Earlier today, while chatting with a conservative relative on the telephone, it was explained to me that if I wanted to mend familial fences broken by my political opinions, I should respect my family's right to "not know what they don't know."
This comment took place in the midst of a tenuous conversation with a representative of my family - most have no communication with me at all since I decided to take an interest in the political landscape some years back - as she explained how she had every right to "not know what I don't want to know" and it would be rude of me to introduce her to facts of which she was unaware.
"If I want to know about something, I will do my own research," she told me. "I don't need someone telling me what THEY believe."
When I explained I sincerely do not attempt to share beliefs and do my best to simply share factual, provable data, she doubled down.
"I don't need anyone else's facts, I can find my own if I want to."
That stymied me. I had no response because, if you are going to limit your knwledge of ANYTHING only to facts that you pick and choose - assiduously avoiding ANY outside information not of your choosing - how in the world would you ever hope of attaining any perspective on ANY issue?
I fear there may be something seriously wrong with me. Because, even as I also do "my own research" I often invite outside voices into the conversation in hopes of unearthing facts unknown to me. Because this is often how I discover I might - gasp! - be wrong.
It was suggested to me that I scrupulously avoid ANY mention of "sensitive" subjects when communicating with my family. That I should pretend everything is hunky-dory and that we are all on the same page, all for the sake of a delusional family unity.
And I'm afraid that just ain't gonna happen.