The Illusion of Choice

A friend of mine wrote the following post on Facebook: "A Lesson in Libertarianism: Just because I may be against government intervention in <topic>, that doesn't necessarily mean that I am in favor of <topic>. This is what authoritarians cannot seem to wrap their head around."

And she's right; they cannot wrap their heads around it because their heads come to a poi---(can't say that?) because their heads are too far up thei--- (can't say that either, huh?) <points to card and whispers> (Can I say that one? How about that one? This one? I can say this one? okay) ... they can't wrap their heads around it because ... they ONLY understand the difference between "right" and "wrong". Oh, "binary thinking."

"Against the run of the mill, swimming against the stream, life in two dimensions is a mass production scheme."

It's essentially the cognitive equivalent of trying to play a game of poker with a hand of Uno cards. It’s a great way to simplify complex issues into neat little boxes that you can label “Right” and “Wrong” but, spoiler alert: real life doesn’t come with labels. If it did, the label on MY box would probably say, “Heavily Medicated for Your Protection.”

"So much style without substance, so much stuff without style. It's hard to recognize the real thing [when it] comes along once in a while."

Take, for instance, the age-old debate of pineapple on pizza. To the binary thinker, this is an existential crisis of epic proportions: "Pineapple on pizza? Sacrilege!" they cry, as if they’ve just witnessed a cat trying to use a fork. But in the real world, some people enjoy it, some don't, and no amount of righteous indignation will change their taste buds.

The weird part is that authoritarians are the masters of binary thinking, especially in American politics. "You can drink anything you want as long as it's Coke or Pepsi. You can eat at any restaurant you want as long as it's Burger King or McDonalds. You can vote for any candidate you want in any political race across the country as long as they are a Democrat or a Republican." In a society that revels in its freedom to choose, why is it only in politics that we are force-fed a two-party system?

"Against the run of the mill (static as it seems), we break the surface tension with our wild kinetic dreams."

Political discourse is an arena where binary thinking reigns supreme. You’re either “With Us” or “Against Us,” no middle ground allowed. The subtle art of compromise and nuanced discussion gets tossed out the window like yesterday’s pizza crusts. It's all so dramatic and melodramatic that one might expect a trumpet flourish and a dramatic monologue every time someone voices a differing opinion. Imagine trying to navigate a debate with binary thinkers in charge of the GPS. “Turn left into 'Irrelevant' and then make a U-turn into 'Forget It.' Your destination is 'We’re Done Here.'”

We're not being given "a choice"; we're being given "an illusion of choice". For us Libertarians, both the Democratic and Republican Parties are simply cut from the same cloth. There is nothing that either of them has that we want (except, perhaps, major party status). While we support some of the same ideas as each of the Old Parties, it's the methods that they advocate to separate themselves from each other that are, to us, quite similar in nature and not at all aligned with our primary idea of "liberty for all with malice toward none".

"Like a rare and precious metal 'neath a ton of rock, it takes some time and trouble to separate from the stock. Sometimes you have to listen to a lot of useless talk."

We understand that the Old Party system attempts to stifle any dissent to their messaging by simply being louder. As the saying goes, "money talks" and the more that you have, the louder your messaging is broadcast. But the messaging has had to change now because of the advent of social media. If you thought binary thinking was bad in person, wait until you see it in the digital coliseum, where every issue is reduced to a meme and every disagreement is reduced to a hashtag. “#TeamPineapple” and “#BanPineapple” clash like titans, oblivious to the fact that pineapple is neither a villain nor a hero but just a fruit trying its best to fit in.

On social media, binary thought is turbocharged with a blend of outrage and echo chambers. One side is always "right," the other side is always "wrong," and nuance is lost faster than you can say "TL;DR" (Too Long; Didn’t Read).

And that's our problem as Libertarians; we thrive in the nuance. For us, and we believe that it should be this way for everyone, the race for President of the United States (or for any other office) is not about who will win or lose, but about who is qualified and who is not. It's about the integrity within the character of the candidate.

"So much poison in power the principles get left out. So much mind on the matter, the spirit gets forgotten about."

Here’s the kicker: binary thinking itself is an inherently flawed construct, a perfect example of the irony it tries so desperately to avoid. It pretends that the world is a series of clear-cut decisions and moral absolutes while simultaneously missing the rich complexity of human experience. It’s like trying to fit the Mona Lisa into a one-square-inch frame and then complaining that it’s too small to appreciate. Newsflash: the problem isn’t the painting; it’s your frame.

Life is a lot more interesting when you acknowledge the vast spectrum of possibilities that exist between “Yes” and “No.” Embrace the gray area because it’s where the good stuff happens, like debates about pineapple on pizza or discussions about whether or not the universe is conspiring to make you late for work.

"Like a righteous inspiration overlooked in haste, like a teardrop in the ocean, a diamond in the waste. Some world views are spacious and some are merely space."

Binary thought might simplify things, but it also makes life awfully dull. So, let’s toss aside those rigid boxes and revel in the messy, beautiful, and infinitely complex reality that’s far beyond just “black and white.” Because, let’s face it, the world is much more fun when you don’t have to choose just one side of the argument.