Nations Divided

As of the time of writing, the US Congress cannot come to an agreement that will raise the debt ceiling to allow the US government to continue to meet its financial obligations. The country has never defaulted on payments in its history yet is coming remarkably close to doing so for the first time because of a political divide in Congress which seems insistent on avoiding compromise. John Boehner's bill was rejected in the Senate yesterday and Harry Reid's proposal turned down by the House today. This means, come August 2nd, there will not be enough money in the US Treasury to write out checks to the people they need to pay.

Nassim Taleb in Black Swan talks about how more information is not always a good thing. Sometimes more information clutters and confusing making us less able to see and understand reality. He suggests that as humans we find it comfortable and positive to expose ourselves to self affirming perspectives and information. We are not comfortable with information that challenges us or attempts to show us wrong. We like to read things that reinforce our existing opinions, hence cementing and strengthening our assurance in such opinions.

It would make sense then, that with greater exposure to information, Americans have become more engrossed in their political positions and unwilling to compromise on the beliefs they hold which is probably why the Republican led House of Representatives and the Democrat led Senate are unable to agree on a bill that would lead to a solution that would raise the debt limit. Even John Boehner has been unable to round up his Republican mates to back his bill suggesting individuals are so firm in their ideology and values that they are choosing not to work even with the people they are most closely aligned to - fellow Republicans.

I wonder if the emergence of the internet and uncensored sources of information will cause the same situation in Malaysia. Are Malaysians becoming further ingrained into political positions because of expose to excessive amounts of information that reaffirm their ideas and beliefs. There is no denying the strengthening of support for opposition parties since the rise of political blogs and news portals, most of which are anti-establishment and bear an opposition slant in news reporting (Malaysiakini.) Will Malaysians, today blessed with a multitude of news and political sources be capable of discerning biased from honest news reporting, or will they choose to accept those sources that are in accordance with their preconceived notions, ignoring truth simply because they are too comfortable to face facts that challenge their existing positions.

Are we talking ourselves down a road where eventually, we will be a nation divided, so stubbornly confident that our way is the only right way that we are incapable of living out the kindergarten lesson of working with others. Will we be so divided that we risk driving the nation to the ground the way Congress is driving America to the ground? Let's hope that we aren't. Let's hope that as a nation we will remain open minded politically and be humble enough to accept that we are not always right. Let's hope that as a nation, we will question all that we hear and read and see, even if it means questioning information that affirms our thoughts and comforts our hearts. The greatest deceit disguises itself as truth by appealing to human nature and not to the mind.