Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Ran's avatar

A better approach is to mostly ignore “The Current Thing” because for most people being obsessed with current news is unproductive and unhealthy.

Expand full comment
MikeDC's avatar

I'm a contrarian myself (which maybe is why I'm arguing the contrary view here), but....

One should generally be sympathetic to the "current thing" and here's why.

1. Be sympathetic. Any current issue can be addressed sympathetically and from whatever political/philosophical perspective you come from. Like, I tend to be a conservative libertarian. The whole point of why I think this is the correct view is that it's the best answer to most social problems. That means I can give a sympathetic response on any issue. Even if it's a contrarian one about the means of fixing it.

2. If you want to have influence, the worst way to do it is to shut off discussion. This is one of the biggest problems with Wokeism as a culture. Every discussion tends to be started with a statement of perspective "as a white/black/gay/straight/liberal/conservative/man/woman/transgender/salamander..." that is, I think, designed to preempt the discussion itself by giving cues to control thought. The best way to avoid that is not to play.

So, it's not always possible, but I find that it's usually quite possible to make a "libertarian" or "conservative" case for most every subject. What's more, if you don't say it's "conservative" or "libertarian" to start out with, and just say, "here's a way to help Group or Situation X" many people will unexpectedly agree with it.

By combining these points, one gets to be part of the discussion rather than standing outside it harrumphing that nobody listens to you.

Another way to put it is that when sensible people cede the floor to extremists and loudmouths, this is what you get. Taking your ball and going home isn't an answer.

Expand full comment
69 more comments...

No posts