Why Jews should be political atheists

How not to get involved in adult color war.

In the course of the past decade or so the United States has seen an increase in political polorazation and divisivenes. Trust in institutions has fallen. The lack of common ground between the two major parties in the U.S. has never been greater.

.This chart shows Facebook data from each of the parties showing that self-identifies members of each party share almost no interest in what the other side thinks or cares about.

The members of both groups assume they are completely and totally correct. Why? Everything and everyone they interact with is confirming it to them. The news channel they watch, the paper they get delivered, and the people they converse with. All constantly and consistently confirming the ideas they share.

The language slowly begins to change. They are no longer even on the same battlefield, each group creating the dragons that they slay. With the advent of algorithmic media models it has become even easier to get sucked into a narrow sphere of political viewpoints without encountering any oposition. Very quickly our political machine has turned into an increasingly crass culture war where both sides act self righteously to keep the game going.

Proboably writing too much about politics is a bad idea, but I constantly see otherwise inteligent people and this includes teachers, rabbeim, RYs etc. getting deeply emotionally attatched to certain figures on the political scene. In the frum world there seems to be a very powerful echo chamber of certain views that many times even though on the outside seem to mesh with our generally conservative religious sensibilities are in direct contrast to halachic principles.

The frum media isnt helping, if you are a thinking frum individual it is impossible to read the political collums in the major frum publications without a chuckle. I dont want to throw any individual writer or media outlet under the bus, I understand that they are profit-first companies that have to cater to their communities but it is embarassing to watch the direction they take in most of there pieces.

Obviously the democratic electoral system itself is not something to throw away, and as the frum community grows using our influence is key, but having these emotional almost religious attatchments to a certain political pundit or party has a truly blinding effect on people and should be done away with. If you consistently watch or listen to the same political commentator, let me know and I will send you the smarter version of him or her on the other side of the aisle. Save your belief. Become an atheist (politically).