Veneer

I’m about to touch on a subject I usually avoid, not only because it’s unseemly to discuss in public under most circumstances, but also because … well, you’ll see.

I don’t tend to discuss my politics. I’m sure that a lot of people who have read my previous writings can suss out my general position on the American political alignment spectrum and find appropriate corollary to the Overton window wherever they happen to live. In my personal social media postings, though I do not bring it up a lot (primarily because I find both discussing politics and social media unseemly), I have been more open about my politics, more especially certain aspects that are racially connected. But for the most part, I know what I believe, those closest to me mostly know what I believe (a good friend of mine once told me that they didn’t think I believed in private property), and I let the nattering nabobs natter to their hearts’ content. When it comes to geocaching, I do not even think of bringing up anything even remotely political. Just as I feel that this hobby transcends race, even though race can be a complicating factor, and class, even though opportunity opens the possibilities of a richer and fuller caching experience, I also feel that it transcends politics. In fact, geocaching is one of the last places in my life where I entertain the presence of folks on the other side of the political spectrum from me. For me, Atreides isn’t just a caching handle; it is my nom de guerre. It is a personality and a frame of mind. Sure, I do a lot of things under my real name, but when I’m caching I’m not Marcellus playing as Atreides; I’m Atreides playing as Marcellus. Which is probably good because Marcellus is opinionated as all get out. Some of my caching friends have seen beneath the handle and gotten more of the real me. Of course, the Girls are probably the cachers who know me best (though in some ways, probably worse since for them I am never Atreides, but rather Dad). My point here (and I do have one) is that I mix with a lot of folks and I never ask about their political positions. Sure, sometimes I suspect, but I don’t need to know. It is enough that we are united in our chosen activity and I am usually happy to travel the road with you if you are cool with traveling the road with me.

This week, an event of unquestionable political significance occurred (if you follow American politics, that is; Poland, Argentina, and India have different events to contend with). I feel no need to discuss it here; this is not the place for such discussion. But social media has lit up with people talking about it. And I have to admit that it is disheartening to see other cachers who I know and am fond of make it pretty clear that their political loyalties are more than likely opposite my own. In some cases I suspected, but didn’t specifically know. In others, it has come as a bit of a surprise. Further, it makes me wonder about other cachers: if Cacher A feels that way, what does that mean for Cacher B who hangs out with them a lot? I like to think I’m a believer in community, but it is a bit harder for me to maintain community with people who seem to support positions that, at their logical ends, would harm to me, my daughters, and/or other friends. I can then only say to myself that who people are on social media is not entirely who they are in the real world. But does social media make them more caricaturish or more honest in their beliefs? How pure are those beliefs? Are they piecemeal feelings or are they part of a greater philosophy that leads to who only knows what? And where for me is the line where things become unacceptable? Am I willing to continue sitting in that grey area? Should I even do so? One of my great flaws is that I’m judgemental. Will that part of me change the way I interact?

I could burn myself out considering all the possibilities. What I have chosen to do is consider my community as a whole, knowing that some people will be closer to me in thinking than others and some will be farther, but having faith that the (for lack of a better term) average will remain something I can live with. Luckily, nobody descends to the level of Godwin’s Law, but I know in the back of my head that the day may come when the wrong individual does. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, but I hope it never comes to that.

Sorry to put you all through that. I promise that I will try hard to never have to do it again.