I Beg To Differ

I've been reading Republic.com by Cass Sunstein. He makes a point that I've thought about for a long time.

For democracy to work, people need to be exposed to opinions different from their own.

I have often noticed that people who lean strongly one way or another tend to be reluctant to listen to the arguments from the other side. They listen to the news outlet that carries stories they want to hear, they avoid commentators they disagree with, they talk to like-minded people. I know some people who only listen to Fox News because it's the only news organization that they feel gives Bush a fair shake, and they refuse to listen to NPR because they think it's a bunch of commie liberals. I know others who feel exactly the opposite: Fox is a propaganda outlet for the Bush administration and NPR is completely fair and balanced.

We alter and form our view of the world by the choices we make, and today we have so many choices: where we get our news, what news we get, what we do with our discretionary income, who we support with donations. Every time we eliminate opposition or discomfort, we narrow our view. Where there is only agreement, there is no discussion. Where there is no discussion, there is little thought. Thoughtless government is bad government.

In the spirit of encouraging democracy, I have put a new blogroll in my sidebar: Divergent Views. It has Left, Right, and Left and Right. Go ahead, be daring, and see what the other side has to say.

Comments

[ckm]

Great idea!I'm rethinking my vote for next time with this incredible snafu on the hurricane preparations and non followup.

[Denise]

I agree with you in theory, but being one of the NPR commie liberals, I want to throw up every time I try to watch Fox or hear Rush. I'll try this new blog and hope it will be more balanced.

[Girlchild]

What do you think I've been trying to tell you? Oh yeah, you raised me, I don't have to tell you.