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Steve Everist's avatar

I focus on the specific message, not the messenger. People I have fundamental disagreements with like Haidt still have my respect when they produce thoughtful commentary as he did in ‘The Coddling of the American Mind’. Tribal instincts are at the root of this ‘othering’ Tracy, exactly what Haidt was warning us about in chapter 3. If we keep demonizing those we have disagreements with we all loose don’t we?

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tracy's avatar

Sure, but tribalism is not even a valid excuse... we're apes, we're tribal, duh. We need better arguments. Arguing "tribal" is neither here not there, it can't fix things.

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Steve Everist's avatar

My point is that you’re being ‘tribal’ by summing the complex personage that is Jonathan Haidt to one position you strongly disagree with him on. If we all do this to each other we loose any chance of learning from each other, we loose a common language, and this Tower of Babel we are collectively trying to build collapses.

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tracy's avatar

I'm not a tribal person. As a born atheist, always atheist, scientist, politically incorrect old person, I have been a lone wolf my entire life. No tribe for me.

I just don't trust in Haidt's integrity.

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