Lately, while talking with politically-minded friends, I've noticed a regrettable trend. It seems those who consider themselves liberal have an insatiable hunger for books and other forms of media with liberal messages, but no interest in conservative viewpoints. Likewise, my more conservative friends don't seem much interested in what liberals have to say, but eat up the writings and words of conservative commentators.
Unfortunately, conservatives who only want to hear voices from the right and liberals who only wish to hear from like-minded people are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to broaden their horizons and better understand their fellow Americans.
After the election, it seems our country is, as always, split almost evenly between our two political parties. With that in mind, to assume that everything said by those on the opposite end of the political spectrum is uniformly wrong is basically to dismiss half the American public as slack-jawed morons.
So why's this a big deal? It is natural after all to prefer agreement to strife. But just maybe this reluctance to hear the other side --- and leaving open the possibility that they have something valid to say --- contributes to the venomous, divisive political attitude currently grasping the American people.
For example, it seems like a Rush Limbaugh fan would be eager to read Al Franken's "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot." If the reader finds Franken unpersuasive, then he or she can at least know some of the complaints of Limbaugh's critics and be better able to counter them. On the other hand, there's a chance the reader would learn more about Limbaugh and perhaps even be convinced.
For their part, liberals might benefit from reading books like Sean Hannity's "Deliver Us From Evil," or Ann Coulter's "Slander." Reading authors with a different political philosophy certainly won't always be fun, but they serve the critical function of increasing understanding between people who often struggle to find common ground.
Books aren't the only media people can use to expand their horizons. The cable news channels Fox News and CNN are both shunned by segments of the population that consider them politically biased. Fox News delivers news from a conservative perspective, while CNN is often accused of a liberal slant (though frankly one can make a stronger case against CBS.) But each of the cable news stalwarts has its strengths, and to dismiss either outright is to be less informed.
Listening to people with whom you don't agree can prove truly educational. I had such an experience when listening to the audio book version of "My Life," the autobiography by President Bill Clinton. Like many Americans, I'd always thought of Clinton as an excellent politician, but a lying, crooked man (and that's despite agreeing with him on many policy issues). While the book didn't inspire a "eureka" moment in which I realized he was a great guy, it did shed light on a number of topics, and made it possible to understand many of his actions.
So, the next time you notice a book, see a show, or hear a radio program which espouses a political philosophy different from your own, instead of rolling your eyes and getting frustrated, listen and try to keep an open mind. You may realize the people aren't as stupid as you think, and if all else fails, the next time you brand them as morons you'll at least be better able to explain why.
Write to Jake at jymoore@bsu.edu
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