Soif…evenifyouhatepolitics–andtherearecertainlyplentyofgoodreasonstohatepoliticsthesedays–youwillhavetoengageinpoliticaldialogue,ifonlytosurviveThanksgivingdinnerwithyourcrazyuncle.Andyouwillhavetojudgetheargumentsmadebycandidatesifyouaregoingtovoteintelligently.
ThequestionIhopeyouwillaskyourself[is]:onwhatbasiswillyoumakethosejudgments?
ItwouldbenaturaltothinkthatadegreefromoneofAmerica’stopcollegeshaspreparedyouasaskilledjudgeofpoliticaldebates.Butunfortunately,arecentstudyfoundthatthesmartestandmostknowledgeablevoterscanactuallybetheworstjudges.Andthereasonistheyaremostlikelytomakejudgmentsbasedonwhichpartyismakingtheargumentratherthanontheargumentitself.
Now,Iknowwhatyou’rethinking.‘Iwouldneverdothat,’yousay.Butithappensunconsciouslyallthetime.Peoplehaveatendencytoassumetheworstaboutthoseontheothersideoftheaisle.Andwhenitcomestothoseonyourside,theytendtoseenoevil,hearnoevilandspeaknoevil.Andthat’swhy–youcanapplaudifyouwant–that’swhyeducatedandknowledgeablepeopleexcusetheseactionsthatareethicallywronganddefendstatementsthatareblatantlies.