The danger of being an idealist is that you will have your heart broken. Everyone, including myself, falls short of the ideal on many occasion. When people seem to intentionally choose a less than ideal path, it can take the air out of me.
We live in a grand melting pot of different cultures, ideas, religions, and lifestyles. It seems as though people have been throwing rocks into the melting pot to try to keep us separated and from uniting to form a wonderful mix. I can make of juice out of foods I do not like: kale, pears, beets, parsley, chard and lemon. A wonderful symphony of nutrition and taste appear in my glass. So it is with ideas. No one person always has the best answer. We need to draw on the knowledge and experience of one another to create the the ideal symphony.
Lobbyists and the powerful rich did pursue politicians to try to get in their heads and their pockets. Now it seems like politicians are pursuing them to get money. Politicians and political parties market themselves with tag lines and sworn stances that spin them into a corner. Once elected, they have to stand, uncompromising, in their corners for fear they will not be able to raise money for the next election. They become rocks, unwilling to negotiate or even try to see another point of view.
There are reasoned voices but they have become so faint in the shadow of the barking marketeers.
So as the election season heats up, this idealist will be bracing for another broken heart. However, still determined to believe that once the dust settles, our chosen leaders will actually lead us to unite and stop throwing rocks in our melting pot.
Real Woman's Health 
So, one thing to remember is that our elected officials, for all the money they may get from lobbyists, can’t get elected without the individual votes…which currently are influenced by the money pumped into advertising…
In any event, it behoves all of us to be informed citizens and to voice our views, not just on election day, but every day. It behoves us to write our elected officials between elections and tell them what we agree with, what we don’t agree with, what we’d like to see addressed. It behoves each and every one of us, individuals, to shape the conversation…not the politicians, the lobbyists, or the media. It means choosing to engage (or not) every day.
As one idealist to another: it is up to each of us to continue holding the vision of what should be while being aware of what is and still be willing to make the micro-adjustments to bring our collective vision closer to reality…
Thank you!
Nicely put. I agree, a well informed citizenry pursuing ideals is crucial and both our individual and collective responsibility.
Pingback: Rocks in the Melting Pot « Mother's Garden
Pingback: leisurely awards « jensinewall
I love how you said this!
Thank you 8)
I wish I had some rich backers to run for Senate and shake some sense back into the game! Wonderful Words here!
The bloggers’ party? I’ll nominate you 8). All of us together might be half a rich backer.
HeeHeeHee!! Nice name:) We could stand tall against the Twit party, I’m sure!
Ha! lol. We could take them down!
😀
well said, Katie! and who’s going to be the brave soul to reach into the boiling pot to remove those varied-sized stones? they just keep chucking em in without regard to the consequences…
I suppose, like so many other scars of the past, society must grow around the stones. Or, we can make Stone Soup. Did I just make a metaphor with an allegory? I will put the computer down and walk away now.
nah, stay, because brilliance is flowing…hehehe 🙂 I really did think of Stone Soup when you mentioned this, then I thought a step further…
Agreed. We really just need to stop this “I know what is best for everybody because it is best for me and my family” attitude. Diets, relationships, lives, etc that work for one person may be terrible for someone else.
Absolutely. In many instances, it has gone from advice and opinion, to edicts and accusations.