NOTE 2: DovBear posted a counter to the aforementioned post, which is also neccessary to read to truly appreciate what I am about to write.
At issue is this quote I utilized from James Taranto's Best of the Web:
This is true beyond the Ivy League, as we noted just after the 2004 election. With liberalism the dominant ideology in the news and entertainment media, it is virtually inescapable to any American who doesn't go to great lengths to insulate himself from it. Big-city liberals, by contrast, can easily filter out conservative ideas, and thus need contend only with their own prejudices. Thus conservatives are smarter than liberals--not necessarily in terms of native intelligence, but of understanding the world around them.Here's a simple test to determine whether a person generally faces people of the opposing [political] viewpoint throughout their life:
Do most liberals (let's say the ones on this blog), particularly on either coast, ever...
1) run into people who have conservative views?The answer to most of those questions is usually no. Now, let's reverse those questions:
2) have a single professor in college who not only was a conservative, but discussed politics in class?
3) read the Wall Street Journal's editorials?
4) watch FOX?
Do most conservatives (let's say the ones on this blog), particularly in the middle states, ever...
1) run into people who have liberal views?The answer to most of those questions is usually yes.
2) have a single professor in college who not only was a liberal, but discussed politics in class?
3) read the New York Times' editorials?
4) watch CNN, CBS, ABC?
And therein lies the difference.
Technorati tags: James Taranto, Best of the Web, Liberals, Conservatives, DovBear.
Do most liberals...The answer to most of those questions is usually no.
ReplyDeleteUnless you go to shul. Shuls are full of people who read the journal and watch Fox, and for that matter, listen to Rush and Sean and read Cross Currents.
And I can't believe you equated FOX with CBS, CNN and ABC. That's just dumb.
I could add to the equation that there are far (OK, 'appear to be') more 'squeaky wheels' on the left side of the fence, since the views of conservatives are so often (conveniently) placed under the headings of 'bigotry', 'prejudice', or 'intolerance'.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, my liberal acquaintances might have no trouble engaging in an out-loud conversations about abortion, the death penalty, President Bush, the treatment of prisoners of war, flag-burning, recruitment and the Draft, religion, and gay rights.
But if I open my mouth up in my place of business to make my own (conservative) views clear, the half of the office who I know feels the same way I do will hang back in the shadows, concerned that the threat of lawsuits or whisper campaigns might threaten their standing at work. (Not that this keeps _me_ from speaking up, in a polite manner, of course...)
One of the strongest tools the liberal movement has brought to the table is the ability to ostracize those with views based upon personal responsibility, understanding of cause-and-effect, and a healthy belief in retribution in response to wrongful actions. Instead, we are taught be the left situational ethics, soft-handed (no-handed) child-rearing, 'choice' over 'responsibility', and lawsuits rather than respectful behavior.
The result is that the Conservatives are the quiet ones -- there is such a thing as a healthy paranoia.
Unless you go to shul. Shuls are full of people who read the journal and watch Fox, and for that matter, listen to Rush and Sean and read Cross Currents.
ReplyDeleteGranted, as I mentioned in the last post. Nevertheless, that's a joke compared to what conservatives face. And that doesn't mean the liberals themselves are watching Fox, or listening to Hannity or Limbaugh, or much else.
And I can't believe you equated FOX with CBS, CNN and ABC. That's just dumb.
Ummm, why? They're all news stations, and they're all slanted. And don't try and say FOX is more slanted, that's a bunch of bull - you're just so used to the left slant it seems extreme when it's the other way.
MacBigot - great comment... almost a post in and of itself. Interesting points about expression of views; I've heard that in a lot of fields, though the business fields tend to be more balanced from what I hear.
ReplyDeleteJust read it again - really good comment. Might make a post of it at a later date. Thanks.
To a certain extent DB is right. When we're dealing with the 40 year old, fat, bald men who DB chats with during leining, yeah, they probably never encounter a liberal. But anyone in any form of college or graduate school has to deal with liberals all the time. In fact, he is usually in the minority and really has to refine his arguments.
ReplyDeleteOh, didn't see you responded here as well as DB...
ReplyDeleteThis is what I wrote there:
I think the point is that conservatives in general are forced to deal with liberals all the time, even if there are a few who may not (though they probably did when they were younger as well).
Liberals, however, have the ability to easily never come across much conservative ideology.