PCMech Forums - View Single Post - Is freedom of speech destructive to liberals?

Paul Victorey · 04-12-2003, 10:27 PM

Tim, there's more than one "truth" to any issue. Every set of facts is interpreted, and there is more than one way to correctly interpret most situations. Also, being as issues are almost never black and white, and there are thousands of possible positions one might take, saying your one single interpretation is the ONLY correct interpretation is a little arrogant, to say the least.

Don't interpret this as an argument for total relativism -- I recognize that often, there is one correct answer. But I also recognize that more often, the facts are open to interpretation, and ten different people can analyze the same situation, come to ten different conclusions, and each of them could be as correct as any of the others.

Further, to think that one group of people can be 100% in the right all the time, and another group 100% in the wrong, is a ridiculously stupid idea. To fail to recognize the validity of other viewpoints is the worst kind of ignorance. Hell, even if you personally disagree with the viewpoint, understanding that many people hold it, and why, is required to truly understand the situation.

And I'm sure there are tons of instances of slander from liberal to conservative, but I'm equally sure there are as many equally good counterexamples on the other side. I don't want to read any books about partisan whining, quite frankly I've seen more than enough of that already, without the need to deliberately expose myself to more. I also wouldn't read any book from a conservative point of view without also reading about the same thing from the liberal point of view (as I always seek to understand both sides of every issue) and reading TWO books about partisan bickering would drive me insane.

04-12-2003, 10:27 PM	#10
Paul Victorey Member (12 bit) Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: MN or WI Posts: 3,017	Tim, there's more than one "truth" to any issue. Every set of facts is interpreted, and there is more than one way to correctly interpret most situations. Also, being as issues are almost never black and white, and there are thousands of possible positions one might take, saying your one single interpretation is the ONLY correct interpretation is a little arrogant, to say the least. Don't interpret this as an argument for total relativism -- I recognize that often, there is one correct answer. But I also recognize that more often, the facts are open to interpretation, and ten different people can analyze the same situation, come to ten different conclusions, and each of them could be as correct as any of the others. Further, to think that one group of people can be 100% in the right all the time, and another group 100% in the wrong, is a ridiculously stupid idea. To fail to recognize the validity of other viewpoints is the worst kind of ignorance. Hell, even if you personally disagree with the viewpoint, understanding that many people hold it, and why, is required to truly understand the situation. And I'm sure there are tons of instances of slander from liberal to conservative, but I'm equally sure there are as many equally good counterexamples on the other side. I don't want to read any books about partisan whining, quite frankly I've seen more than enough of that already, without the need to deliberately expose myself to more. I also wouldn't read any book from a conservative point of view without also reading about the same thing from the liberal point of view (as I always seek to understand both sides of every issue) and reading TWO books about partisan bickering would drive me insane.