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The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

the-american-interest.com

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Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#51

Post by mfoy_ »

brightball wrote: post #44
RobertoG wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not without its dangers. Doublethink: "The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them... To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just as long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the whil…

Opposed ideas doesn't necessarily mean conflicting ideas. For example, it's possible to appreciate that in the US people need some means of getting an education in order to get a job while at the same time realizing the demand for quality education far outstrips supply, which when paired with federal loans inflates the cost of education so much that it puts it farther out of reach for people. That's a problem with a…

To add to your point, holding opposing ideas in your mind doesn't mean you accept both ideas as correct and valid and good (as in the Orwell quote). It just means that you can appreciate them and understand some of the points they try to make.

The issue with polarized politics is that it encourages one-mindedness. Instead of trying to understand where your political opponents are coming from, you are encouraged to reject them and their ideas as "the enemy". A very anti-intellectual "Us versus Them" mindset.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#52

Post by mikeash »

Tiksi wrote: post #33
0xcde4c3db wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely. My favorite example is the price of gasoline. This often comes up with the seasonal price shifts (Americans drive much more in the summer than in other seasons, so gas is more expensive then). We might as well blame them for the weather.

>We might as well blame them for the weather. Oh we have, remember how Bush caused Katrina? (for broad definitions of we )

I don't recall ever seeing that sentiment, in terms of causing the actual hurricane. Causing the bad response, on the other hand, I've seen a lot and is not on its face an absurd thing to say.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#53

Post by maxxxxx »

How about "think for yourself"? I notice that when you discuss something with a lot of partisan people they come to a pretty balanced view if the party leadership hasn't already staked out a position. But they will make a 180 turn as soon as soon as the official position is out and be totally opposed to the view they have developed previously.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#54

Post by zzalpha »

maxxxxx wrote: post #53

How about "think for yourself"? I notice that when you discuss something with a lot of partisan people they come to a pretty balanced view if the party leadership hasn't already staked out a position. But they will make a 180 turn as soon as soon as the official position is out and be totally opposed to the view they have developed previously.

I suspect that's a big part of group identity. Want to solve that problem? Stop referring to those who disagree (or agree) with you as "Democrat" or "Republican". And stop thinking of yourself that way.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#55

Post by mfoy_ »

ultramancool wrote: post #9

I closed this almost immediately because of the giant yellow "this is your free article for this month" banner on the top. Get your shit together web designers, I don't need something blaring so everyone in the office sees that it's my free article.

Oddly, I didn't even notice the banner until I read your comment... I blame Wikipedia for conditioning me to ignore banners.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#56

Post by aggieben »

emodendroket wrote: post #42

I find the idea that the current level of polarization is unprecedented kind of questionable. McCarthyist purges? The violence of the Reconstruction era, which followed a literal Civil War? Compared to that people calling each other mean names seems like small potatoes.

Yes, exactly. Some perspective is in order. Your examples are on point. Also: duels, anyone?

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#57

Post by jes »

qznc wrote: post #37
jschwartzi wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a difference between considering A and not A, and accepting A and not A. In formal logic, one or the other statement must be true. The point being made is that we should refrain from choosing the true statement until we've taken the time to consider both on their own merits.

Mixing reality and absolute statements seems like a recipe for falsehood. Probabilities work much better. "I'm 50% certain of A and 50% of not-A", which means complete ignorance. A "80% A" means you have an opinion, but you acknowledge a 20% possiblity of being wrong. If anybody claims "100% sure of something", it is an obvious sign of idiocy.

With respect, you seem to be saying that probabilities work better than absolutes, and yet your final sentence seems to be an absolute.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#58

Post by maxxxxx »

zzalpha wrote: post #54
maxxxxx wrote: post #53

How about "think for yourself"? I notice that when you discuss something with a lot of partisan people they come to a pretty balanced view if the party leadership hasn't already staked out a position. But they will make a 180 turn as soon as soon as the official position is out and be totally opposed to the view they have developed previously.

I suspect that's a big part of group identity. Want to solve that problem? Stop referring to those who disagree (or agree) with you as "Democrat" or "Republican". And stop thinking of yourself that way.

Totally agree. That's why I register as independent.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#59

Post by wolfgke »

alistproducer2 wrote: post #48

IMO, A large part of the problem is people of different political views don't talk, face to face, enough. Like in war, it's easier to kill a "gook" or "haji" than a person. The Internet makes it easy to dehumanize the other side; they're just avatars and words on your screen. It's a lot harder to hate an actual person, especially just for having a different opinion than you. [Edited]

Couldn't it be that it is much better that persons of very different political views don't talk so much, face to face?

I can imagine quite well that this would easily in yelling at each other etc. Also at least me I even get more hate to views someone says if I talk to him/her personally than when I only have to see his/her arguments in the internet.

In other words: That people of very different views don't talk much to each other is in my opinion both a "self-protection" and quite plausibly rather prevents spreading even more hate.

Re: The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People

#60

Post by RobertoG »

agentgt wrote: post #45
RobertoG wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My irony bias makes me think that attributing problems to confirmation bias should be classified as a type of confirmation bias.

Perhaps I'm not as knowledgable in the area as you are (and thus think my critique/question trite). Maybe care to elaborate on the irony? I posted it because the article doesn't bother to answer why the hell people are polarized in the first place. Its like saying America is fat.. here are 7 tips to get in shape... I also think the # prefix tips is clearly a click bait ploy albeit I a nice clever a play on Steven Cov…

I want to excuse myself. It wasn't an attack against your comment but I see how it could looks like it.

In essence I share your opinion. It's just I couldn't resist the chance.

I know, childish.

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