I May Not Recognize Her Name, But I May Be Following Her Example
I don’t know if anybody who reads this will recognize the name Pauline Kael, but a quote attributed to her is fairly famous in political circles. I emphasized the words “attributed to her” because a little research I did resulted in my learning that she never actually said exactly what people claim she said.
Supposedly, Ms. Kael was incredulous about the fact that Richard Nixon had won the presidency in 1972. The quote attributed to her is, “I can’t believe Nixon won. I don’t know anybody who voted for him.”
According to the information I discovered her actual words were, “I live in a rather special world. I only know one person who voted for Nixon. Where they are I don’t know. They’re outside my ken. But sometimes when I’m in a theater I can feel them.”
Both the actual quote and the “urban legend version” point to what could, in my opinion, be a real danger. Either version of the quote could point to a trap into which all of us could fall.
Let me begin my thoughts about that by providing just a little background on Ms. Kael herself. She was a native of California and received her degree from The University of California, Berkeley. She was a well-known film critic for The New Yorker from 1968 to 1991.
None of that information would lead one to believe that she would spend a great deal of time with people who would vote for a candidate like Richard Nixon. In fact, it could be argued that a person might be surprised that she knew of even one person who cast a ballot for him.
So – where’s the danger? What is prompting my thoughts?
First, please believe me when I state that there is absolutely nothing political in what I’m thinking. This is not about liberal thinking vs. conservative thinking; elephants vs. donkeys; or anything like that. While I’m concerned about what appears to me to be a condescending attitude in the last couple of sentences of the actual quote, that is also not my primary concern.
What I’m concerned about and what I view as a real potential, if not actual, danger is that a lot of us have a tendency to gravitate to people with whom we have a great deal in common. We tend to like to live in neighborhoods with people who are a lot like us. We tend to socialize with people who are a lot like us. We tend to have most of our conversations with people who “see things” pretty much like we “see things.”
In my opinion, there are some negative results of all of this. First, it should be obvious that this type of lifestyle results in people becoming increasingly isolated. That isolation might result in missing out on some important knowledge. Somebody could actually say or write something that would cause me to rethink a position or two. Would that be such a crime?
Is there a chance that, if I would get out of my “comfort zone,” I might have some very pleasant social interactions with others? Would that be so bad?
While you ponder those questions (and maybe some others that might come to mind), please think with me about what seems to be a sad and dangerous path. As I begin my journey on the path, I make the decision to travel only with those who are “like me.”
As I continue to travel down the path I’ve chosen, I begin to notice to my surprise and sadness that there actually are some differences. Those who are the most like me may choose to “branch off” onto another path. Before long, it is discovered that some of those on that path aren’t “carbon copies” of one another either.
By now, you can probably see where this is going. The real danger on a personal level is that I could continue to “branch off” until I find myself isolated, alone, and bitter. A real danger on a societal level is that, as a people, we become increasingly segmented and suspicious.
There are also some real dangers for me as a Christian. First, I am not following the example of Jesus who spent time with people from a variety of walks of life, economic levels, etc. You might remember that He was severely criticized for even spending time with people regarded as sinners.
Secondly, if I “wrap myself up in my little cocoon” and fail to interact with others, I am failing to follow His instructions as found in Matt. 5:14-16:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
We would be well advised to follow His example and His teaching.
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
