The Kids are Watching
It's Saturday morning in late January of 2022. I walk into one of my kid's rooms to draw open the blinds to let him some natural light. Like most people, I'm put at ease by having light from the sun in my home. Unfortunately, the sunshine did not pour into our home as I had hoped. This Saturday, and many others after, featured large trucks and trailers dominating our street, flying "F*CK Trudeau" flags.
Like... who taught these people how to act like this?
I'm not against my children learning different political perspectives, but I want them to have a clear-headed approach when navigating the issues of life. The convoy didn't meet that definition. I closed the blinds. Our light source was not coming from the outside; it would have to come from somewhere else.
I'm asking myself questions about how my wife and I teach our two boys about the current provincial election. What do they need to understand? How should they respond to flag-waving and partisan rhetoric? What's helpful regarding civic, regional, and national pride? They are both extremely intelligent, and I'm often taken aback by how much they can grasp at their age, but I recognize there's only so much I can teach about the political process and how we engage as citizens.
You don't have to be a parent to understand that words can only get you so far when you're trying to teach values. The best tool we have for teaching is action. I've sat through dozens of corporate seminars on discovering and clarifying your organization's mission, vision, and values. These sessions usually involve a facilitator who will guide key decision-makers in a brainstorming session where everyone must write down the things they do in the company they're most proud of. The point of the exercise is to highlight that the values of any culture are driven by action. It's not what you say that plants the seeds of culture; it's what you do that sets the foundation of values.
While I'm an imperfect teacher, here's what I'm trying to do.
1) Talk with people. Any candidate visiting our home is welcome. Anyone that cares enough to run for our community at any level of government deserves a moment or two if they or their team knocks on our door. I know that often, these teams have young, passionate volunteers; I'm also hoping to teach them that there are people like us who will be respectful and open to talking. Unfortunately, I suspect there are many doors teaching the opposite. I’ve had contact with two opposing candidates so far. They both received a warm handshake from me and a firm but fair conversation.
2) Be a critical thinker. Pick up some books and read. Critical thinking is the best antidote to political and partisan rhetoric. Elections are often a game of marketing—effective campaign strategies based on getting people to respond emotionally. Very few of us are motivated by complex explanations of issues. Presenting a fair argument isn't going to swing any opinion poll. I wish it was different, but it's not. I've committed on average, to 4-5 hours of learning every week from various perspectives. The learning is in books, podcasts, audiobooks, the news, and courses. Coming to an election with 234 or more hours of learning per year will make you mentally allergic to simplistic reasoning. Most speeches are written with the goal of making us feel, more than they are to make us think.
As someone who enjoys public speaking, I appreciate the efforts, but political speeches are like the fast food of communication. Fast, tasty, but not that great for your heart.
"Danielle Smith is going to make your pay for health care with a credit card", or "Notley's Dangerous NDP-Trudeau alliance" are great examples of partisan fast food communication. Statements like this aren't going to promote healthy, critical thinking. These polarizing statements also do not reflect how Albertans actually think. The average Albertan is much more politically complex, and communication that ignores that complexity isn’t helpful.
3) Relax. We have a sign on our lawn indicating who we will be supporting this election. Occasionally, the sign will be pulled out. Who's doing this? Some will assume the opposing candidate's campaign is organizing volunteers to do this. Me? I think It's probably some kid. Most days, I'm a pretty chill individual, so this one is easier for me. I'm hoping this is something my kids can pick up from me. I assume the best out of people before concluding the worse. No one is trying to destroy Alberta. Yes, some people passionately argue their perspectives, but the motivation in most cases is to make Alberta a better place to live.
It's now Saturday in the middle of an Alberta election. There are signs everywhere and political rallies throughout the province. It's time that values of grace, wisdom, and confidence shine out. We all need to get better at politics. How we influence each other is just as important as our convictions, perhaps even more. Each election is an opportunity to shape the character of our community, so let’s be intentional about how we do it.
Friend, thanks for reading. I hope you can seize opportunities this week to talk, listen and relax during this election season. Why? Because the kids are watching.