Yesterday I read through the California Voter Guidebook our state provides to outline all of the propositions Californians will vote on in November. After describing each proposition, the guidebook offers arguments for and against each proposition written by conflicting politicians, lobbyists and activists. These descriptions completely confused me. It seems no matter which way you vote, you’re going to ruin the economy, embolden terrorists and promote moral decay.
There are things to be afraid of, I suppose, and there are lots of folks who want to tap into our fear to manipulate us. Fears stirs up more emotion, and you can feel a lot faster than you can think. Just look at the knee-jerk reaction of stock market investors when there’s any sort of anomaly on the economic landscape.
Fear is a useful emotion when it protects us from real danger. If it is justified, there are facts and solid arguments to back it up. (Fortunately the voter guidebook also published the actual text of each proposition so voters can make informed decisions.) If something scares you, ask questions and get more information. Don’t accept every warning you’re given.
This November, let’s vote for those who inspire us, and not those who scare us.
Related posts:
- The Fun in Fear
- Giving Up The Need to Be Right (and Overcoming the Fear of Being Wrong)
- Student Leadership: Helping Students With Insecurities
- Setting Controllable Goals
