Knee-jerk Reactions

Over the last month or so, I've devoted a small portion of time to the matter of the knee-jerk reaction. I've been studying various reactions to specific stimuli and I've noticed just how common we as a species revert to our automated responses. We’re almost a slave to these responses.

Mention the name of Bill Clinton to your average Orange County resident and watch the eyes roll back in his head. Conversely, drop George W. Bush’s name in a pub in highly-liberal Toronto and you can reasonably expect that no one will pick up your drink. This reflex isn’t limited to the arena of politics. Favourably mention your average top-40 band to the local music snob and you can almost see their respect for you drop. Mention Rush Limbaugh to anyone left of Mussolini, and— well, you might see a little vomit.

Pop culture, music, movies—there’s some innate part of us that reacts before it thinks. Consider your own reaction to the following:

-Rush Limbaugh

-Howard Stearn

-Nickleback

-Fox News

-The New York Times

-Coldplay

-Miley Sirus

-Country Music

The knee-jerk motion is extremely frustrating. While these reactions are informed by our core beliefs (which are legitimate), there is a point where ideology takes over critical thought. It’s important to fight against this so that we don’t become static in our world view; so that we keep an open mind; and so that we don’t react like automatons reading from the playbook. Because we’re people, not robots.

If you hate Bill Clinton, try to explore those feelings and determine weather they’re legitimately yours, or whether you’ve picked up on the rhetoric of talk radio and TV news. So many times I’ve heard people recycle others’ comments and have thought to myself, “how often do I do that?” While I’m an Obama supporter, I must constantly reexamine what it is about his policies and persona that I find appealing, rather than buying into the extensive media machine that sycophantically drools after him.

In the music arena, Coldplay are often derided as top-40 hacks who write overly sensitive songs in a way that vaguely, and inadequately, mimics Radiohead. This, only after their first standout album brought them riches, uncounted radio hits, and legions of fans (not to mention critical acclaim). But Chris Martin and co. deserve a closer look at the product they work hard to put out. If you listen and decide, ‘this isn’t for me,’ it’s fine. But you must listen first before making up your mind. Don’t write off the band just because they’re successful.

Read “My Life,” before you put that final nail in Clinton’s coffin. Check out “The Audacity of Hope,” to help inform your opinions about Obama. If you find you’re not a fan of the McCain, talk to your local member of the Straight-talk Express. I guarantee you will be enlightened. If you end up as an opponent of McCain, at least you gave him a chance. Oh, and if you don’t like Rush Limbaugh, talk to… uh, wait, you’re on your own there.