The danger of certainty
[First, a personal note: I packed up my computer & cable modem today as part of my move so I had to get creative to keep my blog-a-day record alive. Bear with me if this post isn't up to snuff as I'm writing under some duress.]
Certainty is a tricky concept. I am certain of a lot of things–I am certain that the earth is round and orbits around the sun. I am certain that gravity will keep me firmly planted on the ground. I am certain that I will get old and die some day. These are pretty universal certainties, and fairly safe.
Now consider some more extreme examples: some people are certain that abortion is wrong and should be a crime. Some people are certain that homosexuality is a sin. Some people are certain that immigration hurts American interests.
What does it mean when you adopt a level of certainty about such topics? Sadly, certainty in this context is an enemy of democracy. It’s nearly impossible to hold a fruitful debate when one (or both) parties is certain that their position is right.
Certainty should be a rare breed in politics. Lately, we’ve seen just the opposite as certainty has come to dominate the public discourse. Be aware and be wary–certainty is dangerous indeed.
Filed under culture, politics : Comments (0) : May 18th, 2007 by tadfad
