Us Against Them

While getting ready for the day this morning, Tracy Byrd's "We're From the Country" came across my Pandora shuffle stream. Quite an interesting song to come across my shuffle. But that's Pandora for you.

If you're not familiar with the song, it's about being from the country . . . and why that's better than being from . . . well, not the country. The song tries to make the case that living in the country is better, because in the country everybody knows your name, is friendly, etc.

There's no doubt that there's something to the song. There is a point to be made. And that point, well, is sorta made.

But underneath the song, as well as underneath so much of what we do and say, is an idea that we are better than them, whomever the them might be: city folk, people from another nation, people of another religion, etc.

It's what I've heard called an us against them mentality. I would say it's something that we've struggled with all throughout human history. A good friend of mine, who is a very skilled historian, has said that after 10,000 years (of human history), we're still simply trying to learn to get along with each other.

Just think about it. One thing that is behind so many of our conflicts and fights today . . . is the idea that we are better than them. And if they do not believe it, well then, we'll just show 'em.

I do not mean to rail against Tracy Byrd. I really don't. I like a lot of his music. But it just hit me this morning while in the bathroom getting ready for the day (sorry for the awkward visual). Okay, if you're from the country, that's great. But why does your pride for being that way have to come at the expense of people who aren't?

Why can't we be happy with who we are . . . and let (and maybe even allow) others to be happy with who they are?