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Less uniformity might be good

Perhaps uniformity isn’t always desired.

Obviously there are exceptions (aren’t there always?) but I think it’s fair to say nature prefers congruity.

When one of something is formed, it’s a reasonable bet the others will share similar appearances. I quickly pulled out three photographs to illustrate my point.

The first is a close-up of a bit over a dozen stems from the great ragweed. Yes, it’s a nasty one, especially if you suffer from hay fever, but it’s also a pest to eliminate since it can grow to a height of 15 feet (and you just know how deep those roots will be). Interesting, but not my immediate point. I look at each stretching raceme and, on each, countless individual flowers. Like snowflakes, a purist might find differences among those thousands of tiny flowers but, for most of us, they look alike. We see the similarity, which of course is our way of identifying this particular plant.

My second picture is of two mushrooms. I lack the expertise to give these a name, but they’re round orange balls on a white stem with white “flakes” on top. I can’t say how they grew (wish I knew) but it looks like they started out white and then popped that covering to reveal the orange as they grew larger. Think of a strange orange globe with scattered white land masses. While each speck of white differs from every other one – they’re large enough to make that obvious – the mushrooms can be called the “same.” Once recognized, you’d know them anywhere.

My third is a closeup of the individual pink flowers on one foxglove stem. Mouths open to reveal spots of white while a darker crimson spot is centered in each. Again, not perfectly identical but sharing many more recognizable similarities than differences. You’d know it was a foxglove.

All this musing is actually a lead-in to a phenomenon which has absolutely nothing to do with Mother Nature, and all to do with human nature. Call it my comments on where symmetry, being alike, works and where – for me certainly – it doesn’t. It’s a safe bet we’ll all be seeing much more of it, especially as the elections grow closer.

Elections? Indeed! Politics! And isn’t the point of all those telephone calls, the editorials, the ads and the marches an attempt to convince us to think one way or another? It’s also of course a way to make a statement, more likely than not to let others know “this is what I believe.”

A couple of months ago one day’s newspaper had three pictures of different groups picketing, supporting or protesting. For my purposes here, the cause is not relevant. It’s the signs being held, some even waved, that drew my eyes as they have for a long as I can remember. I have no idea what they said.

The three are perfect for my point. One group holds signs which are absolutely identical. The second group has many of the same signs, but hand-drawn posters are interspersed. The last group holds colorful sheets of poster paper, each using the words (and colors) of that individual protester.

Fairly or not, I jump to an immediate conclusion and doubt if my mind could be changed.

Identical signs: one person has organized (one might say master-minded) this gathering. The rest are there to do as they’re instructed.

Then I see the handmade signs and believe this is a group who believes in what they have to say. I may not agree with the message, but it will get my attention while the former won’t.

I feel the same about political rallies. Am I biased? I’m sure I am. But, fairly or not, I’ll go with those who care enough to speak up as individuals.

That could get my vote.

Susan Crossett has lived outside Cassadaga for more than 20 years. A lifetime of writing led to these columns as well as two novels. “Her Reason for Being” was published in 2008 with “Love in Three Acts” appearing last year. Copies are available at Papaya Arts on the Boardwalk in Dunkirk and the Cassadaga ShurFine. Information on all the Musings, the books and the author may be found at Susancrossett.com.

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