"How can you make a name for yourself if you're reasonable?" a smart speaker observed at a meeting I attended on Friday. Folks who are wise—who present a nuanced position, who see multiple sides to a problem—don't get recognized. They take too long to get to the point. They don't offer a quick fix. In contrast, those who take extreme positions and grandstand in sound bites are quoted in the media and sell "product"—no matter how wrong they are. "Make Money Fast", "Lose Weight Instantly and Effortlessly" (and their famously obscene brethren) are typical spam subject lines, not "Increase Your Understanding of a Complex Issue".

(hmmm ... how can I state the above more violently, so it gets more readers? cf. EducationVersusEduction (1999-04-30), IsaiahBerlin (2005-11-24), DiscussionAndDialogue (2006-01-07), ...) - ^z - 2009-02-22