'The Righteous Mind': Why Liberals and Conservatives Can't Get Along - YouTube
In a followup to the recent article on tribalism from Slate Star Codex here is one of the shorter videos I could find from Jonathan Haidt on the different value systems used by the two main political tribes. He's a clear communicator so either watch this video or check out his seminal Atlantic article from a couple years ago on how millennials (like Calvin) are coddled.
I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to bash millennials from this gigantic throne fashioned out of swords and labeled "Gen X".
-Brian
These Are the Ads Russia Bought on Facebook in 2016
And in way less uplifting political news, check this out if you are interested in the actual ads purchased by Russia during the last election cycle. Seems the goal was mostly general chaos and division with ads purchased on both sides of a lot of divisive issues.
If you think the only problem with social media is foreign agents you need to check out the damage our own American reporters are doing with the platform -Brian
How I Left the Liberal Bubble and Learned to Love the Right
Political discussion, like many things, only works when we actually engage with each other as individuals. Justice can only be applied at an individual level. Social media has dehumanized us to anyone who disagrees with whichever extreme happens to be shouting louder in our ears. I love this article despite the cheesy Dr. Strangelove title because it takes the approach of one-on-one dialogue and intimacy instead of twitter mass outrage. The former CEO of NPR takes a road trip through "flyover country" to discover who his political opposites are as actual people. -Brian
F.C.C. Plans Net Neutrality Repeal in a Victory for Telecoms
I predict this is going to be a huge problem. I hope the large tech companies fight this irresponsible and idiotic proposal.
Here's why this grinds my gears: I think the whole Internet (and the same Internet) should be available to everyone that pays to access it. I realize that Mr. Pai thinks that I'll benefit from having more competition in a deregulated industry, but I don't trust those giant telecoms to actually do right by me. Sure, in theory there would be more competition but in reality, I don't foresee a ton of companies being able to construct the physical infrastructure needed to actually compete. I don't foresee having a "surf local" bumper sticker for my in-town, locally owned and operated ISP.
I think Google and Facebook have the financial firepower to take on the FCC on this issue and win if they want to, but I'm not sure they'll deem it important enough. They'll probably just build a way around it or start offering their own Internet services. Er, Google already started doing that. Yeah Google isn't gonna care at all. – Calvin
Net Neutrality should be called the Government Regulator Full Employment Act
Name one thing in your life that you are glad is strictly regulated by the 1.4 million non-military government employees your taxes go to give jobs? So called "net neutrality" regulations were preemptively rolled out in 2015 to give those 1.4 million people more authority over what had been a free market economy that actually hadn't exhibited any of the horrible behaviors used as scare tactics by proponents of net neutrality.
All of the regulatory actions taken since net neutrality went to effect have actually been to prevent companies from offering you more... think T-Mobile's or MetroPCS' unlimited streaming plans which may not be allowed under NN. NN has limited pro-competitive, pro-consumer behavior and has not taken any substantive anti-competitive actions, primarily because a free market does a great job of limiting those things, as long as there is competition. But NN would regulate your internet as a monopoly system, like your utilities. How happy are you with the customer service and innovation you get from your utility provider? Regulating an industry like a monopoly historically LIMITS investments in infrastructure and innovation. And in fact in 2015 the US investment in internet infrastructure (the first year NN was in effect) DROPPED for the first time EVER that wasn't caused by an actual recession.
NN has been marketed as about a free internet but what it really is about is the big silicone valley incumbents not wanting to face competition for selling you as their product to advertisers from other sectors like ISP's and telecoms. And competition is the only thing that will benefit you in the long run. Get those 1.4 million regulators out of your living room, look beyond headline scare tactics from late night hosts with english degrees and gimmicks like we have seen from reddit (who has a ton to lose as one of those current incumbents selling you to their advertisers) and decide for yourself if you feel extreme regulation is required to squash one of the world's only completely open and accessible free markets.
Already a number of small fiber companies and municipal wifi entrepreneurs are being strangled just by the compliance costs of making those 1.4 million regulators happy. The only people excited about crippling regulation are the gigantic companies who are already at scale and have fully staffed legal departments. Two guys in their garage trying to come up with a kickass new internet service or company have a lawyer friend named Andy who will maybe write a letter for them in exchange for a bottle of Jack. Who wins out when 1.4 million regulators are trying to justify their existence?
Regulation strangles innovation and investment and should only be used when actual harm has been actually observed, not when maybe possibly it could maybe happen... and if it did a free market would stamp it out with a better offering. -Brian
Basically a Rap Battle
...except not as entertaining. Brian and I decided to go head-to-head-ish on a topic we have different opinions about. Brian probably won this one, but you can decide. If you do enjoy this though, shoot us an email with GIFs in it. – Calvin
I Can Tolerate Anything Except The Outgroup
New category!
I read a lot of political articles, desperately searching for some sort of real human dialogue taking place in the US today. I am fascinated (in the way a train wreck is fascinating) with the complete absence of charity in the conversation. Charity in this case means assuming the best intentions exist within your opponent but you just disagree on matters of facts or best pathways forward. Clearly today we are generally assuming the worst about the other side.
I gravitate towards sober explanations of the situation but also really enjoy analysis from all camps that is genuinely self aware / self critical or shows empathy and charity towards others. Calvin has (wisely) stayed away from the 3rd rail of political discussion but I’m going to attempt to approach the sun here as I think the situation doesn’t improve until we ask how the dialogue has become so broken.
For this first installment we have to set the stage with the incredible Slate Star Codex analysis of the tribal political culture in America. This article from 2014 is in my opinion the defining description of the problem and has only become more intensely relevant in the intervening time. – Brian