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This week, we ask how we became so polarized, and look at the underlying reasons for division in our culture in a discussion about the meaning behind the “Middle Theory.”
Can’t we all just get along? What are the roots of the conflicts we see in the world around us… from the geopolitical stage, to our neighborhoods and communities? Although polls over the years offer mixed results, a recurring theme is that voters often tend to be more moderate than the politicians they vote for. Why, then, does there appear to be so much polarization in society, both in politics, and in other areas of life? One result has been that many profess to be politically independent, entirely apolitical, or political “centrists” in an attempt to avoid the polarized viewpoints that so often predominate discussions in the media. And yet, an analysis of the range of ways people define “centrism” even gets confused… how can we have a discussion over the merits, or lack thereof, of a political philosophy when no one seems to agree on a definition for it? This has been one of the long-running themes of the Middle Theory podcast, and one that we explore in depth on this special edition of the podcast. This… is Middle Theory.
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- Jon Haskins
- Victoria Pinderski
- Jonathan Taylor
- John Lipartito
- James Malone
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SHOW NOTES
- CAWTHORN: Madison Cawthorn says ‘blackmail won’t win’ after nude video surfaces
- MYSTERY MUSK: Elon Musk fans concerned after billionaire writes chilling post on Twitter about dying ‘under mysterious circumstances
- FED: Fed raises rates by half a percentage point — the biggest hike in two decades — to fight inflation
- NO JOKE: “Nobody’s Safe”: Dave Chappelle Attack Raises Concerns for Performers
- POLARIZED: This Is The Reason American Politics Are So Polarized
- How Politics Got So Polarized | The New Yorker
- EVIDENCE: How Polarized are Citizens? Measuring Ideology from the Ground-Up
- Cross-Country Trends in Affective Polarization
- CENTRIST MISCONCEPTIONS: The Problem with Balance: My Issue with Centrism
- Why You Shouldn’t be a Centrist | YIP Institute
- The Impossibility of Centrism – The Atlantic
- THE MIDDLE WAY: Middle Way – Wikipedia
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When opinions are no longer valid, neither is democracy. Welcome to the future.
It will be sad to no longer hear your opinions, but I totally understand. This is where we are, and you have other things to focus on.
Thankyou for your opinions, even if I did not always agree with them.
I don’t mind opinions based on material evidence. Opinions that have no valid or valildat-able evidence are most often gossip and propaganda – which in psychological terms, passive-agressive.
I choose to ignore the latter type of information on topics that have a grave or serious implication to society writ large. It seems irresponsible and is too often done with malicious intent; with knee-jerk anger or aimless ignorance. Therefore it falls on us as individuals to be aware of what we do and whether our actions are likely to be helpful or harmful.
Well said and I couldn’t agree more!