Listen to and read the writings of like-minded individuals too. I agree with the Libertarian blogger Willis Hart, although I was wondering if he was (after I read the title of his post) going to admit something about himself that's been clear to many for some time.
| Willis Hart: On the Fact that When Like-Minded People Only Talk to Each Other They Tend to Get More Extreme... Yeah, I refer to it as the Keith Olbermann/Columbia University/New York Times Syndrome; intellectually stultifying and dangerous. (6/9/2016 AT 4:29pm). |
Hmmm, obviously that introspective revelation I thought MIGHT be contained within the sentence following the post title didn't materialize. Apparently he thinks this is a problem that occurs exclusively on the Left.
Regarding Keith Olbermann (who hasn't been on the air in the capacity of a Lefty pundit for SOME time), Willis didn't like it that his guests tended to be people who agreed with him. A observation that I admit is true.
However, as far as Lefty pundits go, Thom Hartmann is one who doesn't do this. On his program The Big Picture there is a segment called the Lone Liberal Rumble where Thom simultaneously debates 2 conservatives. A few days ago he had on his radio program the Tea Party Trump supporter Scottie Nell Hughes. Not to debate her, but to listen to what she had to say (a segment I found interesting, btw).
So this would make Hartmann the opposite of the kind of person Willis refers to. Although I doubt he'd EVER author a commentary praising Mr. Hartmann for this reason. He prefers to author commentaries criticizing the Left for refusing to listen to those on the Right. His praise seems to be reserved for Righties who listen to Lefties. Or Libertarians who listen to what Progressive have to say. They're clearly the MOST magnanimous in the Hartster's opinion.
Video: Matthew Vadum (Capital Research Center) and Patrick Howley (The Daily Caller) join Thom Hartmann. Perhaps it's just me, but does Vadum look like a sack of shit stuffed into a suit? Sorry, but I couldn't help myself. If anyone deserves to be judged harshly, this is such a person. Although he's likely someone Willis Hart would (or does) have a lot of respect for, given that he tells it like it is re Registering Poor To Vote "Like Handing Out Burglary Tools To Criminals".
Will's observation is true. He ought to have left it without the clarifier.
ReplyDeleteInteresting video spot.
RN: Will's observation is true.
ReplyDeleteYes, although (like I said) only the Left has this problem, in his opinion... what, with his labeling of the "syndrome" referring to (former) Lefty pundit (Olbermann), a Lefty (in his view) institution (Columbia University), and a Lefty (in his view) newspaper (NYT). This "clarifier" (naming supposed guilty supposed Lefties) WAS part of his larger point. That the Left is far more guilty of this "syndrome" than the Conservatives and Libertarians (in his view). That is where I disagreed.
Also, ironic that he'd be making this point, given that this syndrome clearly applies to him.
DeleteAnother example of psychological projection.
ReplyDeleteI fully understood where you disagreed. Hence my quip he should have left the clarifier off. But of Will couldn't because, well, you know.