I’ve learn from long experience to avoid trying to “teach” the other side, the one I disagree with, anything.

First, I might be wrong. (As G. K. Chesterton said, a fanatic isn’t someone who’s sure he’s right–we *all* are–but someone who cannot possibly imagine he could be wrong.) Second, most don’t listen to the other side anyway. Third, it only makes you look like a self-important twit to try and “prove” how much *smarter* and *more moral* and all-around *better* you are than everybody else on the other side, merely by holding the “correct” political opinion. (True, the left here had been more guilty than the right–one reason I’m a conservative–but there’s plenty of blame to go around on both sides.)

Fourth, and most important, since the discussion is merely about showing how smart you are as opposed to THEM, no real discussion of the issues exists, as people tend to pontificate on things they know nothing about.

Let’s take the middle east, for instance. Of all those who argue about the subject, “proving” how the other side is stupid and evil, can actually–oh, I don’t know–say “good morning” in Arabic? “May I have a cup of coffee” in Hebrew? Name three cities (apart from the Capitals) in Iraq, Israel, or Iran?

Or take the economy. How many who rant about either the “evil Bush tax cuts” or “creeping socialism” actually know, without looking it up, how much the tax cuts were to the nearest *100 billion*? Or what percentage of the economy is actually owned (or controlled indirectly, e.g., through military contracts) by the government–to the nearest *10%*?

…exactly.

Yes, it *is* fun to rant about things you know nothing about, but of which you’re dead certain nevertheless. Feels damn good, and God know I’ve been guilty of it myself. But take it from me, of long experience: it’s not worth the time and effort invested in it. As Epictetus–I think–said, experience *is* the best teacher, but unfortunately the tuition’s very high. I paid it in wasted time; don’t you do the same…