The editorial page of the LA Times has for some reason fallen into the beliefs that a bunch of personal whining about how you can’t talk to relatives or neighbors with different political views sums up conservatives versus liberals in the United States.
Why I can’t talk to conservatives by Diana Wagman
Summary: A bunch of self-referential, tepid anecdotes about how people disagree and other rampagingly obvious platitudes. If you start thinking “YTF am I reading this?” halfway through, you’re not alone. Zzzzzzzzzzz
Why I can’t talk to liberals by Charlotte Allen
Summary: A bunch of self-indulgent whining about how she loathes her liberal family, despite numerous disingenuous asides to the contrary to salve her family-values conscience (since nobody else freaking cares) because her liberal family has the nerve to expect her to use reasoned arguments other than “my opinions are fact” and “my values are supreme because they are mine” in debates. Yet, nobody will debate with poor Charlotte because they are intolerant jerky poopyheads, unlike her, a paragon of open-mindedness.
GARGH!! YOU WILL GET DUMBER JUST READING THIS NONSENSE.
Personal experiences are not interesting unless you, you know, actually have interesting personal experiences. Arguing with relatives and neighbors? Nope. Not interesting. Or useful.
To get smarter, go over and read Max Stephenson’s contribution to discussion democratic theory here.
These pieces are definitely vapid, but a new low? You obviously haven’t read the Roanoke Times. You are better off for that.
I’m not sure if a single word Charlotte Allen has ever written is of any worth to anyone.