a strange pairing of ideas

[marnanel]

In the Telegraph today, a strange pairing of ideas:

1) Left-wing kids think they're thinking for themselves, but they're not, the Left has brainwashed them: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/10216388/Its-no-wonder-none-of-my-friends-are-teenage-Tories.html

2) Right-wing working people are thinking for themselves, but the Left think the Right has brainwashed them: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100223531/guardian-robot-simply-cannot-understand-why-generation-y-arent-all-good-socialists-does-not-compute-does-not-compute/

Comments

[wildeabandon]

Hrm. I think there's an important difference between the pieces. The first is saying "I personally, as a member of this demographic, feel as though I'm being given information in a way that seems designed to make me reach a particular conclusion". She's talking about her own experiences, and whilst I would argue that she's making some errors in interpretation through confirmation bias and shoddy stats, there's no reason to assume she's doing those things more than her peers.

The second is saying "You shouldn't assume that the only reason people of a demographic that you're not part of could have reached a conclusion you disagree with is because they've been brainwashed". And whilst it's said in his typically odious way, and even typing this feels wrong, when it comes to the broad thrust of his argument I actually *shudders* agree with Toby Young.

[marnanel]

I hadn't seen it that way, and it makes sense to me-- thank you!

I think there's a point midway between "X has reached a conclusion I disagree with" and "X has been brainwashed", which is "X is doing something apparently counterproductive and I want to know why", which is probably a safer place for people (on both sides) to start.