Six rules for managing our era’s oversupply of non-stop news, high-decibel outrage
Having trouble absorbing the firehose of news aimed at your head every day? Confused by so many competing claims on the truth? Upset at the decline in civility in society?Six days a week, whether you want us to or not, we publish opinions about the nation’s ills, and offer modest prescriptions for remedying them. It’s a privilege, but at times, it’s also somewhat overwhelming to sort through all the news and views out there and try to reach at a conclusion that merits a public airing.
But don’t give in to that. It’s perfectly fair to say, “I don’t know enough to have an opinion on that," or, “I will leave that to others to debate,” or even, “Both sides have some good points.” You might not please everyone, but see Rule No. 2.Rule No. 3: Embrace ambivalence. Ambivalence is often misinterpreted as indifference, or derided as indecision.
The biggest threat to such black-and-white partisanship is the person who keeps her mind open, is not blindly loyal to any one team and sees people with different opinions not as monsters to be slain but as human beings to be understood, especially when you disagree with them, and they disagree with you.Rule No. 4: When you take a stand, be forceful. While the process of reaching a conclusion should involve a lot of “on the one hand” and “on the other,” at some point you have to make a choice.
Rule No. 5: Set your bottom line. How far are you willing to let another person go before you feel obliged to offer a counteropinion? Not every take you hear deserves the energy required to argue against it. Sometimes, you have to just let people say things you don’t agree with. You might learn something.
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