I always appreciate your perspective, Deepak.

this really does help me see why my reactions to the republican party and its tactics are so extreme (and so negative). while it's good to bring the conflict to light, resolving it doesn't seem so simple...

Old Souls It

I am astonished at the overall tone of your article about Sarah Palin. It comes across to me as mean-spirited, drawing unsupported conclusions about Ms Palin, based on your own interpretation of the phrases you highlight as representing what she stands for: - Small town values - When did honesty, personal and public accountability, and a demand for fair play equate to "petty, small-minded parochialism" and "denial of America's global role"? Is it your assumption that she is incapable of a world view if she excels at managing local issues? - Ignorance of world affairs - How do you make the leap from "being ignorant" to "repudiating the need to repair America's image abroad"? Ignorance is an absence of knowledge, not the presence of arrogance. Although they can exist simultaneously, one does not guarantee the other. If you feel Ms Palin is arrogant, why not say that right out? And what better way to repair our image abroad than to practice responsible management of our resources at home? How can cleaning up the corruption in our own government, to the degree that it is possible, further damage our international reputation? How does practicing integrity in our own affairs do anything but enhance our relations with our allies? - Family values - This "code", as you put it, for exclusionary choices and behavior bears no relation to the family values I learned and still try to practice. They include showing loving kindness to members of my own family, as well as to anyone who becomes part of my "family" through social contact or at work; mentoring and encouraging others to move toward their dreams, to embrace life more fully rather than to pull back in fear toward "survival" behaviors; in fact, to view all of life as my family, and to contribute to it, never suppressing or abusing it. Even more limited, "traditional" family values do not describe divisive or hateful positions: to treasure life as a miracle we did not create and cannot fully comprehend; to pull together toward that which most benefits the group, even if it means personal sacrifice; to love unconditionally those who are entrusted to our care by that which is greater than we are; to give of our own wealth to those in our community who are in need; to create a community that allows people to grow and develop and eventually flourish. These are often considered to be "small town" values as well, since they tend to disappear in the cities, where people are more isolated and anonymous than in small communities. Granted, they are not always practiced. They are the "values" toward which we aspire. - Rigid stands on guns and abortion - I missed the "scorn" with which these subjects were treated by Ms Palin. Are you reading scorn into her attitude because you cannot imagine a position on these two subjects which is different from your own as having any merit? Who is really being scornful here, if an opposing opinion is intolerable to you? - Patriotism - Wow! That I love and honor my country is proof that it is wrong? Are candidates only fervent about their homelands when that homeland has done something that isn't working? It seems to me that most candidates demonstrate patriotic loyalty when they are soliciting the support of a body of people, whether it's loyalty to a company or an organization or a country. How can one support a leader who disdains the very group he is leading? - Reform - Haven't candidates from both parties been preaching reform during the entire campaign? How is that one side's reform constitutes a pogrom and the other side's doesn't? We've heard Ms Palin's "boss", Mr McCain, say over and over again that he solicits top performers for his administration, regardless of their party affiliation. Does that sound like an intolerance for differing ideologies? I have gotten the impression that Ms Palin did not follow party lines to determine who she supported in the Alaska administration. It seems to be a big part of her appeal to voters, that she relied on common sense with an eye toward effectiveness, rather than defending and submitting to the existing power structure as an expedient. You can see that I have questions about virtually every conclusion you have drawn in your article. It can fairly be said that both Democrats and Republicans have used fear, rejection, hostility to the other side's platform, and narrow-mindedness to win elections. There is little difference between the two parties' willingness to abandon principle if it might cost too much in property or power. BTW, did you mean to say "negligible" in the first paragraph, or do you think Ms Palin has exhibited "negligent" expertise?

In my view the ire of many of the lengthy comments in response to this blog entry just make the point that the SHADOW is highly activated among many. I oculdn't agree more with Deepak's interpretation and see the widespread, unfounded idolatry of Palin overnight as something operating on a largely unconscious level which is, unfortunately, very consistent with our celebrity culture and largely unrelated to whether she is qualified to be one of our nation's key leaders.

I share Chopra

Dear poster Jon McAin?? What is actually sad is to see that after reading those Deepak

I love the passion in this election, and I know we all have our opinions. I am a liberal, and my mother is a fierce republican, so I certainly understand heated arguments. However, as heated as these arguments may be, please keep the community guidelines in mind. (http://beta.intent.com/guidelines) We want to nurture a community here that can debate an idea without attacking a person. Feel free to disagree and voice your opinion, but know we are all people here. I try to make a practice out of letting people feel my warmth while arguing so they know it is nothing personal. Anything else is just ranting. Thanks guys. -Community Manager Dave

Nice to get some perspective on how the human psyche plays such a pivitol role in the decisions we make as living beings. The question is, shouldn't we also be elvolving? I think far too many Americans are brainwashed puppets who follow the status quo, the moral majority and the lies of false patriotism and political propaganda. Is America really such a great country? Are we supposed to love America with all our hearts? No way, not today. The world is changing, and we need to start changing with it. This artitlce adds a true, clear and honest perspective on just how frightened human beings are of change, even when we all know change is for the better.