Open Letter to Arianna Huffington
I was first introduced to Arianna Huffington at Dreamforce 2014 as she gave a keynote speech. Since that time I began to follow her, not because I agree with everything she says, but as an ENFJ, in a true diplomatic-type approach, I seek to understand the value of different opinions.
With that said, rather then troll comment my thoughts on her recent post, “How to Get Out of the Cycle of Outrage In a Trump World”, I figured it was better suited to put some context around my response. With that said, Arianna Huffington, if you’re reading, this is for you.
Dear Arianna,
When I read your headline my first thought was, it would helpful if people stopped making headlines that are intended to emote more discord. Then being fair to your voice I read your proceeding statements only to confirm my expectations.
I’m curious why people who have influence don’t spend less time on political rhetorics and more time clarifying the issues at hand. Rather than being the change our culture needs, they continue to write narratives that only serve their purpose.
Most of the words we use today are pointless because of our polarized viewpoints that your own tweets and headlines promote. For example, what does “American” even mean or represent in the present day. At one point it was believed “we the people” had a voice, but your portrayal of our state is tyrannically, cynically, and hopelessly left to the clutches of an elected president.
Our founding father’s (and even women at that time), like all people, did not agree on everything, but they put in place a foundational framework based on “American” values. The Constitution was a starting place, but “we the people” were meant to carry on the conversation, which is why values like freedom of speech were embedded into the fabric of our necessary government. Before we as a culture attack the values that were so deeply rooted we should probably spend more time understanding why they are there in the first place.
With that, times have changed, and the challenges we face are even more difficult. In an age of information one could argue we are the most misinformed. Which is why I hold people of influence and of journalism, like yourself, accountable to a representative responsibility. Influential people such as yourself have the potential to facilitate the discussions we need rather than sparking discord or directing attention to distraction.
What if the rules to winning the political game were based how well politicians informed people and not by their fund-raising capabilities through extortion. Would America then operate more like the republic our founders intended? What if Americans were discouraged from sharing their opinion once every four years when expressing their monarch view of the POTUS and instead were constantly pushed by the media and the influentials to discuss things like, “what is the proper level of government and it’s power in our present day.” We need better voices, we can’t press on through this forth industrial revolution expecting politicians to ask the right questions; I assume you’ve listened to Congress’s interview of Mark Zuckerberg… just embarrassing.
I’ll close with this, as fellow human I respect your right to your opinion, and I even empathize with some of your expression of frustration with our current state. I write this letter though, to distinguish that as an American (which should also be read as a unifying statement), we have to communicate better. Sure Americans need sleep, as you promote so well, but America needs to be woke. This pursuit of American values shouldn’t be a wedge to drive people apart from one another, rather a collection of ideals for us to identify together.
I appreciate your attention and welcome any additional perspective you have to offer.
Your fellow American,
Nicholas D. Worth
