I am genuinely beginning to despair for my countrymen. We have divided into two feuding camps, each of which thinks the other is false and evil. Bellyfeel is the spirit of the times. Whatever advances the fortunes of your team is good; if it hinders the fortunes of your team it is ungood.
If you have the audacity to question that a team is fallible or in possession of complete truth, you must be on the other team. Facts, evidence, and logic are not countered with other facts, evidence, or logic but by outrage.
That isn’t healthy. Nobody, no group is in possession of the entire truth or incapable of making a mistake.
Aye. I maintain an active email conversation with some friends from work, several of whom are Tea Party Activists and/or conservatives. I am the lone “lefty”. I have had them tell me that Bush never told a lie, while Obama lies all of the time. On my own blog, I have had writers suggest that everything Bush ever did was wrong, while Obama is always right. Meh. They all have feet of clay. We all need a bit more humility.
Steve
I agree with much of what you write, but I wouldn’t completely dismiss “bellyfeel.” The book How We Decide is a very interesting read. Also, Steve, what is your blog, I am getting bored with some that I read.
“We have divided into two feuding camps, each of which thinks the other is false and evil.”
I think that’s a bit overwrought. I apologize not a whit for what I consider just awful Obama policy and leadership. And yet I was just as critical of Bush and the Republican Congress post 2000 that started spending like drunken sailors. Like Democrats, actually.
Bad policy is bad policy, no matter the purpetrator.
We have divided into two funding camps, each of which thinks the other is trying to keep all the loot for itself.
There, fixed it for ya.