I read a couple of interesting articles in the New York Times yesterday. (Yes, Conservatives can, and should, read something other than the National Post.. I listen to CBC Radio occasionally as well.)
The writer, Nicholas Kristoff, penned two articles that I think make some very valid points that are worth considering and putting in the back of your mind for future reference.
The first, "The Daily Me", is a bit of an advertisement for mainstream media, but it makes a good point - which is that if we are not careful, and only read news we like and blogs that we agree with, we become polarized and as he points out, "The danger is that this self-selected “news” acts as a narcotic, lulling us into a self-confident stupor through which we will perceive in blacks and whites a world that typically unfolds in grays."
"So what?", you might ask. Well, firstly, if you don't read or consider the views of those with whom you might disagree, how can you engage them, and others, to fully discuss your counter-position. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, by ignoring views of others with whom you disagree, you become close-minded, narrow, and daresay, less intelligent. Do you seriously think that any sane, intelligent person could acquire any useful world view by watching Rush Limbaugh 24/7?
I found it interesting, because, I think I've been thinking that for some time. You might note that on my blog recommendations are some liberal or soft liberal sights, including James Curran, Red Tory, Daveberta, and Galloping Beaver.. I even have a green site, "Green Light".. along with more typical conservative blogs. I read them all - keep my mind open, and form my own opinions which may or may not support the "party line" based upon what I believe - not based upon what someone else tells me to believe. I encourage that sort of thing - it's liberating.
The second column of Kristoff that I also found enlightening was "Learning How to Think". The point of his article is that we need to be wary of so-called "experts", as often, their predictive abilities are virtually no better than random guesses, and, that in particular, the more "famous" an expert is, the less likely they are to be accurate. (Can you say, "Inconvenient Truth"?)
The point, at the end of the day - you were given a brain for a reason - use it. The world and the problems we face are often complex and not as "black and white" as we are often lead to believe - so, spend some time critically considering so-called "experts" and spend some time reading, and considering, views other than those on "our team".
7 comments:
Your posts are interesting but difficult to comment on, no your fault only mine.
Mainstream media took it upon it self to "sell" ideas with a certain slant and as other information sources became available such as blogs etc I have come to resent it.
That danger of self selected news had a lot to do with mainstream medias lack of revelance.
Finding factual information to make a decision is hard to do.It is difficult for me to find.
All I want is solid information. For example, being a Conservative in the Priemer's riding I have faith that he has a path in mind. That comes from my personal experience with the man.However I would like to know what that is.
I totally agree. I have said endlessly on my own blog that I am just trying to get people to THINK. Think about how a topic relates to you and your family, then think beyond that to other people, other perspectives, and just plain THINK. It should not be hard, we all have minds and we should know how to use them. I read a lot of sites across the spectrum and even joined commondreams.org to try to gather enough information so that I am making informed opinions and decisions.
Kez thanks for the commondreams.org direction. It looks interesting.
RP.. I agree with the "sales" job in the media.. and sometimes, it isn't even sales, it's "dumming down" the message for those who don't want to deal with complex reality.. I also have faith in the Premier, I sense a deep decency in him.. but am also a realist that the problems are serious and difficult - and answers aren't easy to come across.. do we create higher job loss, or do we reduce the speed of environmental improvements.. because, the reality is that we can't do both.. do we maintain current quality of health care, or do we massively increase provincial income (higher taxes) in a period of economic stress.. again, we can't seriously do both.. it's a difficult job. I think his hope is that carbon capture techonology, for example, may suddenly create potential for massive revenue if we can succeed in both answering our own needs and answering the needs of he broader world in that regard..
Kez - thanks for the comment - though I have to say that my initial review of about 10 articles in commondreams is replete with "progressive" position discussions - which assumes that "expert" theory will create the answers to societal illnesses.. without a lot of self-examination of the potential problems with their arguments and positions.
My own .02, "experts" have created problems as much as they have solved.. the site is continues with assumptions of the evils of global warming - but is devoid of real explanation.. and is certainly not giving any critical commentary against people that mislead the public so clearly in their dogmatic direction like Al Gore..
I find the sight for the most part assumes the validity of it's positions - there isn't much in the way of critique or question of the "progressive" mantra..
My feeling.. sometimes things need to change to improve.. and sometimes, change is the problem.. what we need is the wisdom and the patience to allow people to find their way in a more evolutionary way.. small changes, over larger periods of time.. change, wait, examine, change, wait examine.. not change, change, change, change..
But - that being said - it IS full of interesting and different ideas, particularly for someone coming from a conservative position.
The idea, for example, of foregiving foreign debt is very interesting.. keeping in mind however, that the debt created is real and foregiving debt has a tendancy to discourage further financial support - which is probably as well, because the west's ability to accurately predict the integrity of foreign leaders is notoriously poor.. particulary for the U.S., it may be wise to concentrate on their own domestic issues and seek a gradual global withdrawal of.. well, "influence"
I use commondreams and salon.com as starting blocks, because they often link to other ideas or articles in the opinion pieces they post. Much like following links on a blog I suppose. I go backwards, reading people's opinions on issues and following the track backs to try to find where they came to their conclusions from - if that makes sense lol.
And I will admit I end up laughing through many of the 'articles', which they probably do while stumbling across mine lol.
As for Global Warming/Climate Change, whatever I'm supposed to call it, I read a lot at Al Fin's blog (link on mine) because there is a lot of technical info posted there and if I can manage to get my brain wrapped around his info, it's a lot more in depth (against manmade GW/CC) than much else I see on the net.
""My feeling.. sometimes things need to change to improve.. and sometimes, change is the problem.. what we need is the wisdom and the patience to allow people to find their way in a more evolutionary way.. small changes, over larger periods of time.. change, wait, examine, change, wait examine.. not change, change, change, change..
""
I agree. It seems insane to go whole-hog, full steam ahead, just to try to prove to the public that 'something is being done'. It does not appear to be in our best interests at all and it's quite frightening. As well, it does not seem that past mistakes are being learned from. If other countries have done similar actions in the past (ex, universal health care) and it's not really working, it's driving those countries deep into debt, then I don't understand why someone else thinks they can just magically do it better. Baffling.
Again.. thanks for the comments Kez - I was hoping I wasn't coming across as dismissive.. I think Canada, to a great extent, is the world leader on "doing it right".. as much as I may complain from time to time.. but, if things are working.. I'm not completely sure we need to do a lot to "fix it".. hence my conversion from voting Liberal to Conservative.. for the time being anyhow..
But - keeping an open mind of something seems amiss.. for example, I would LOVE to see some greater degree of action in addressing aboriginal issues in this country.. we give so much attention to so many who are so much better off, but who seem to have a better lobby.. and we just sort of continue to throw money at the reserve situations and then look the other way.. because "it's not my problem"..
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