> In a post-truth world, there's no shared reality, and we can't talk to each other. We can only shout our own truth louder.
Well said. Thank you for succinctly capturing what frustrates me so much about current politics.
My personal test, which helps with personal interactions at least, is that I distrust whoever turns to anger and shouting when discussing politics. I have a lot of pent up frustration towards relatives who will express political opinions, but one or two careful questions will lead them to angry grunts of "I don't know!" and "just forget it".
As participants in online discussions, especially in more serious forums like HN, we are accustomed to making logical arguments and then having those arguments challenged. We're a small subset of the total population though, and it seems that most people are incapable of calm and logical debate without quickly turning to anger and shouting.
I don't know what to do except vote, hope the collective intelligence serves us well, and that we don't have a civil war.
What I've come to appreciate is that freedom of association is a prerequisite of freedom of speech.
You can't meaningfully exercise freedom of speech when shouted down by a mob or drowned out by a megaphone. The power to form associations which exclude those who won't give you a chance to be heard is fundamental.
Well said. Thank you for succinctly capturing what frustrates me so much about current politics.
My personal test, which helps with personal interactions at least, is that I distrust whoever turns to anger and shouting when discussing politics. I have a lot of pent up frustration towards relatives who will express political opinions, but one or two careful questions will lead them to angry grunts of "I don't know!" and "just forget it".
As participants in online discussions, especially in more serious forums like HN, we are accustomed to making logical arguments and then having those arguments challenged. We're a small subset of the total population though, and it seems that most people are incapable of calm and logical debate without quickly turning to anger and shouting.
I don't know what to do except vote, hope the collective intelligence serves us well, and that we don't have a civil war.