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It’s okay to take positions on factual matters even if a political party also happens to take that same position. If one party believes the Earth revolves aroun
by baddox 6y ago
It’s okay to take positions on factual matters even if a political party also happens to take that same position. If one party believes the Earth revolves around the Sun, and the other party disagrees, it’s not exactly “partisan” (at least not in the pejorative sense) to take a side on that matter.
- roenxi 6y agoIf that is the standard, political parties will just start claiming that all their opinions are factual (as happens in practice, coincidentally). If we had an algorithm to sort fact from fiction then that would be fine, but we don't. Our method for sorting fact and fiction is to ask an expert. Experts are not reliable in political situations because there are experts who are willing to believe anything for money. Particularly for economic questions where it is likely that the experts have a financial stake in one political outcome.
- ithkuil 6y agoIt's not only money. People are ready to believe (or to claim they believe) in things they think will make the world a better place (for some definition of better). This where the real partisanship lies. Tell a white lie, turn a blind eye, jump to conclusion, ... are all easy things to do if they justify moving the needle towards a world you truly think it's better. People of course have wildly different standards w.r.t what "better" means. And once shaped, the goal is hard to change. It takes more than facts or logical arguments to change one's idea if what the ideal world looks like. It's part of your identity, it's intertwined with your community.
- baddox 6y agoI didn’t mention opinions which are claimed to be factual matters. I mentioned factual matters. The fact that people can lie isn’t exactly new.