Seduced By Agenda

Sometimes I wake up with these weird phrases in my mind which I quickly jot down for further exploration directly following a large cup of coffee. Case in point, the following diatribe:

So I'm asking myself, what does it mean to be seduced by agenda? And what or who's agenda? I start by dissecting the phrase. Seduced, not in a sexual manner but in a primitive, compulsory fashion. This seduction blossoms as a natural byproduct of an agenda. The agenda is always someone elses, imposed upon society via one of many crow-dsourcing methods. It is not unlike that bully from grade school who overcame his own insecurities by intimidating others into fearful submission with the stakes being either personal injury or social exclusion.

In 2017, the proliferation of said agenda is confined, seemingly, to the Internet's social media empire. The sharing of news, real or fake, has become a multi million dollar obsession with the stakes being the information addicted minds of millions around the globe. Our brains have been re-wired to compel (or seduce) us to a life of faithfully checking our phones and current online social status as though we're defined by that. We're not. Some of us long to post, share, comment and vent to our hearts content at all hours of the day and night leaving behind a wake of social disruption in the hours that follow. Submissively agree and you will have many friends. Rebelliously disagree and you may be un-followed, unfriended, or disregarded altogether.

Other folks' agenda attempts to redefine the things we like and the behavior that's acceptable. Look at how many relationships are bruised or discarded altogether due to the recent proliferation of political satire, rogue opinion pieces, and outright fake news (or alternate facts). I dare say that all of the a fore mentioned folks have an agenda; to influence, manipulate or simply get paid by attracting the largest audience. So they need you to click on their links, share their posts, advocate for their cause, and yes, even if it means destroying a relationship.

Whatever happened to the old adage "let's agree to disagree, agreeably"? Dialogue to gain understanding is a good thing. Listening more than speaking by asking questions is even better.

Wisdom says it's ok to not always completely agree with everyone. It's impossible, I might add. There are central truths we should all cling to, but relinquish much latitude in regards to the encyclopedia of the periphery.

As a friend recently reminded me, people and relationships are worth far more than anyone else's agenda.

James