Friday, February 13, 2009

How to Save Time Debating Politics

I made a post at one of my other blogs that focused on how to waste time in three easy steps--when arguing about the bailout or the "stimulus" plan. Here are the same three points, though put in reverse for those who would like to save time rather than waste it:

1. Do not place your primary attention on range-bound issues, considered apart from the premises that support a stance. In this case, you save time by not focusing on the size of the bill or who in particular gets what--which in the end is much less important than the deeper issues.

2. Focus on the fundamentals issues at stake--which in political discussions usually means a focus on rights, and then on the nature of man (or the morality proper to him).

3. Converse with those who have active minds--meaning people who are able to conceptualize, think in principles, and are concerned with identifying the truth (as opposed to arguing a point, winning an argument, etc).

Though results are not guaranteed, if you follow the three suggestions above, not only should you have more time to enjoy your life, you will also be able to replace the (hopefully) unusual state of frustration or anger that comes when dealing with the irrational.

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