To the editor:
I've been thinking of how politics brings a focus on the ailment that is present in the democracies around the world. The elections in the United States and here at home displayed the massive disconnect that is present in our culture. This disconnect is the ailment or sickness that riddles and compromises our culture.
I've been thinking of how politics brings a focus on the ailment that is present in the democracies around the world. The elections in the United States and here at home displayed the massive disconnect that is present in our culture. This disconnect is the ailment or sickness that riddles and compromises our culture.
Culture is often seen as monochromatic, and historically in most places likely has been, but the culture that has become the “us culture” is not monochromatic. It is of different peoples from different places. Some of these peoples have been here for forever, some for nearly a dozen generations, some they are the first to arrive here.
Because of this our culture has shifted over time with new peoples joining it, and different things happening in the world around us. While managing shifting relationships with other cultures, there are also shifting relationships of the cultures inside our own. It seems that cultures inside of our culture have had an allergic reaction to each other.
There are cultures inside our own which do not recognize each other as valid nor view each other as necessary. But we need to view each other as necessary. It is imperative for our culture to function. Connection is what is necessary for this recognition.
In this time of disconnection we have witnessed what is different between us, what divides us, what separates us.
What would we gain if we focused instead on what combines us. What if we could agree on things. not everything, but something. It could be anything, but at least one thing. we could build from there.
We could carry forward our disagreements, but also our agreements. this would be something that would different from what we have now. It could turn to hope for the future.
It would give us a purpose to walk into tomorrow. And that would begin to cure to the ailment, the sickness that riddles our culture.
Matthew Chretien,
Matthew Chretien,
Terrace, B.C.
