Each time somebody completely agrees with one thing I write, I die just a little inside.
I do know opinion writers are speculated to be within the enterprise of persuasion and that makes settlement a coin within the realm. However the on the spot knee-jerk settlement makes me doubt it. This coin is devalued.
Sure, I am glad when you rated mine column of Pete Hegseth’s books or loved when my colleagues and I reefed on the cultural artifacts of the Trump period. However please do not name me “completely!” or “nailed”, not to mention “straight fireplace!” (I simply need to put out direct fires.)
And please, by no means reply with “one hundred pc.” I am going to settle for a principled disagreement, a considerate counterargument, even enthusiastic opposition to “one hundred pc.”
If you happen to reply to one thing I’ve stated or written with “one hundred pc” — written, verbal, or emoticon — all you are telling me is that I most likely have not satisfied you of something. As an alternative of fixing your pondering, I confirmed it. “one hundred pc” lets me know I’ve achieved nothing however scratching your ideological itches, validating your convictions, marking your mental erogenous zones.
A hundred percent – actually? Even when you agree generally phrases, did you discover nothing to disagree with? Even, say 3 to five p.c? If that’s the case, why ought to I hassle to write down and why do you have to learn? A hundred percent settlement is a excessive failure price.
Flip in your favourite political or cultural podcast, or your favourite cable information roundtable, and you will find loads of moments of one hundred pc resounding settlement. The general public complains in regards to the opposite screams within the mainstream media, however I am extra anxious in regards to the self-righteous nods.
I do not imply the “proper,” “certain,” and “after all” that litter our conversations, typically solely offering constructive reinforcement—shorthand for “go forward” or “I see what you are saying.” No, I imply “this!” and “signal” and, sure, “one hundred pc.”
I understand that possibly I am simply overdoing the figures of speech which can be particularly frequent on social media. (Confession: That is one thing I do. My 17-year-old son, upon listening to my newest linguistic criticism, checked out me and declared, “Dad, you hate all the things that enters the vernacular.”) I additionally perceive that it’s it’s way more frequent to fret about our polarization, our nationwide disunity, than to decry any coercion in the direction of a contrived consensus.
However one factor resulting in the discord between America’s numerous political and cultural camps is the will for uniformity inside these camps. When one aspect or the opposite adopts a inflexible dogmatism about, say, pandemic insurance policies or gender politics or violent crime, it is all too tempting for opponents to hunt refuge within the actual reverse view. That is how our views cluster, how we “one hundred pc” know all of the issues we expect we all know.
Besides we do not all the time comprehend it. At all times learn the tremendous print earlier than signing.
After all, I commerce within the persuasion market, so a part of me certainly desires you to agree with no matter I say. Simply do not agree with me one hundred pc. Possibly, say, 73 p.c?
Seventy-three p.c. That is the proportion of People who rank their funds as major source of stress of their lives. Or the proportion of People term preference or age restrictions for judges of the Supreme Court docket. That is additionally the proportion of People who believe in heaven.
I might like to activate cable information or log into X or tune in to my favourite podcast and discover one speaking head nodding to a different and replying, “Oh, sure, partially! Not fairly! sizzling! This—however maybe that! 73 p.c!” That may be heavenly.
Agree with me, 73 p.c appears about proper: you are just about on my aspect, however there’s nonetheless room for debate. An encouraging begin, however with quite a lot of work nonetheless to do to win you over otherwise you to win me over.
do you agree
