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Accused of "both-sides"-ism
In last week’s newsletter, we wrote about a journalist who shared false information about Trump. That story caused some anger. Some of our liberal-leaning readers said, basically, “Why focus on that when there are so many bad things right-leaning media has done?”
News and views
Presidential debates then… and now
Over the years, there’s been a big uptick in insults and personal attacks in presidential debates (and of course elsewhere). You may ask, “Do insults really matter that much? Are we focusing on trivial language decisions instead of the bigger picture?” or even “What’s the harm in a few insults?”
Let’s talk about why insults matter. Watch this video and read the caption.
Are universities amplifying division? How can we fix that?
On the 12 Geniuses podcast, Pano Kanelos, President of the University of Austin, discusses how a “monoculture” in universities can result in less independent thinking. “70% of college students say that they hold back in the classroom. Almost as many professors say the same thing.”?
How do these dynamics relate to our toxic politics? And how can we fix this??Watch now.
Movement updates
Make It A Habit: Try to engage with your opponents
Conflict can make us want to avoid interacting with the “other side.” But avoidance can lead to siloed views; it can amplify divides.?
A willingness to engage and debate is about more than winning or losing arguments. It’s about showing people the best versions of our ideas. That makes it harder for our opponents to have simplistic views about what people on “our side” are like.
Pete Buttigieg is someone who makes a habit of engaging with his opponents.?
This has been the Builders newsletter from Starts With Us.