Blueberry Coffee, and Stop The World I Want Off

[brightlotusmoon]

At work, the lunch room has a Keurig Single-Cup Brewer, with Green Mountain K-Cups. Green Mountain has a flavored coffee called Wild Mountain Blueberry. I had a cup this morning. It was delicious. *Invader Zim voice*

I went to bed early and skipped the vice presidential debate, which is fine because it'll get replayed and rehashed and reviewed and blogged forever. I will also not discuss the candidates in my journal until the actual election, because I'm noticing an interesting trend. Allow me to paraphrase: "I hate this candidate. If you vote for the candidate I hate, you are an idiot and a dumbass. I love the other candidate. If you do not vote for the candidate I love, you are an idiot and a dumbass. If the candidate I hate wins, everyone who voted for that candidate is an idiot and I'm moving to another country."
No real room to say, "I disagree with you but I respect and honor your choice. I hope you did your research, I hope you obtained as much factual information as you could, and I hope you did not blindly follow opinions and theories just because they sounded good. I hope we can still be good friends despite our different ideologies."
In order to avoid such words from people I care about (remember, I'm centrist and will happily snark on both parties), I won't mention my views anymore. I'd mention that I am still technically undecided, but that alone might get me called idiot and dumbass (oh, wait, I already mentioned it). But I can see all sides and make my own choice and feel good about it. I mean, my very best friend is an unabashed conservative, one of my other best friends is an unapologetic liberal, and my husband is essentially a libertarian. I get along with all of them just damn fine, thank you, and they're all extremely intelligent and lovely people. I agree with each of them on some things, I don't agree with them on other things, and we meet in the middle on yet other things. They don't want yes-men, and I'm willing to listen without arguing.
Basically, I'm sick and tired of this. Political debate brings out the worst in people. I've watched friends end longtime friendships. I've watched people scream the most bizarre alarmist theories and conspiracy theories. I've watched people swear that outright lies and rumors were total truth.
So, if you can't handle any of this about me, take me off your friends list and call me a dumbass. I'll miss you, but it might be best.
I'm done.

Comments

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to be better about that sort of thing -- I mean, I make a point not to say things to my sister like "well, at least my candidate didn't shoot someone in the face with a shotgun and get him to apologize for being in the way" anymore. The only thing worse than losing a political argument is winning, it seems....

Me, I'm not affiliated with either party anymore. I find Republican policies abhorrent and the chief Democratic negotiation tactic is capitulation (FISA was the deal-breaker for me, but if it weren't that, it'd be the bailout, too), so I'll sit out the primaries, thanks muchly. I certainly find my philosophy leaning more to the left, but I think it's more because the entire American political spectrum has shifted to the right.

But yeah, if I see an argument coming, I'm learning to just walk away slowly. Even if I'm having a really bad day and itching to unleash a smackdown, it's never as cathartic as I'd like.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

It's hard to win some of the arguments because I feel like I've still lost no matter what.

[chaosvizier.livejournal.com]

OMG YOU ARE UNDECIDED R U N IDIOT AND DUMBASS?!?!?!?

I totally agree with what you say. Politics turns people into fanatic zealots sometimes, and it's just way over the top. So far, no one candidate really supports my position, where we build a whole mess of tanks, storm the Canadian and Mexican borders, and add their distinctiveness to our own Borg collective. So I guess I'll vote for me again. ;-)

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

I should mention that Canada has Borg too. But they're more polite. They might offer us pancakes with real maple syrup before gently assimilating us.
Can't say if Mexico has Borg, though. If it does, which side would you really choose? Or would you stay in the middle, eating blueberry pancakes alongside beef burritos in an explosive taste melody while watching Celebrity Death Match featuring Alanis Morissette and Carlos Santana?

[chaosvizier.livejournal.com]

I'll happily be assimilated by the Pancake Maple Borg Collective. Not sure about the Bean Burrito Collective, though.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Bean Burrito Collective might get dangerous after a while. To attack their enemies, they'd just need to turn their backs on them.

[cwjennifer.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of making informed decisions based on non-partisan facts. I don't really bash on a candidate so much as get that much more behind MY candidate.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Excellent strategy. This isn't middle school! (Oh, wait...)

[gwynethfar.livejournal.com]

I don't understand the whole, "If you don't like my candidate, I can never talk to you again" thing. I have a friend who is the hardcore opposite of everything I believe politically. The way we stay friends? We don't talk about politics. The only time we've ever really argued, I mean, hardcore argued and didn't speak to each other for a while, was when she suggested we kill all Iraqis, we're talking, even children and infants, because "they're all going to grow up to be terrorists anyway." And that wasn't a political argument, that veered strongly into "Kill the brown people."

So, we don't talk about our opinions on minorities, either. I mean, really, is it that hard to go, "Okay, we don't agree on this, let's not talk about it?"

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Kill all the...
Because they'll grow up to be...
*blink blink*
*head tilt*
Oh. 'Kay.

Compared to that, the argument of "I won't let my daughter get the HPV vaccine because then she'll go have sex" seems wonderfully tame.

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

oh yoiks, I hope I haven't been obnoxious about the election stuff. I'm usually an ostrich during these heated political times but have gotten very involved this year after reading Naomi Wolf. I don't care what your preferences are, everyone is entitled to their ideas. I just hope I haven't been too off-putting.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Nah, this had nothing to do with anyone on my friends list or their personal views, just in general. :) You're fine!

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

whew... ya never know.. I've been pretty zealous and outspoken on things.

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

This is my personal view, for what it's worth. Pardon the awkward grammar.
1) People should vote for the cadidate that he or she really wants to get the job.
2) I don't need to know which way anyone intends to cast their vote. Why do I need to know this? I am not a voting machine.
3) Most importantly: Anyone who is concerned about the outcome of an election should go out and vote. This is the only place a person's opinion counts in an election.

When asked about any part of the election, I usually reply that politics, like religion, to me is a highly personal area, and I don't discuss it. If that puts anyone out, tough.

I think you are covered, my dear, as far as I am concerned.

My boss loves the blueberry coffee, but it's not for me. I'm really not into flavored coffees, except the occasional mocha. My opinion on coffee, or any personal preference, is pretty much the same as my political stance, except people taste and purchase instead of vote. :D

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

I think the biggest problem is that people really want to know that others agree with them, and cannot comprehend why others might not agree. I'm seeing this mentality everywhere.

I just keep telling people that my vote is personal and private.

I never thought I'd like flavored coffees. I never thought I'd like coffee, but it's amazing how my tastes have changed.

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

I never thought I'd like coffee, either. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when the coffee is of good quality, fresh, and prepared correctly.

I think the biggest problem is that people really want to know that others agree with them, and cannot comprehend why others might not agree. I'm seeing this mentality everywhere.

LOL! Americans sound like teenagers. I think you've hit that one right on the head.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Yes, to both the coffee and the teenagers. ;)

[jimmy-book.livejournal.com]

Well said. I've lost an entire segment of friends over this election, even though I never even explicitly stated who I was voting for. Being attacked because you don't join a certain brand of group think is not fun. Being hated by people who you love is the worst.

My dad has a Keurig and always asks if there's anything he should order for us to use when we visit. I'm going to suggest the blueberry to him.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

I would also recommend Dark Magic, which is fruity and chocolatey, and Columbian Fair Trade Select, which has citrusy flavors.

It must be depressing to lose so many friends over politics, or any form of group think, like religion. I get so upset when I think about why people won't allow themselves to get along and must resort to name-calling.

[jimmy-book.livejournal.com]

Oooh thanks for the suggestions.

Yes, it is super depressing and lonely. The path to healing after such a major shock is not easy. Many times I just went to my husband crying and asking, "Am I crazy? Am I stupid? Am I really morally corrupt?" I hate feeling so weak and second guessing myself like that. However, in the end, the process of reassessing my life, my friendships, and belief system has been a gift.

Rational posts like yours are also encouraging.