Chartreuse

For some reason, I always thought the color chartreuse was some color of red.  Like a pinky, purpley, red.  Similar to fuchsia.  I was pretty surprised when I actually looked it up and found out it was a gross yellowy green.  I really don’t like chartreuse now that I know what color it really is.

I feel this is an experience a lot of people have.  You really like the idea of something, but when you find out that your idea of what that thing is is wrong, you suddenly don’t like that idea anymore.  I have seen this happen with philosophies and religions.  I have seen it happen with movies, music, and books, once the underlying meaning was discovered.  I keep hearing in my head that line from the Princess Bride – “That word, I don’t think it means what you think it means.” 

How we react when our view is challenged says a lot about us.  In the midst of the political shitshow that is this presidential election, I can’t help but feel like many Americans, including my friends, are not really looking our best.  In a way, I am fascinated by how educated, kind people suddenly turn into snotty school kids.  My e feed has a severe case of split personality as my friends up-vote and share the latest click bait in favor of their preferred candidate.  It is plastered with accusations, name-calling, misrepresentations, and out and out lies from both sides. 

But on the other side, I am embarrassed.  I feel like most Americans are not really looking at their candidates.  They are looking at an idealized version of that person created and approved by their party.  They are choosing to only see the idea, not the actual person.  Or the inherent problems in the overall system (which I think are what we should really be worried about). 

I didn’t like the color chartreuse when I found out what it really looked like, but I didn’t deny its existence or accuse Wikipedia of a conspiracy.  I think Americans need to take a step back and take a good, hard look at their candidates.  All of their candidates.  We need to take into account where information is coming from before we jump on any bandwagon.  The truth might not always be what we want it to be, but it does exist; we owe it to ourselves to constantly search for it.