By David K. Shipler
1. Every
solution creates at least one new problem. (Obamacare.)
2. The natural
alternative to autocracy is more autocracy, not democracy. (Egypt.)
3. The initial
result of revolution is anarchy. (Syria, Libya.)
4. Radical ideas can survive the
ballot box. (Tea Party.)
5. The threat of compromise is less
satisfying than the threat of warfare. (Iran, Israel.)
7. I am willing to sacrifice your
civil liberties for my safety. (NSA.)
8. Children of low-wage parents should
go hungry. (Food stamps.)
9. The common sense of the people
is filtered out by the journey to Washington. (Congress.)
10. Party stands above country.
(House Republicans.)
11. Coarseness cures the malady of
nuance. (Fox News.)
12. Accumulated knowledge and skill
are rarely applied in practice. (Global warming, poverty, etc.)
13. The future is
imprisoned by the present.
Dave - I always enjoy reading your column, even if I don't agree with all of it (that would be no fun!). I do have to question your favorite quote though. Moynihan's well-known assertion that "everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts" may be catchy, but is untrue. Fact is there are lots of facts, all of them literally true, and many leading to opposite conclusions. The key is to figure out which ones are relevant in a given situation. The quote is usually used by people who then proceed to tell you that their facts matter, and yours don't. This does not advance intelligent discourse. In my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteTim, you're quite right, of course. We all select our facts to suit our viewpoints, and one problem of current debate is the intolerance for others' facts. (Another current problem is made-up "facts," though.) As a journalist who likes the contradictions and ambiguities of reality, I think that "facts" include all facts about an issue, not just some of them. I believe that would be in the spirit of what Moynihan had in mind.
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