In a recent post, I mentioned the Smarter Every Day interview with the President. Destin, the guy behind Smarter Every Day, has posted another video talking about the whole experience. Why was he picked? How did disagreeing on some political issues effect the conversation?
Around the 3:42 mark, Destin goes into some really interesting thoughts about how polarized our political environment is. He compares it to feedback loops. There are positive feedback loops and negative feedback loops. If a system has both inputs, it will trend toward the norm. But if you remove one, you are going to wildly diverge. This is what happens with politics if we only listen to news/media/journalists who agree with us. You’re not getting both sides so you end up very polarized one way or the other. Destin points out that it’s our responsibility to really be informed about the issues and understand the other side of the argument.
If you were at all intrigued by my previous post, watch this video. He says it better than I did with some cool graphics and stats to back it up.
So long as we are discussing topics on which people are free to disagree on, then taking in all sides is not only advisable, it prudent and wise. And there are many who will never go near middle ground, because it is frighteningly close to the other side. That’s a problem.
However, with the direction that our culture is taking, there is history that should tell us that we are really not travelling an enlightened path. Also for me, I cannot entertain positions that directly violate what God has established as truth. And many policies and practices in place today are doing just that. And as soon as I say that, there are many who will heap label on me and dismiss me as being disconnected from the real world.
While we can exchange views and discuss what may be common interests, I think you are seeing that common ground shrinking. Yet I cannot depart from the Truth to be counted with those who want more common ground.