Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Why do people care so much about political issues?
When I first became politically aware, say, in junior high, I was very conservative. I was curious about the "other" side, though, so I went to college at Berkeley. Since then, I've felt that both sides generally have something worthwhile to say.
In politics, the answers are not clear cut. If they were, then the issues would not be contentious, and therefore they would not be political issues. What I've been wondering about lately is why people believe so strongly in one side or the other of a political issue when the "right" position is (almost by definition) unclear. I can think of a few possibilities:
Please note: "Because I'm right and they're wrong" is not a valid answer.
When I first became politically aware, say, in junior high, I was very conservative. I was curious about the "other" side, though, so I went to college at Berkeley. Since then, I've felt that both sides generally have something worthwhile to say.
In politics, the answers are not clear cut. If they were, then the issues would not be contentious, and therefore they would not be political issues. What I've been wondering about lately is why people believe so strongly in one side or the other of a political issue when the "right" position is (almost by definition) unclear. I can think of a few possibilities:
- People think they have information that other people do not have (including experiences that others have not had)
- People think they are smarter than the people on the other side (they posess understanding that others are unable to attain)
- People's interests differ, and they are trying to secure benefits for themselves or deny special benefits to others
Please note: "Because I'm right and they're wrong" is not a valid answer.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
I need to blog because all of the things floating around in my head are going to die unless I let them out somehow. That's the charter for this blog, and if it sounds conceited you shouldn't be terribly surprised because all blogging has a tendency to be. Why should you care? Damned if I know, but it can be interesting, no? Truly interesting blog entries are rare indeed, but every once in a while something pops out that's real and true and the outlet has to exist when those thoughts happen or they die. Or worse, they get old. Old thoughts are like yesterday's lunch; once the cud has been chewed over, it's time to move on.
Why make a persistent record of old thoughts then? I figure that once they've been written I don't have to keep chewing on them anymore.
Why make a persistent record of old thoughts then? I figure that once they've been written I don't have to keep chewing on them anymore.
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