What's wrong with being a fence sitter? By Suaup in Suaup's Diary Sat Jun 21, 2003 at 09:31:54 PM EST Tags: (all tags)
	In America I'm constantly attacked for being what's considered a "fence sitter." In the other countries I've visited I've never encountered the same type of attitude towards the middle of the road approach on topics such as religion, politics, and views on life. My friends in other nations are actually pretty open minded about my approach on life. Yet, in America by my friends, family, and people on the street being a fence sitter is considered weak. What is the problem with it?

ADVERTISEMENT Sponsor: rusty This space intentionally left blank ...because it's waiting for your ad. So why are you still reading this? Come on, get going. Read the story, and then get an ad. Alright stop it. I'm not going to say anything else. Now you're just being silly. STOP LOOKING AT ME! I'm done! comments (24) active | buy ad ADVERTISEMENT The two primary examples I want to talk about are religion and politics. For religion I am a agnostic atheist. That is, subjectively and personally I don't believe a God exists because I'm not convinced in regards to how I was raised (Christian) and at the evidence I've been since found in my search. Objectively I'm agnostic because I simply don't believe either Atheists or Christians can truly, objectively know if God exists outside of their belief at this point in time with what knowledge we have. I stand by being agnostic because it allows me to analyze and look at both arguments with an open mind. That is, I sit on the fence because it gives me the best view of both lawns, unlike a strong atheist I can acknowledge some of the historical truths in religion. Unlike a strong believer I can acknowledge the fallacies in religion. I consider myself on a life-time quest to figure out the truth for myself about religion, thus, I've taken up this position. However, it is considered weak by many in America. This could simply be because I know more people in America than I do outside of the country, but there seems to be some fundamental belief about taking a stance in this country. I've been called a pussy by my atheist friends for being a fence sitter and not "Taking a stand." and I've been called a weak atheist by my religious friends for not denouncing atheism. My family thinks I need to decide and get on with sitting on the fence because "there's nothing worst than a fence sitter." I'm committed to these views and their badgering won't change that, but I'm interested in why there is such pressure and anger towards fence sitters. In politics I attended a protest about the war in Iraq. There were people who supported the war and people who were against the war. I've always supported the war for moral reasons, but was against it for legal reasons. At the protest there was just borderline idiotic close-mindedness on both sides. The pro war refused to listen to any argument that did not come from Fox News. The anti war refused to listen to any argument that did not come from Indymedia. They accomplished absolutely nothing but yelling at each other, provoking fights, and getting people who agreed with their view to honk as they drove by. So I made a sign that said Think * Vote * Discuss. That's all it said. It was a little experiment. Sure enough, the pro-wars attacked me for being a flaming liberal. The anti-wars attacked me for being a flaming pro-government idiot because "voting didn't work." I explained the purpose of my sign was to promote rationality and stop the assumptions. Some people understood it ang thought it was all right. But many more were against it "Get off the fucking fence and grow some balls, write 'SUPPORT OUR TROOPS' on your sign since you support it for moral reason." or "Let me draw a peace sign on it, don't be afraid, take a stance with us." The most common was "Grow some balls and take a stance." I even got punched in the stomach for being a flaming liberal with that sign by a soldier. So, what's the deal with the need to take a side to the extreme? I have my views, I've taken my stance, but there's little people who stand on my side of the arguments. Because I recognize and agree with arguments from both sides does not mean I'm a pussy ass fence sitter, but there seems to be this attitude in America that you HAVE to take a side and stand 100% along side it or you're just not a man. Where does this pressure come from? Even on the religion thread we have going now, there's all sorts of attacks on agnostics for "being fence sitters of the worst kind."

Poll

Fence sitters of the objective kind: The best way to view both sides of the wall with an open mind. A good way to live your life. 50% A decent way to solve a problem till you're ready to make a choice. 8% Too afraid to hop off the wall and be with your peers - Fast path to isolation. 0% Indecisve, weak, and afraid of the consequences of choice. 41% Votes: 12 Results | Other Polls

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