Why is political rhetoric so harsh?

Arnold Kling joins us for a discussion on his book, The Three Languages of Politics. Kling says that progressives, conservatives, and libertarians all use different languages to justify their beliefs, and that this results in political polarization.

Why is political rhetoric so harsh? Is there too much over-simplification in political rhetoric? Are libertarians guilty of this as much as anyone?

Show Notes and Further Reading

Arnold Kling, The Three Languages of Politics (e-book)

Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (book)

George Lakoff, Don’t Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate (book)

Paul Krugman, Conservatives Are (Mostly) Not Libertarians (column)

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