Moderation, Thy Name is Human or: I'm so obsessive I can use up a lifetime supply of anything in a year.
I have a conundrum. The Happy Planet script says you should say "I'm sorry, does it hurt?" I've been one hugging the radical edge for most of my life, but my on-line community is championing the "anybody but Bush" stance, or the "let's not be extremists" line. This is a real problem for me, as I think it is the extremist pressure on a system that helps make movement happen. I've gathered some links on moderates and moderation. They are paltry links, sorry. Nobody wants to talk about moderation. I don't blame them. Some of it looks to me like conservatism wrapped in yet another name... aka: "we love balance". Hey. I like balance, otherwise I'd fall right over. Other readings show something more adventurous, maybe. But I'm really curious about what other people think about "moderates" and "moderate politics".
So here are a few links. I googled "political discourse" "moderates". I'm more interested in your opinions on the concept than your comments on the links:
A mainstream site: We the Moderates
A blog: The Tinman
ABC News: That Sinking Feeling
As I said I'm more interested in your thought about moderate political discourse and action, than I am about the links. The links are wishy-washy, as one might say in moderate politics.
So wow me here, tell me what you think about being "middle of the road". Tell me why I should change my down-the-road-to-hell radical ways.
Well I don’t know why I came here tonight.
I’ve got the feeling that something ain’t right.
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
and I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs.
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you.
Yes I’m stuck in the middle with you,
and I’m wondering what it is I should do.
It’s so hard to keep this smile from my face.
Losing control yeah I'm all over the place.
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you.
Well you started off with nothing
and you’re proud that you're a self-made man
yeah
and your friends they all come crawling,
slap you on the back and say
Please . . .
Please . . .
Trying to make some sense of it all
but I can see that it makes no sense at all.
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor?
I don’t think that I can take anymore.
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you.
Stuck in the middle
Stuck in the middle
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right! (Stuck in the middle)
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right! (Stuck in the middle)
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right! (uh-uh)
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you
Well you started off with nothing
and you’re proud that your a self-made man.
ah-ah yeah
Now your friends they all come crawling,
slap you on the back and say
Please . . .
Please . . .
Well I don’t know why I came here tonight.
I’ve got the feeling that something ain’t right.
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
and I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs.
Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you.
Stuck in the middle with you (ah-yeah)
Stuck in the middle with you
Here I am!
Stuck in the middle with you
With you, with you, with you.
(Bob Dylan)
