Beyond black and white: in defence of nuance

By all accounts the last few weeks has been something of a tumultuous time in British politics; a veritable shitstorm that, as every vaguely sentient organism has pointed out by now, makes the likes of Game of Thrones and House of Cards look like an episode of Teletubbies by comparison. We’ve seen shock results, revolts, back-stabbing, and enough breaking news bulletins to last a lifetime.

One would therefore naturally expect it to be an exciting time for the politically engaged; a time of dramatic fluctuation in a normally stagnant political landscape. But in all honesty, it’s been an immensely tiring affair.

These past few weeks have seen nothing short of a tidalwave of vitriol wash over the country, people’s passions stirred by a vote sold to them as the very lynch-pin upon which their lives centred. The response by so many: that of anger, confusion and condescension, has not been all that surprising. However the magnitude at which it has been witnesses only lends further credence to a much larger issue than that of Britain’s membership in the European Single Market or it’s political alignment.

The last few weeks…makes the likes of Game of Thrones and House of Cards look like an episode of Teletubbies by comparison

There is a crisis within British society. And by this I do not mean the racial divide, the north/south divide nor any other such factor that many seem so intensely focused on in an effort to explain such turmoil. Rather, Brexit has served to highlight the dark narrative of moralism that seems innate in vast swathes of the populace. There seems almost a rabid desire by many to apply the simplistic shades of black and white to every crisis that confronts them, and this goes far beyond the EU referendum.

One only needs to step into the cacophonous miasma of social media to witness the factionalism on display; platforms in which individuals hold themselves up as bright white beacons against a canvas they perceive as black, financially decrying those around them as ‘immoral’, ‘stupid’ and just plain ‘wrong’.

There seems almost a rabid desire by many to apply the simplistic shades of black and white to every crisis

Sadly this has extended into the public sphere, and is  most evident in the United States. Regardless of general incompetence of the likes of Donald Trump, it cannot be denied that the desire by many within the US political system to perpetuate the good vs evil narrative has led to the stalemate we now see. Neither side stands willing to comprise, convinced that the other is the very incarnation of the devil, there to temp them into sin. 

When we play this game, twisting children stories into our reality, we destroy the very fabric of our moral cloth. We cease to see individuals for who they are, with all their perfections and imprecations, and instead see them as caricatures; villains in our own personal heroic adventures.

When we play this game, twisting children stories into our reality, we destroy the very fabric of our moral cloth

Margaret Thatcher once infamously stated that there is “ no such thing as society.” But we are inherently social and loving creatures. We are at our best when we love, when we care, and when we unify. It is then that we thrive and advance. But we can’t do this whilst we still continue to peddle these fantasies, perpetuated by the media, by the press and by self serving and self styled magnates.

We must push through the miasma and see reality with the clarity of a sunny day once more. We must try to discard our stories and our labels and begin to work together, not for such narrow factors as ensuring a stable economy, but for ensuring that we create a society in which people feel safe and welcome, able to thrive off the credence of their character rather than the constrains of their background.

We are at our best when we love, when we care, and when we unify. It is then that we thrive and advance

Until we begin to work towards this we will continue to live in a country, and in a world divided by hate, fear and chaos. I would like to say that I’m hopeful for the future; hopeful for better and brighter days, the air cleared by the passing storm. But amongst all the noise it’s been a draining experience, one that seems unlikely to lead any tangible change. Instead I feel only the desire to sleep and let the whole affair blow over.
I’d like a reason to wake up.