A life of peace and politics

It's so funny. After a lifetime of studying politics and difficult political issues, all I want, today, is to just have a nice little life away from it all.

People are incorrigibly self-righteous, I am convinced. They can change, need to change, and will change. But I just want them out of my hair until they do.

It's tedious to be constantly dealing with their ugliness and pettiness and self-righteousness and cynicism and especially their bullying, in the meantime. I want the more radicalized elements of society that are perpetually rationalizing strong-arming, violence, terrorism, genocide, repression and whatever the hell they can get their hands on, really, in the name of this or that cause neutralized. But to do so, moderate peoples will have summon up courage, to get stronger, and to become a better people who more genuinely embrace their highest liberal values more readily, and stop rationalizing radical action that just fuels that cycle.

I want depressed communities - whether they be in Palestine or Pyongyang or Damascas or Salt Lake City - to face up to the ugly and brutish ways that are constantly undermining their cultures, their neighborhoods, their economies, their governments, and their lives. But to do so, moderate peoples in those communities and in communities surrounding them will need to respect more freedoms that will allow those communities to take more responsibility for their plights, and all individuals and communities will need to take more responsibility for the impact of their own choices on all members of society, especially choices that involve strong-arming one another into submission without a more open, honest debate and discussion of issues and without making substantial progress on those same issues.

I want all kinds of problems in the world resolved. I've dedicated my life to their resolution.

But, mostly, right now, I just want to be left alone. I want just want a nice little life where I can live with some peace and without so much persistent fighting for no good goddamn reason and with no real resolution in sight.

I just want to leave politics to the bullies, and to let me be left out of it.

I don't know how realistic that is. But I sure could use a break.

Love,
Ben