Concepts Foreign to the Extremes (A Partial List)

1) The law of unintended consequences. 2) The law/point of diminishing returns. 3) The fact that when you subsidize something, you generally tend to get more of it. 4) Nuance/complexity/vicissitudes. 5) Compromise. 6) The "double-edged sword". 7) Pragmatism. 8) Open-mindedness. 9) The fact that we don't have political enemies but political opponents. 10) Cognitive dissonance. 11) Doubt. 12) Dialectical thinking. 13) Humility. 14) The fact that hyperbole (Bush is Hitler, Obama is Hitler, etc.)/"true believing" can often be destructive. 15) Perspective-taking. 16) The need to NOT take oneself so seriously. 17) Self-deprecation. 18) The fact that unfettered spinning tends to make a person look moronic. 19) Contingency awareness/the limitations of human knowledge/multi-causality. 20) Friendships based upon things other than politics. 21) Impartiality (the fact that "your person" doesn't always win the debate)/the need to sometimes give credit where credit is due. 22) "Devil's Advocacy". 23) The keeping of one's "powder" dry/the need to sometimes "pick your battles" and/or know when to "fold". 24) Civility. 25) Respectfulness. 26) An awareness that you can sometimes learn from those who you disagree with. 27) Moral consistency/"a spade is a spade". 28) The fact that the good isn't always the enemy of the perfect. 29) Differentiating fact from opinion.

Comments

  1. Jersey McJonesSun Aug 14, 12:18:00 AM EDT

    Does anyone have any idea how many of those concepts can contradict one another?

    What may seem extreme to snyone may be mainstream thinking to anyone else.

    What you left out was Relativity.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just a conservative girlSun Aug 14, 12:28:00 AM EDT

    #27 is high on my list of pet peeves. If you are ok with a question and/or behavior on your side of the aisle then don't act like it is the biggest sin ever committed when the other side does it too.

    That makes me crazy!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Les CarpenterSun Aug 14, 12:32:00 AM EDT

    All things being relative JMJ I suppose your comment is precisely why governments must exist.

    Hopefully the leaders, rulers, or whatever are rational and fully understand rational self interest.

    I have lately been thinking that is not the reality of it at all however.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Les CarpenterSun Aug 14, 01:05:00 AM EDT

    JAC - Good to see ya, and strong kudos to your #27 comment!

    ReplyDelete

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