Overrated or Underrated
Tact is overrated. It is a fine line…this business of choosing ones’ words carefully or just blurting it out. Is it possible to forge a path between the two? A gentle, sloping path through the morass of words and feelings and opinions. Driving over the bridge today I was almost mesmerized, but not dangerously so, while listening to an interview of Robert Kennedy, the son of the first and the nephew of Jackie’s husband. He was being questioned by David Remnick of the New Yorker. Robert Jr has a rough, hoarse voice as if he is ill or the victim of years of cigarettes. I am not sure which or even if.
I have read briefly about his decision to run for President as a Democrat. His choice of political party distracts perhaps from what a nut I think he is. Well, maybe not entirely nutty, but much more than just interesting. Remnick used a lot of tact. I could feel it even through the limitations of the car radio. I imagined he was struggling to balance a necessary condiment of respect with his own frustrations, impatience or even bemusement.
Remnick has a very autistic child, as he put it. Kennedy believes that vaccinations are a hoax, autism is the result of such and all of the above is a conspiracy on the part of the government. Such a view orients him to the assassinations of his father and uncle. His raspy, odd voice was a combination of sad and ridiculous. It is not tactful for me to say here that I wonder how such a voice could really be president. But after all we had Trump.
As the interview progressed Kennedy turned to refer to his former, 14-year heroin addiction and the 16, 12 step meetings he attends weekly. And that such a program taught him how to live a life and that after all, couldn’t we all benefit from such? This important tangent did distract me from my distrust and anger. Of course I forgave his stupidity for the moment as I pictured my own son. Almost 8 years sober and newly graduated from UCLA.
And then Kennedy exited the personal to criticize the war in Ukraine as something about US meddling and why doesn’t Biden and his entourage do more negotiating with Putin and somehow put ourselves in the shoes of the other. I doubt very much that Putin is capable of wearing anyone’s shoes except his own pair of black, rigid lace ups.
Perhaps, however, this other shoe business is the key to tact, the balance between too much and too little. If the shoe fits, wear it and walk amongst the bits and pieces of conflictual information. To find the balance, something in between. Neither over nor underrated.
As I write I hear a voice, “Put it over there! Not there, over here!!” She is yelling and adamant on the other side of the trees and the scampering squirrels. The blue and the clouds and the breeze carry the sounds. Didn’t sound tactful. But it gets the point across.
As he spoke, Kennedy didn’t seem to be filtering his responses to Remnick’s questions. He didn’t seem to be sorting through what might get him elected... or not. Depends of course on who is listening. But the New Yorker audience probably leans more to the left than the right. This Kennedy…such an odd mixture of those from the castle and from within the rooms.
My son got sober and it is not overrated. Sobriety saved his life. It is good that Kennedy found his, but it is too bad that he pretends to be capable.