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Parting Thoughts


As I said, I won't have web access for awhile, so I wanted to say something really briefly about one of the big themes I've been trying to say something about with this blog, specifically civility in discourse.

I think it's important not merely because I think incivility is unpleasant. My real reason is this: incivility makes rational progress difficult or impossible. The madder and less civil we become, the less we listen to what is being said by those with whom we disagree and the less they listen to us. This makes it much more difficult for the parties to recognize and admit their own errors. That makes rational progress difficult or impossible as it simultaneously makes everyone more susceptible to falling for and employing non-rational methods of persuasion--and violence. Many people think that reason is impotent with regard to questions of value, but that is simply not true. Questions of value (including some political questions), however, tend to evoke strong emotions, which tend to make people less reasonable. One of the greatest threats to mankind is the _Crossfire_ mentality, IMHO.

Instead of treating political discussion as debate--that is, treating it as a contest with a winner and a loser...a zero-sum game...--we should treat it as true inquiry in pursuit of truth. If it isn't cooperative, then it is a waste of time. There are lots of important things to read on this point. Let me mention two short things:

1. When was the last time you read _The Federalist Papers_? Well, pull it down, dust it off, and read Federalist 1 by Hamilton. It's about ratification of the constitution, of course, but almost all of the same points apply to every important issue we face.

2. Emerson's "Self-Reliance." If everybody read that essay once a year, this would be a much better world.

I'm outta here. Blogging will be spotty for awhile. Thanks to everybody for all the great, interesting, stimulating comments. Happy Winter Solstice Holiday to all!

W