06-21-2017, 02:38 PM
(06-21-2017, 02:18 PM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: ... I grew up blue, and you don’t have to work hard to get me pushing most blue positions. (Most. Let’s only briefly mention the Second Amendment.) However, there are valid, well though out or deeply set in habit alternatives to the blue. If one labels and thinks of the other guys as stupid, evil, ignorant, insane, brainwashed, etc… it is not the other guys who are ignorant. There is, on both sides, a willful and deliberate effort to not understand, to remain ignorant, to demonize anyone who conflicts with one’s own culture...
Let me add a quick comment. We need to be cautious of too much fairness too. Balancing Position A on equal terms with Position B is fine, as long as both are at least arguable. If either rests on a bed of fallacious assumptions, then balance actually favors lies over truth by giving those lies unjustified stature. So yes, let's avoid demonizing people we disagree with, but let's not give a hand wave to bogus ideas either. If we're fair about calling out the clearly false and only the clearly false, we are less likely to be framed as blind ideologues ourselves.
Intelligence is not knowledge and knowledge is not wisdom, but they all play well together.