Friend or Foe?
In the 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial elections, these 4 candidates went head-to-head-to-head-to-head against one another. The bottom two really didn’t have a snowballs chance in Massachusetts today (89 degrees with high humidity) of winning. The top 2 were the candidates that were in it to win it.
Kerry Healey (top right) initially had the advantage, but she was looked at as mean and known for what she was against than for what she was for. (“I’m against crime” “I’m against higher taxes”, etc…) Of course these are not bad things. In my humble opinion they’re good things. But Deval Patrick (top left) was only known for what he was for (The fact that “Together we can!”).
These two characters do the same thing (or at least thats what they were called to do) – Preach. However, Pat Robertson is known, most of the time anyway, for what he is against, while Joel Osteen is known for what he is for.
Even blogging is not exempt from this polarity. Some of the blogs I read I know as ones who are for things like life and hope and love and happiness and other similar things. Others I know he or she will write something that is going to make somebody mad, and most of the time this is on purpose.
Like it or hate it, this is the way today’s world works – if you are a leader, you are known for what you are for or what you are against. It’s not a republican or a democrat thing, it’s a likeability thing. Do I like you or not? Do I agree with what you say or do I hate you for what you say?
The interesting thing about this is that probably 90% of the time the side each person lands on who is a leader is on purpose. Yes I think Joel Osteen does what he does on purpose and has the audience he has as a result. And yes, I think Pat Robertson says some of the things he says on purpose and as a result, has the audience he has.
So if you were crafting an image of yourself, based on your personality and strengths,
Would you be for something or against something?
Related posts:
Probably a mix of both. This reminds me of Jeff’s recent posts . . .
My hope is to be FOR something. My fear is that I am more often AGAINST something. The larger question might be though, is it possible to be FOR something by being AGAINST something else? or Vice versa?
I think you could argue that the Democrats lost 2004 by being “against Bush” more than being for anything in particular. It wasn’t until 2006 that being “against Bush” alone became compelling enough to win some midterm elections. But I still don’t think that alone is capable of winning a presidential election against someone who isn’t Bush.
But that doesn’t seem to be the case — John McCain’s staff just went through a major shakeup, and part of the reason is that his campaign was seen as lacking a message. Basically, that his message was that “he’s not Barack Obama”, which is another image carved out of negative space. If that doesn’t change, he will lose like Kerry Healey did.
Like you, I’m not bringing this up to support any particular person, just to point out the most visible example of what you’re talking about.
Yes.
It’s virtually impossible to be for something without being against something else. This the unfortunate condition of discernement and discrimination.
If we choose to support or condone one thing, it’s at the expense of something else.
Now, if we also choose to present or define ourselves by the things we oppose, we also connotate our personalities and tip our hand to the true “type” of person we are.
Did i mention i’m against this whole line of questioning?
Jeez. And here I was expecting you to declare Osama Obama as Deval Patrick II. Which would get no argument from me!
Excellent post. I think all too often as Christians we’re known for what we’re against. Especially those of us in the SBC. Personally….at times I’m known for what I’m against but alot of the time for what I’m for. I’m trying to be against something by being for something. Erwin McManus does a good job of this. He doesn’t speak out against old school SBC life instead he speaks so strongly with another message that it’s obvious.
Awesome insight, Uneasy Rider. Truly magnificent.