Soon after realizing politics was opening a gap between myself and someone dear to me, I made a purposeful decision to begin more regularly reading the work of leading conservative thinkers. I want to better understand how someone I care about reaches such different conclusions than me about ways to solve - or at least ameliorate - some of America's most intractable problems.
By every measure, the most rewarding part of this new journey to date has been finishing Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America From the Culture of Contempt (2019). Author Arthur Brooks has been President of the American Enterprise Institute - arguably the most influential conservative think tank in the U.S. - since 2009. This game-changing book is humane, smart, and straightforward. I've already used several of the common sense techniques Brooks suggests when confirmation bias has me in its grip. Brooks has also helped me see which of my political positions need better grounding. Which thinker from the other side of the political spectrum has similarly assisted you?
About Me
- Pat Barton
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I love that you are thinking about this. Have been feeling strongly that continuing down the road of separation politics, watching only divisive opinionated "news", reading only those who confirm our already deeply ingrained biases is not sustainable on any level.
ReplyDeleteUnknown; Thanks for your comment. I'm really worn out by all the screaming and name-calling masquerading as commentary. I can't recommend the Brooks book enough. It's a much needed antidote to all the venom we hear spewed too frequently these days.
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