Vitriol's Lure

I've long known that I write better when I'm angry.  The thoughts come together quickly, the logic is crisp and the anger gives a certain sharpness to the delivery that I think makes for better writing.  Perhaps though, what I've been experiencing is that passion (of which anger is but one presentation) makes your best more accessible.  Perhaps this explains vitriol's lure?

I've been wondering a lot lately about vitriol particularly because there was so much of it about in the election season and traces of it remain everywhere.
Endless streams of invective are aimed at folk who don't think or frankly, talk, (or, let's be honest, look) like you.  It's wearying and not terribly effective as a form of discourse.  But that aside, what is clear is that vitriol sells.  It sells books, moves the proverbial needle of public opinion and these are the things that matter apparently. 

I have to wonder sometimes whether the intent of some of the utterances we hear and read is to educate or just to irritate?  Folk like Rush Limbaugh make me wonder whether the intent is really to encourage others around to their way of thinking, or just to keep the friendly masses whipped up into a state of lather and frenzy.

My concern isn't directed solely at conservative thinkers, I recently listened to a very liberal gentleman speak (I don't remember his name), and all I could do was suck my teeth and turn away. The source of his distress was that nothing that had been achieved by the current President met his liberal standards.  At the time, all I could think was, "In what parallel universe America do you think that kind of law would have made it through this legislature?"  He appeared to be a complete stranger to that quaint notion 'compromise'.  Listening to him I suddenly realized that this country thrives on the diametrically opposing positions.  It's good for the newsmakers but not necessarily good news for the news readers.

Nothing seems to work in the middle here.  All view points must be on opposite ends of the spectrum.  Bookends.  Votes are cast for extremes of opinion and then extremes go up on the Hill and stake out their space.  Me over here and you, wayyyyyyyyy over there.  No wonder there's so much shouting.  I can only hear you if you shout.  I'm not coming to the middle so that we can actually have a conversation, and you're not coming to the middle so that we can actually have a conversation so let's just see who can shout the loudest.  Lovely.

The other reality is that voters, citizens, residents whatever you call folk on the outside looking on, crave entertainment so in steps vitriol to ramp up the entertainment factor and to vie for the ears and eyes of the voting public. Between the vitriol and the shouting, I've got a permanent headache.

Good luck getting anything done.