Bob's Place

The answer is in that story. It is a mistake to think liberals first believe what they do and then think conservatives are stupid for disagreeing. The process works in reverse. Their disdain for ordinary people with traditional values is so overwhelming that whatever such people believe is by definition backward. They form their views by listening to the ignoramuses and then positing the opposite. Views forged in the crucible of a God-centered consciousness are inherently illegitimate.

Therefore a forum built upon the open exchange of ideas renders them impotent. It is more than a strategy to call their opponents stupid. It is not just a way to cover up the weakness of their arguments. Identifying the other side as obtuse is itself the sine qua non of their worldview. Individual applications of that premise are an auxiliary phenomenon. Naturally all this makes for bad radio. If I disagree with you because your point is wrong, I can express that civilly and interestingly. If I assume your point must be wrong because I know you to be a Neanderthal, a good dialogue will never evolve.

# posted by Bob Taylor @ 8:47 PM