Tuesday, January 02, 2007

About Those Generalizations - Reprise

Reprinted from last January. Attentive readers will see earlier forms of my recent focus on Tribes in the essay. (Slight editing)

Setting up a new computer gave me more time to read than post. In several comments sections of the right-of-center blogs I frequent, visiting liberals often complain about the overgeneralization and echo-chamber quality of rightie blogs. I composed a lengthy essay partly acknowledging the justice of the accusation, but trying to make some distinctions about which generalizations are logically justified and which are a simple descent into stereotype.

I threw away the essay, decided not to be so defensive, and resolved to view the world more objectively. I don't like it when liberals overgeneralize about conservatives - especially since they usually get it wrong - so it stands to reason that I should endeavor to exercise due diligence in objectivity myself. To cleanse the palate, I avoided all political discussion and reading this weekend, resolving to enter my very liberal workplace Monday with fresh eyes and ears.

Conservatives know approximately what happened to me next

continue reading here

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