Introduction

If given the same set of facts, people are going to have a much easier time having reasonable discussions and coming up with workable solutions to the known and enormous problems facing all of us.

But we are not all working from the same set of facts. Media, politicians and others with agendas they value more highly than the truth are insidiously successful in creating wildly different pockets, echo chambers, of opinions, insults and accusations masquerading as facts.

This is one of the most important issues of our day and is the subject of today’s 10 minute episode

Continuing

One of our responsibilities as citizens it to understand what the truth is, what constitutes a sufficiently comprehensive set of facts, before we start coming to conclusions. And even before we even start a discussion about coming to conclusions. The law asks for, “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” That should be our standard as well.

In order to come up with workable solutions to the problems we face today, there are three things, in order, that we must do:

Agree on common goals. People of goodwill can always find ways to settle on common goals, no matter how controversial the subject. The key part here is not elaborate analysis; the key part here is setting aside egos and agendas and focusing on what is truly best for everyone. For more, please link to Common Goals (EP. 09).

Assemble the facts. And follow the courtroom rules for separating what is a fact from what is merely a claim supporting a point of view. 

Apply non agenda-based reasoning to the facts to reach the common goals. 

And when this process falls off the track, as it will, go back and re-anchor in the common goals. And start again.

Key question: Where do you go for your facts, your sources of information? For the vast majority of us, we live in political echo chambers. If you are hearing much the same thing on the controversial topics of the day from friends, co-workers, news sources and social media, you are in an echo chamber. And you need to get out.

Others are living in different echo chambers. And the people in one echo chamber are absolutely certain that they are right, and the people in another echo chamber are dead wrong. Do you remember when the leader of one echo chamber called the people in the other “deplorables?” And the leader of the other echo chamber responded with “Lock her up?” And all the while, both sides at least pretend to lament the lack of intelligent arguments and dialog on the major issues. For more on echo chambers, please link to Do You Live In An Echo Chamber? (EP. 112).

Here is a list of sources I consult on a regular basis:

Fox News

CNN

MSNBC

BBC

Quilette

Colorado Springs Gazette (local paper)

Denver Post (up the road)

National Review

Ben Shapiro

CBS

Real Clear Politics

Twitter. Yes, Twitter. It is a rich source for opinions, from well-known people as well as trolls, who voice opinions far different from mine.

People, especially those who have different thoughts and views.

In the absence of differing opinions from a variety of sources, people will rely on the opinions of family and friends, co-workers and their favorite news sources and social media. Outside of family, all the sources will be selected more for comfort and absence of frustration than political reasoning and diversity. Not surprisingly, they will pretty much share the same opinions. Similar opinions from apparently different sources reinforce each other and can easily be seen as a valid consensus. And with some notable exceptions (Uncles and Brothers-in Law?), families tend to lean one way or the other on significant issues,