Mass Insanity

I have a theory, that goes something like this:

When you’re unable to see an issue from the perspective of someone with an opinion different than your own, strange things start to happen.

Oddly, despite any evidence to the contrary, you begin to think that the opposing view doesn’t actually exist; that people are either "making it all up" or that the number of people with an opposing view is extremely small.

Weirdly, the inability to see the world from anywhere but your own point within it, results in delusions.

Put another way, the inability to purposefully delude yourself, results in actual delusions.

We experience this all the time when viewing events on the national stage. The inability to see across ideological lines is largely a product of not being able to comprehend how the other side sees an issue.

Here in Arlington I think we’re seeing this with regards to the leaf blower issue as well.

People opposed to the current bylaw actually think that Town Meeting is acting on its own, independant of the will of their constituents.

What our motivation is supposed to be escapes me.

I don’t know of any Town Meeting members that cast their votes based solely on how many constituents asked them to vote one way versus another. Some of the decisions, including the recent leaf blower votes, are too much part of a nuanced process of moving the issue toward resolution for each vote to be a simple poll.

That said, I get the impression that some would be dumbfounded to learn that prior to voting I was contacted by equal numbers of people on both sides of the issue.

Looking back now, it looks like I was contacted by 10 separate individuals or groups with regards to this issue. I received 5 contacts asking me to repeal the bylaw, and 5 contacts asking me to sustain it.

Those contacts consisted of 2 professional landscaper associations, 4 residents outside of my precinct, and 4 residents within my precinct.

Of the contacts within my precinct, 1 wanted the bylaw repealed, and 3 wanted it sustained.

Depending what side a person is on regarding this issue, they’ll interpret that statement as either false ("not the whole story," "just a some crazy people") or they’ll interpret it as validation ("this shows its just the special interests that are trying to derail our government.")

I don’t think it means either. I think it means that there are valid positions held on both sides of this debate, and that a prerequisite of putting this issue behind us for good is that we come to an understanding of that.