The great tension is between the rise of the idea that our feelings are all important, that they are the test of things; and the concept of the promise and the vow, which is in one sense public, but in a related sense, is a form of internalized public stance, as it is simultaneously made to at least one other person, and in that sense to the community. The tension is (1) to determine what is or is not the defining characteristic of one's self -- is it all what I want or need, or does it involve public elements; and (2) the implications of the decisions.

The political ramifications are obvious: Republicans accuse Democrats of being purely random "feeling" people with no morals, so if they are in charge, everything will dissolve into chaos; meanwhile Democrats believe that moral judgements without regard for the people involved are heartless ideology or hypocrisy. This is why Republicans were so gleeful about Cliinton; and why Democrats are so gleeful about Republican shenanigans. No one ever accused Bill Clinton of hypocrisy.

yours,

Peter T.