of Critical Theory (Critical Race Theory, Critical Environmental Theory, Critical Feminist Theory etc. ad nauseum). The idea seems like a pretty sensible way to solve a problem. Identify it. Talk it to death. Come up with a solution. Within the “dialectic” the talk it to death phase is specifically designed to compare the original issue to its “antithesis” or direct opposite. This creates the conflict. The “best” of the critical theorists begin the arguement knowing what they want the end result to be. And the question asked will lead that way.
Why do we choose one side or the other? This is the heart of the matter. And it is the place where the “True Believers” come out.
The reasons are really pretty simple to figure. 1) It’s easy to pick a side. It doesn’t take a lot of thought and thought process. It’s a gut take. And often it is built upon biases and assumptions built up over time. 2) To be part of a group. You know the people and the positions. Maybe you will take on a cause because you like the people fighting for the cause. 3) Ego. You want to be right. And often in a this or that kind of argument, you are willing to fight to the end to state your case.
Getting to the heart of a matter takes patience, It requires effort, experience, discipline and maturity. Therefore it is easy to just take a side and not delve into it.
So Why Am I Bringing All This Up?
Pretty simple. It is my intention to make this a regular subject I will be writing about. There are some crazy issues out there that do not have an easy solution. As far as I am concerned, may not have a solution. But it helps to start delving into the issues and pointing out both side. Exposing the True Believers on all sides. And possibly understanding one another better.
In the meantime, listen to Red Rider a couple times. Let it get under your skin and
Lunatic fringe
I know you’re out there
You’re in hiding
And you hold your meetings
I can hear you coming
And we know what you’re after
We’re wise to you this time
(We’re wise to you this time)
We won’t let you kill the laughter
Lunatic fringe
In the twilight’s last gleaming
This is open season
But you won’t get too far’
Cause you’ve got to blame someone
For your own confusion
We’re on guard this time (on guard this time)
Against your final solution
Oh no
We can hear you coming
(We can hear you coming)
No, you’re not going to win this time
(You’re not gonna win)
We can hear the footsteps
(We can hear the footsteps)
Way out along the walkway (along the walkway)
Lunatic fringe
We all know you’re out there
Can you feel the resistance?
Can you feel the thunder?
Oh no