Shift happens........ Societal shift

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Red and blue.... Red and blue.......Repub or Dem, lib or consy, rural or city, them vs us.

I was musing on the variations in our society. Striking to me are the different attitudes that seem so conflicted and irreconcilable. Like oil and water, some things just don't mix without trouble.

With all parties amenable to a live and let live attitude, harmony can be attained. As soon as one party decides their religion/plan/feelings/etc must be enforced on all, then harmony is not on the menu.

As I was considering the ramifications of this, I remarked to myself: "Self, this is why all those people came to America in the first place!" Folks moved to these shores in an effort to get away from those who would control them. They sought freedom of thought, expression, worship, and everything else that mattered to them. Most especially, they moved here to be left alone.

Well, 'Self' responded with: "Yes, that's true Self, but that can't happen again. There are no new frontiers left on the planet. There's no place left to move to."

Hmmm.... Self has a good point. Moving to a new land in search of freedom is a non-starter now. Short of boldly going where no man has gone before, we are stuck on this crowed planet, unable to really get away from the wackos who dream of controlling their neighbors.

Naturally, Self wasn't finished. Next comes this: "Listen Self, there is more to this. Just because there is no frontier doesn't mean people won't strive to set themselves apart. New nations are still being formed, although it's a bloodier process since there's usually already someone living on the land."

Good point, as Self usually has. New 'areas' or nations are still being formed as the teaming masses shift. The world is not locked into it's form yet, by any means.

What about the people in this nation (Good 'ol USA!) who are unhappy with their neighbors reaching into their pockets and their lives, dictating how they will live and love?

Hmm.... that set Self back a bit. Given no new frontiers, could the USA be looking at a population shift as people search for freedom inside our own shores?

Leave it to Self to come up with a cockamamie answer: "Look Self, listen up dummy. It's already happening! Do you remember the blue/red county voting map of the 2004 and 2008 elections? Do you see what's happening right now as states with high taxes lose population?"

I will not be seen talking to myself in public again, so I just nodded and kept walking.

"Listen Self, you dummy. I know you can hear me. People are already shifting to new lands. The red/blue map proves it. That map shows a lot more than just wacky voting swings. It also shows population shift. Look what else the red/blue counties share!"

Drat.... a challenge to think, and me almost totally unarmed....

Ok, what else do the red/blue counties share? Blue... Concentrated population, higher crime rates, higher welfare rates, lower tax revenues, restricted civil rights, violence towards opposing viewpoints, class warfare, poor family structures... (Yuck).

Red..... well, less or none of the above. More freedom, better recognition of civil rights, tough family structures, strong work ethics, tolerance of personal differences.....

I guess Self has a point. The American people are already separating themselves into different lands with different purposes, and doing so with a minimum of blood shed. So far. I say so far, because I don't think we as humans are any different than we were in the 1600's, 1800's, 1900's, etc. Always willing to kill a few million to make a point and get a better spot at the table.

My own family was a tiny case in point. We moved to where we lived on purpose. We looked at the schools, taxes, laws, and a host of other points before we bought our home. Could we have moved to the nearby city? Sure.... and lot's of people do. They moved into the city for many of the same reasons we avoided it like a disease.

Our nation has split into distinct lands. The melting pot has tipped over and gone out of business. What spilled from the kettle is coagulating back into separate elements, apparently having never been truly mixed in the first place.

What does this mean?
Are there forces behind it?
Is it a natural progression?

A thought:

In difference is energy.
In energy is power.
In power is control.
Those who support difference are likely in search of the power to control.