My rationality outreach is limited to commenting and/or authoring content for several politics-related websites. Most of my commentary and content advocates “objective” or “rational” politics as I define that concept. I see my work as an experiment to test the acceptability of the concept. So far, the concept is a complete flop. Based on my personal experience so far, most people have little or no interest in or appetite for questioning their own beliefs. I suppose that surprises no one here.
At the IVN (Independent Voter Network) website, I comment and author articles under the pseudonym “Dissident Politics”, e.g., this review of the May 2016 book “Democracy for Realists” by Christopher H. Achen and Larry M. Bartels: http://ivn.us/2016/04/21/democracy-it-isnt-what-you-think/ (notice the underwhelming response from the independents)
My own blog “Dissident Politics” is focused on the intersection of social and cognitive science with politics, and it contains my explanation and defense of how I see “rational” politics based on my understanding of social and cognitive science, e.g., this probably futile attempt to at least partially refute Johnathan Haidt’s contention in his book “The Righteous Mind”, that politics will forever remain overwhelmingly intuitive or system 1-based: http://dispol.blogspot.com/2016/01/reason-can-be-compatible-with-intuition.html (I’m not sure I convinced myself, especially now in view of what I am currently reading in the book “The Rationalizing Voter” by Milton Lodge and Charles S. Taber—PS: no one reads my blog, I use it as an information source to link back to when there’s too much content to put in a comment)
I sure could use some friendly feedback about whether I am barking up the wrong tree or am on to something plausible for politics.
My rationality outreach is limited to commenting and/or authoring content for several politics-related websites. Most of my commentary and content advocates “objective” or “rational” politics as I define that concept. I see my work as an experiment to test the acceptability of the concept. So far, the concept is a complete flop. Based on my personal experience so far, most people have little or no interest in or appetite for questioning their own beliefs. I suppose that surprises no one here.
At the IVN (Independent Voter Network) website, I comment and author articles under the pseudonym “Dissident Politics”, e.g., this review of the May 2016 book “Democracy for Realists” by Christopher H. Achen and Larry M. Bartels: http://ivn.us/2016/04/21/democracy-it-isnt-what-you-think/ (notice the underwhelming response from the independents)
I put up posts at Daily Kos, a large liberal, pro-democrat politics website, under the pseudonym “pragmatic1”, e.g., this rewiew of Daniel Khaneman’s 2011 book, Thinking, Fast and Slow: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/01/15/1470227/-Thinking-Fast-and-Slow-Book-Review (notice the slightly better response from the liberals)
I am moderator under the pseudonym “Germaine” at the Disqus politics channel “Harlan’s Place”, which has all sorts of followers (socialists, libertarians, nut balls, etc), e.g., this inquiry about the social science of terrorism: https://disqus.com/home/channel/harlansplace/discussion/channel-harlansplace/self_criticism_and_conflict_resolution/ (notice the ferocious attacks on my brand of politics and my logic)
My own blog “Dissident Politics” is focused on the intersection of social and cognitive science with politics, and it contains my explanation and defense of how I see “rational” politics based on my understanding of social and cognitive science, e.g., this probably futile attempt to at least partially refute Johnathan Haidt’s contention in his book “The Righteous Mind”, that politics will forever remain overwhelmingly intuitive or system 1-based: http://dispol.blogspot.com/2016/01/reason-can-be-compatible-with-intuition.html (I’m not sure I convinced myself, especially now in view of what I am currently reading in the book “The Rationalizing Voter” by Milton Lodge and Charles S. Taber—PS: no one reads my blog, I use it as an information source to link back to when there’s too much content to put in a comment)
I sure could use some friendly feedback about whether I am barking up the wrong tree or am on to something plausible for politics.
Cool, sounds like you’re doing useful work, considering that voting is like donating thousands of dollars to charity. We at Intentional Insights do political rationality outreach too, for instance see this piece. Let’s chat more about this over email.