The Difference Between "Me" and "We"

For many years, The Fool has made a habit of pondering weighty philosophical issues such as "How does one find one's bliss?", "Is it better to have low expectations or high ones?", and "Is this 72-oz. Big Gulp I'm holding half-empty or simply far bigger than I needed to be drinking?".

Recently, The Fool's mental spotlight has begun to shine its mighty illumination onto the topic of liberalism v. conservatism. It's a secret that he doesn't like to discuss too openly, but The Fool was once a political conservative. As a Young Republican, The Fool protested for the U.S. to be *in* El Salvador and deplored the corrosive influence of unions on the state of American Industry. The Fool even wrote a thesis on Margaret Thatcher's economic policies. (And he still admires the venerable Iron Lady, even though we've taken different personal paths. She had bigger cojones than 99% of the men The Fool knows.)

Over the years, however, The Fool has become more moderate and now openly calls himself "liberal" or "progressive". (The Fool is cautious. In some Southern dialects, "liberal" is translated as "half-brained, slack-jawed, drooling moron that believes anything the dang liberal media feeds ya and probably is vegetarian, too, and no you cain't have my gun".)

But, having once actively embraced both sides of the dialog, The Fool continues to search for that defining distinction between conservative and liberal.

• Desire to cling to the past v. Looking towards the future?
• Unwillingness to embrace change v. Desire for change?
• Have v. have-not?
• Patriotic (nationalistic) v. Citizen of the world?

The Fool believes that none of these capture the essence of the distinction. There are plenty of conservatives that envision a better future while there are many liberals that are well-off.

No, The Fool believes that the critical distinction lies in the breadth of one's worldview: "Me" v. "We". The conservative perspective focuses almost exclusively on the individual - survival of the fittest (ironically) where the winners make the rules and the losers have nothing. Personal effort generates its own rewards and if you aren't at the top of the heap, then you must not have worked hard enough and you deserve your empty stomach and foreclosed home.

The progressive worldview tends to be less bloodthirsty and more inclusive. Liberals recognize that we rise or fall together as a society, that helping our fellows also helps us, that what makes our society stronger makes all of us stronger. More broadly, a tide that benefits people of all nations raises all our boats. (And, no, imposing Democracy at gunpoint doesn't count.) Progressives believes that it's not all about tradeoffs, but that the curve can be extended. Everyone can have enough to eat and reasonably priced healthcare and a modest roof over their heads.

At the very least, The Fool understands this is what was behind his own philosophical switch - a recognition that we're all in this life together, that whatever helps one of us makes us all better, and that when we lose someone, it diminishes us all. (Sorry, Maggie.) Bong bong bong....

"I Broke My Wind"

So gasped The Fool as he staggered out of the gym yesterday morning.

The Fool foolishly joined a new health club about two months ago for all the obvious reasons and a couple that are not so obvious. You see, The Fool began working from home late last year. This arrangement provides a great commute, a convenient refectory, and the ability to wear slippers all day. The downside is that the boundary between work life and home life becomes sloppy and vague.

"I'll just leave the laptop on," thinks The Fool, "in case I want to check email after kids are in bed."

"You know, I'll just knock this pesky project out on Sunday. That'll make my upcoming week easier," he tells himself.

"Yes, I have been sitting here and typing for 12 straight hours," he admits, "but I'm getting a lot done."

And so, in early June, the new health club was visited and joined.

The Fool has been diligent. Mixing up the workouts and going regularly. The Fool could feel his fitness improving. His legs didn't hurt quite as much as the day before. He no longer coughed from breathing deeply. He could exercise longer. And, strangely, work wasn't suffering. In fact, The Fool felt even more productive than before.

And then came a burst of travel. Four cities in four weeks.

Oh, The Fool tried. He went to the hotel health club when schedules permitted. But by the time he returned, he had exercised only once in the previous ten days. So, when The Fool attempted to negotiate the treadmill, he could not even run as far as he did the previous time.

His wind had left him.

The Fool laments how much easier it is to lose fitness than to gain it. Like so many other things in life.

The Fool will be at the gym today.

"Everyone Needs A Hobby"

So said a co-worker to The Fool on Wednesday night as his beer wept in the evening heat. He was sitting with a good customer in an Irish pub not too far from the Ohio River when the conversation drifted past small talk.

"At what point," asked The Fool, "do we forget how to live in the moment?"

It was a more serious question that the occasion warranted, but The Fool was tired of talking about kids and commutes and who reported to whom.

A pause. "What do you mean?"

"Look at children," The Fool replied, immediately dragging the conversation backwards. "They're so alive. Everything is fascinating; everything is new. They don't worry about next week or next month or next year. They just are. But somewhere along the way of growing up, we all lose that."

The Fool paused for a minute, running his finger through the Guinness sweat. "I'd like it back."

There were nods and general agreement that, yes, life had gotten too complicated and it was just getting worse. Blackberries kept us online all the time and nobody in this country ever takes two weeks of vacation. Five days away from the salt mines and we start to get twitchy. It's all too stressful. It's all too much, but we throw ourselves at it like dung flies into an open sewer. How do we tear ourselves away?

"Balance," the coworker told The Fool. "You need a job, a family, a workout routine, and a hobby. Everyone needs a hobby."

This was when The Fool decided to start blogging again.