Contact information
MidTide Media 123 Pleasant St Suite 300. Marblehead, MA 01945.
Train Your Brain to Think Clearly About Politics
Politics tap into an unusual mixture of reason and emotion. We want to have the right answer, which requires a neutral interpretation of information and events. However, it is human nature to want to feel like we have the right answer, especially when the topic is something we care deeply about.
There is a disconnect between the pure detachment required for cool-headed discussion and the often uncontrollable emotions that are part of our nature. This is why an impassioned speech can sway huge groups of individuals better than an exceptionally well-informed but detached policy paper.
How can we train ourselves to think more effectively about politics?
Skepticism and Detachment, Part II
Thinking Fast and Slow, a book about decision making, describes two “systems”(1) that process information and therefore reach conclusions in different ways. In this post, Xander uses the principles from Thinking to help us practice skepticism and detachment in political dialogue.