Is it Possible to Rant about Reasonableness???

I have felt that there needed to be a rant (by me, others have already), about what is going on in this country right now.  Everytime I started to write about various issues facing us all, I became discouraged.  It seemed that all that I would say had been said.  I decided that health care is what it is, and will evolve in what ever direction it is blown by political winds.  There was no sense in ranting, raving, or probably even thinking about it anymore.  (It seems to me that not much will change.  The insurance companies will still hold the health of the nation in their hands).  Health care was the big issue for months and months, but is a non starter now.

Of course, taxes are a big item.  But April 15th has come and gone, and like all Americans I am not much interested after I get my refund.  So no rant about taxes and the waste of our money by our government.  It is just too late for that.

Then I read a blog by John Phipps which can be found at http://johnwphipps.blogspot.com/ .  He was talking about Epistemic Closure,  meaning being unreceptive to facts (or opinions) that don’t fit into the pre-approved worldview. { Parentheses Mine.}

One of the more striking features of the contemporary conservative movement is the extent to which it has been moving toward epistemic closure. Reality is defined by a multimedia array of interconnected and cross promoting conservative blogs, radio programs, magazines, and of course, Fox News. Whatever conflicts with that reality can be dismissed out of hand because it comes from the liberal media, and is therefore ipso facto not to be trusted. (How do you know they’re liberal? Well, they disagree with the conservative media!)  This epistemic closure can be a source of solidarity and energy, but it also renders the conservative media ecosystem fragile.

This argument was taken up both by heterodox conservatives and by liberals, who agree with the claim that Frum and Bruce Bartlett and other conservative apostates have been making: that in the era of Fox News, conservatives have effectively created their own reality which cannot be violated by outside facts. [More]




Now this I can get some dander up about!  I can rant and rave and even think (clearly I hope) about this.  This has been a problem I have noticed and been concerned about for some time.  There is no discourse between disagreeing factions in this country today.  I don't believe that the conservatives are alone to blame for this.  Too many times discussions by people who disagree devolve into calling each other stupid...for no other reason than they disagree.  


Hurling insults and disregarding any position for no other reason than it disagrees with one's preconceived notions, does not accomplish anything at all.  It just makes for causing enmity.  We do not need any more of that!  We have quite enough thank you.  


No matter how badly the other side (of any discussion or isssue) seems ill informed.  One should listen to opposing arguments.  ("you stupid so-in so is not an argument BTW, it is an opinion, even if it is true).  On occasion you can actually change another's mind, and even if that does not happen, you can see what is important to the other person.  Even when importance of an issue is nearly the same, different perspectives weigh the parts differently.  What is important to you, may only be slightly important to the other side.


I am so tired of  people shouting down opposing views, as if that makes their position correct.  It only makes them Loud, not right...and Loud is often substituted for real thought.  It also shows disrespect.  I firmly believe that if you are shouting you probably don't have anything to say.  If you did, you would say it not shout it.  


My father once said there were two kinds of people...the profound and the profane.  I believe that being profoundly profane does not make someone sound more intelligent nor does it make their arguments more sound.  Once again all it brings is Loudness to a situation that needs to be dialed down a few notches.  In fact, you can't even hear what you are saying when you are shouting.


So, if my viewpoint does not jibe with yours, don't call me stupid.  Don't say I am lying because Fox News (for example) disagrees.  Sharpen up your arguments with facts, I mean, real facts, not regurgitated Political opinion.  If I/you have a valid point there are facts that will back it up.  Use them!  


I promise to do the same!