Listening to the Other Side of the Aisle

[Quetzal]

Over the last few weeks I have gotten into podcasts. I really enjoy My Brother, My Brother, and Me. It is very funny if you haven't heard of them, they are worth a quick listen to see if you would enjoy it. In regards to other topics I have listened to the Joe Rogan Experience.

The most recent guest I listened to was Ben Shapiro who is quite the divisive figure, right? Before listening to what he had to say I believed we were polar opposites. There was nothing he said that could be of value, that was my opinion of Ben Shapiro a week ago. After listening to him, that has changed dramatically. He is a very intelligent person and knows what the heck he is talking about. Many of his points I was able to understand and I even agreed on a few of them (gasp)! Listening to this segment reinforced something that I have been trying to work on over the last year: you can understand and be civil without having to agree. With Shapiro, he has many personal beliefs that I do not subscribe to, but the way he talked about it made me understand his perspective. I really enjoyed it.

Another person I have been listening to is Jordan Peterson (who has his own podcast as well). He is a Canadian psychologist who is ruthlessly demonized by the radical left. I heard about him in passing but really didn't know much about him outside of the usual media portrayal of him (not very flattering). When I started listening to him talk, I realized that he is nothing like the media described him. Again, incredibly sharp and, within his own expertise, is absolutely fascinating to listen to. Again, there are many topics that I don't agree on but I have learned a lot by just listening.

I highly recommend this exercise.

 

[sun rise]

I can even agree with @Revoltingest upon occasion and we're pretty far apart politically. I also can read and sometimes agree with conservatives such as David Brooks.

What I won't listen to is those who go out of their way to peddle fear and hatred and employ utter lies such as those who are attacking AOC and Ilhan Omar.

And yes, before someone makes the obvious claim, there are some on the left who do this as well, but I find the right is seriously much more this way especially now with the current regime in power in Washington

 

[Revoltingest]

And yes, before someone makes the obvious claim, there are some on the left who do this as well, but I find the right is seriously much more this way especially now with the current regime in power in Washington

The other side is always worse.

 

[suncowiam]

Over the last few weeks I have gotten into podcasts. I really enjoy My Brother, My Brother, and Me. It is very funny if you haven't heard of them, they are worth a quick listen to see if you would enjoy it. In regards to other topics I have listened to the Joe Rogan Experience.

The most recent guest I listened to was Ben Shapiro who is quite the divisive figure, right? Before listening to what he had to say I believed we were polar opposites. There was nothing he said that could be of value, that was my opinion of Ben Shapiro a week ago. After listening to him, that has changed dramatically. He is a very intelligent person and knows what the heck he is talking about. Many of his points I was able to understand and I even agreed on a few of them (gasp)! Listening to this segment reinforced something that I have been trying to work on over the last year: you can understand and be civil without having to agree. With Shapiro, he has many personal beliefs that I do not subscribe to, but the way he talked about it made me understand his perspective. I really enjoyed it.

Another person I have been listening to is Jordan Peterson (who has his own podcast as well). He is a Canadian psychologist who is ruthlessly demonized by the radical left. I heard about him in passing but really didn't know much about him outside of the usual media portrayal of him (not very flattering). When I started listening to him talk, I realized that he is nothing like the media described him. Again, incredibly sharp and, within his own expertise, is absolutely fascinating to listen to. Again, there are many topics that I don't agree on but I have learned a lot by just listening.

I highly recommend this exercise.

Personally, I started listening to the new Ron Jeremy podcasts. That's about the only podcasts that I can actually stay tuned to.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Over the last few weeks I have gotten into podcasts. I really enjoy My Brother, My Brother, and Me. It is very funny if you haven't heard of them, they are worth a quick listen to see if you would enjoy it. In regards to other topics I have listened to the Joe Rogan Experience.

The most recent guest I listened to was Ben Shapiro who is quite the divisive figure, right? Before listening to what he had to say I believed we were polar opposites. There was nothing he said that could be of value, that was my opinion of Ben Shapiro a week ago. After listening to him, that has changed dramatically. He is a very intelligent person and knows what the heck he is talking about. Many of his points I was able to understand and I even agreed on a few of them (gasp)! Listening to this segment reinforced something that I have been trying to work on over the last year: you can understand and be civil without having to agree. With Shapiro, he has many personal beliefs that I do not subscribe to, but the way he talked about it made me understand his perspective. I really enjoyed it.

Of course, there's a fine line between civility and appeasement.

It's also important to recognize that civility is more than speaking without profanity or raised voices. If someone is - oh, say - locking kids in cages, then we're already at the stage where violence is being used. When one side has already abandoned civility in this way, it's unreasonable to demand civility from the opposing side.

Another person I have been listening to is Jordan Peterson (who has his own podcast as well). He is a Canadian psychologist who is ruthlessly demonized by the radical left. I heard about him in passing but really didn't know much about him outside of the usual media portrayal of him (not very flattering). When I started listening to him talk, I realized that he is nothing like the media described him. Again, incredibly sharp and, within his own expertise, is absolutely fascinating to listen to. Again, there are many topics that I don't agree on but I have learned a lot by just listening.

I highly recommend this exercise.

Jordan Peterson used to be a fixture on Big Ideas, a show on TVO (the Ontario public broadcaster - kinda like a Canadian PBS) that would air full lectures, academic debates, etc.

At that time, I came to recognize Peterson as a bit of a blowhard who would use flowery language and hand-waving to cover the lack of substance in his positions.

Then Big Ideas got cancelled. A few years later, Peterson re-emerged as some sort of self-proclaimed folk hero for the MRA and anti-LGBTQ movements.

Apparently, in those intervening years, he got more sensationalistic, though still generally in the same vein as he was, and no better at properly supporting his arguments.

 

[David1967]

Another person I have been listening to is Jordan Peterson

I'm a big fan of Jordan Peterson. IMO he is one of the most misrepresented of people.

 

[icehorse]

Hey @Quetzal

Agreed on both Shapiro and Peterson and others. I don't always agree with them, but sometimes I do, and I find them both smart, civil and sincere.

 

[David1967]

I can even agree with @Revoltingest upon occasion

We were fine till he called me a "frog licking, weasle juggler",

 

[Revoltingest]

Of course, there's a fine line between civility and appeasement.

It's also important to recognize that civility is more than speaking without profanity or raised voices. If someone is - oh, say - locking kids in cages, then we're already at the stage where violence is being used. When one side has already abandoned civility in this way, it's unreasonable to demand civility from the opposing side.

It sounds like such a belief might be used to rationalize incivility any time
one is offended.

I've underlined a particularly relevant portion of RF's mission statement.....
As a community of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, our aim is to
provide a civil environment, informative, respectful and welcoming where
people of diverse beliefs can discuss, compare and debate religion while
engaging in fellowship with one another.....

 

[Revoltingest]

We were fine till he called me a "frog licking, weasle juggler",

Note that I was just being scrupulously accurate based upon observations.

 

[BSM1]

We were fine till he called me a "frog licking, weasle juggler",

Oh to go back to the days when that was the worse I was called...

 

[sun rise]

Oh to go back to the days when that was the worse I was called...

Things have degenerated so far that some might call me a Democratic Socialist and we know there's nothing worse than that.

 

[BSM1]

Things have degenerated so far that some might call me a Democratic Socialist and we know there's nothing worse than that.

Whoa....I'm sure there is; and if I ever find out what it is I'll let you know.

 

[Jumi]

I highly recommend this exercise.

I usually go into multiple sides of an argument and have been doing that since forever. Popular speakers can sound sincere, but in case you look a bit deeper, they might not be and if they are, they might also be clueless even if they can sell their argument. This fits just about any side. Rogan is quite honest because he sometimes gets surprised and isn't particularly selling anything.

 

[Audie]

I can even agree with @Revoltingest upon occasion and we're pretty far apart politically. I also can read and sometimes agree with conservatives such as David Brooks.

What I won't listen to is those who go out of their way to peddle fear and hatred and employ utter lies such as those who are attacking AOC and Ilhan Omar.

And yes, before someone makes the obvious claim, there are some on the left who do this as well, but I find the right is seriously much more this way especially now with the current regime in power in Washington

Why refer to it as a regime?

 

[Quetzal]

I'm a big fan of Jordan Peterson. IMO he is one of the most misrepresented of people.

I agree! I don't understand where all of the hate comes from.

 

[Revoltingest]

I agree! I don't understand where all of the hate comes from.

 

[Enoch07]

Over the last few weeks I have gotten into podcasts. I really enjoy My Brother, My Brother, and Me. It is very funny if you haven't heard of them, they are worth a quick listen to see if you would enjoy it. In regards to other topics I have listened to the Joe Rogan Experience.

The most recent guest I listened to was Ben Shapiro who is quite the divisive figure, right? Before listening to what he had to say I believed we were polar opposites. There was nothing he said that could be of value, that was my opinion of Ben Shapiro a week ago. After listening to him, that has changed dramatically. He is a very intelligent person and knows what the heck he is talking about. Many of his points I was able to understand and I even agreed on a few of them (gasp)! Listening to this segment reinforced something that I have been trying to work on over the last year: you can understand and be civil without having to agree. With Shapiro, he has many personal beliefs that I do not subscribe to, but the way he talked about it made me understand his perspective. I really enjoyed it.

Another person I have been listening to is Jordan Peterson (who has his own podcast as well). He is a Canadian psychologist who is ruthlessly demonized by the radical left. I heard about him in passing but really didn't know much about him outside of the usual media portrayal of him (not very flattering). When I started listening to him talk, I realized that he is nothing like the media described him. Again, incredibly sharp and, within his own expertise, is absolutely fascinating to listen to. Again, there are many topics that I don't agree on but I have learned a lot by just listening.

I highly recommend this exercise.

2 of my favorites, even though I don't agree with either of them on 100% of their topics. Ben Shapiro might be the greatest debater I've ever seen.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I agree! I don't understand where all of the hate comes from.

The fact that he rose to prominence by arguing against human rights for vulnerable people might have something to do with it.

 

[Woberts]

Ben Shapiro might be the greatest debater I've ever seen.

Is this a joke? Ben Shapiro is garbage at honest debate. His 'style', so to speak, is talking so fast that no one else can get a word in.