Megan over at her corner of The Atlantic suggests that outrage has lost it’s meaning in the blogosphere. While there certainly is the opportunity to apply a check against the mainstream media, there is also the potential to have ideologues from any part of the political spectrum all group together and really just let the “other side” have it. And of course it happens. But to follow through with such polarizing rhetoric really requires a dedication to the art of ignoring facts or any kind of real debate.
Case in point, one of my closest friends is a liberal, and admittedly so. We routinely– to the chagrin of his wife I’m sure– have political “discussions” that are usually somewhat lengthy, but never end on bad terms. That’s because, while we disagree a solid portion of the time, we also take the time to listen to each other rather than spitting party talking points or throwing around the expected retort against the politician or issue on hand.
Even tonight, I mentioned how the Carter Administration employed a windfall profits tax on “Big Oil”. The results?
The law produced nowhere near the revenue it promised, made the country more reliant on foreign oil, and generated reams of red tape, according to a 2006 report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.
This, of course is one of the brilliant “new” ideas that Obama is bringing to the table. Not new, of course, and certainly not a good idea, but it does play to the average American’s tendency towards stick-it-to-the-man-itis. My mention of it to my liberal friend produced a somewhat disappointed look accompanied by merely, “Yeah…”
But see, that is the result of real, honest dialogue, something so many in this country, news media, and yes, even blogosphere fail to appreciate. There are a lot of complex issues at which we should direct our attention. There won’t be many quick fixes. And as much as the two-party system seems to force the unintended consequence of seeing only two sides to every issue, we really need to stop and think. (Or maybe even actually read the legislation. Yeah Congress, I’m looking right at you.) And if you don’t know enough about an issue, don’t be afraid to ask someone, keep your mouth shut, and listen. Incessant rambling doesn’t well up any sense of respect in me for you. As Megan says,
It’s hard to generate intellectual respect for someone who believes that life is an exam composed entirely of multiple choice questions.
