I think the situation is even worse than you suggest, Melanie.
Lawyers are taught to apply rules to objective facts to come to conclusions. Scientists are taught to ascertain facts by experimentation and observation.
In contrast, much of today's society declines that approach and instead substitutes an approach of simply ascertaining which side the actor is on in order to judge whether he's right or wrong. It's extreme tribalism masquerading as objective investigation.
Many in the media egg on these blind partisans. On the left, we all know who they are. But even on the right, in my own tribe, there are several. Tucker Carlson, Glenn Reynolds and Don Surber come to mind. Each consistently panders to the witch hunters, to the detriment of the rest of us.
And so the rest of us are reduced to pep club, while the demagogue cheerleaders lead us in cheers (and boos). Thank you for being neither.
Not surprisingly Glenn, we totally agree! And I’m grateful that you’re on the front lines fighting lazy thinkers and grifters. You might be heartened to know that young men are gravitating away from them – at least that’s what my 22-year-old son says. Let’s hope the Iran war ends well; that could accelerate the shift. 🙏
Meanwhile, I’ve had a lot of email feedback, and I’m heartened that readers across the spectrum affirm a keystone principle — equality under the law. It’s in our national DNA, thanks to our founders who knew men weren’t angels. People understand why constitutional guardrails are needed to constrain and channel self-interest.
The problem is that the unelected, unaccountable administrative state has grown so vast — and its bureaucracy so powerful — few Americans trust it anymore. And when public trust collapses, mythology and malice fill the vacuum.
That’s why elections feel existential — as though half the country fears the other half will take their rights away if they gain power.
Wouldn’t it be a healthier republic if we didn’t have to care quite so much who won the White House? Most readers agree on that too.
This is brilliant Melanie! You've given me a way to have difficult conversations about the most contentious, polarizing issues and still find common ground. You need to write a book.
Your ability to consider that there are multiple solutions to most conflicts is restorative. This article should be presented in sociology classes. Thinking should not be a narrow path.
Thank you for that thoughtful reflection — and for being such an engaged reader!
Your observation that it can be restorative to allow for multiple paths through a disagreement really resonated with me. I thought about that during the luncheon conversation. We had already discovered several shared interests before he made the comment I wrote about. Rather than take offense, I simply pivoted to the person on my other side and let the moment pass. Even so, he sought me out before I left to say how much he’d enjoyed our conversation — and to give me a hug. As Reagan used to say, your 80% friend isn’t your 20% foe.
I think the situation is even worse than you suggest, Melanie.
Lawyers are taught to apply rules to objective facts to come to conclusions. Scientists are taught to ascertain facts by experimentation and observation.
In contrast, much of today's society declines that approach and instead substitutes an approach of simply ascertaining which side the actor is on in order to judge whether he's right or wrong. It's extreme tribalism masquerading as objective investigation.
Many in the media egg on these blind partisans. On the left, we all know who they are. But even on the right, in my own tribe, there are several. Tucker Carlson, Glenn Reynolds and Don Surber come to mind. Each consistently panders to the witch hunters, to the detriment of the rest of us.
And so the rest of us are reduced to pep club, while the demagogue cheerleaders lead us in cheers (and boos). Thank you for being neither.
Not surprisingly Glenn, we totally agree! And I’m grateful that you’re on the front lines fighting lazy thinkers and grifters. You might be heartened to know that young men are gravitating away from them – at least that’s what my 22-year-old son says. Let’s hope the Iran war ends well; that could accelerate the shift. 🙏
Meanwhile, I’ve had a lot of email feedback, and I’m heartened that readers across the spectrum affirm a keystone principle — equality under the law. It’s in our national DNA, thanks to our founders who knew men weren’t angels. People understand why constitutional guardrails are needed to constrain and channel self-interest.
The problem is that the unelected, unaccountable administrative state has grown so vast — and its bureaucracy so powerful — few Americans trust it anymore. And when public trust collapses, mythology and malice fill the vacuum.
That’s why elections feel existential — as though half the country fears the other half will take their rights away if they gain power.
Wouldn’t it be a healthier republic if we didn’t have to care quite so much who won the White House? Most readers agree on that too.
I bet you do too....and I'm so glad you're one!
This is brilliant Melanie! You've given me a way to have difficult conversations about the most contentious, polarizing issues and still find common ground. You need to write a book.
Your ability to consider that there are multiple solutions to most conflicts is restorative. This article should be presented in sociology classes. Thinking should not be a narrow path.
Thank you for that thoughtful reflection — and for being such an engaged reader!
Your observation that it can be restorative to allow for multiple paths through a disagreement really resonated with me. I thought about that during the luncheon conversation. We had already discovered several shared interests before he made the comment I wrote about. Rather than take offense, I simply pivoted to the person on my other side and let the moment pass. Even so, he sought me out before I left to say how much he’d enjoyed our conversation — and to give me a hug. As Reagan used to say, your 80% friend isn’t your 20% foe.
I’m grateful for your encouragement and support!