Affirming the fringes

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Summer Wildcat Zach Thomas

Some far right.

Many don't care.

But some are way out.

A yearning to live on the fringes of society plays in the hearts of many a restless youth. To see the country. Rub elbows. To beat your own drum.

It's probably why On the Road remains so hip.

Inevitably, however, most return to the mainstream, hot again to marginalize the fringes in which they only dabbled, and reaffirm the pervasive anthrocentrism of the western world. That whole thing about self-determination in terms of others.

The us and them.

The frat boys versus the vagrants.

The entrepreneurs and the drunkards.

But lest this column itself run further toward the esoteric philosophical fringes, I'll cut to the chase.

By denigrating the edges of society, we selectively slice from the social fabric to no positive ends. Through a sports bar-esque superficiality, we thumbour noses at a sidewalk drunkard and take away from our own collective potential for understanding and further widen the schism amongst preordained social classes.

This is not to say that everyone should offer street dwellers couch space on a regular basis, but the propensity for many to disavow certain social elements is troubling to say the least.

A good analogy comes from the professional media itself, as reporters and editors pass on recognizing third-party candidates solely because they're of political inviolability. Vagrants too, who wander into newsrooms nationwide with horror stories of UFOs and government spinal-column implants may be full of bunk, but they apparently aren't even worth an ear. Everyone has a story, so what makes one person's story, true or not, more viable than another's?

As a microcosm, this illustrates the prevailing attitude of mainstream America - an attitude of outright indifference or denial for anyone or anything that does not jibe with the collective, albeit individualistic, masses.

What's more is that history dictates that popular revolution has traditionally emanated from the parts of society furthest from power. While revolt clearly is not around the corner, why would it be wise for the press, let alone anyone, continue to marginalizing the fringes?

Because it would be foolhardy to debate the existence of ingrained social classes, and a call for society-wide reconciliation would be brushed away as bunk, I can only conclude personally on this one.

While talking to another Wildcat reporter on Wednesday, we arrived at the conclusion that both of us gravitate toward the uncommon elements of society - people not entrenched in or obsessed with being part of the crowd. Folks who beat their own drums and are less likely to buy into the conventional wisdom.

Perhaps this would be a better formula for more Americans and foster a little more understanding.

And it's also probably why I don't go to sports bars.

Zach Thomas is a senior majoring in journalism and is editor in chief of the Arizona Daily Wildcat. He can be reached via e-mail at Zach.Thomas@wildcat.arizona.edu. His column appears every Friday.