180. Talking Politics And Virtue

In our society, politics has jumped to the front of most everyone's mind. Despite its prominence in our lives, it seems that many people don't know how to talk about it. But, that doesn't have to be the case. A while ago, I sat down to talk with the guys from the Vital Masculinity Podcast about virtues, and how to discuss politics. Since I've been revisiting some of the great conversations I've had, I thought I'd revisit this conversation about justice, reading, and talking politics. That way, I can pull out some new insights and elaborate on an amazing conversation. So, after you listen to this, it would be good to check out the original interview.

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"Virtue is harmony."

-PYTHAGORAS

You Can't Fix Injustice with Injustice

While it may seem like revenge can right wrongs, it really can't. In fact, injustice cannot be dealt with by committing further injustices. Instead, justice has to be done to rectify the damage, and while some may not feel as though they've been made whole, they may need to accept that. As politicians today call for things like reparations and "equitable treatment," we ought to be wary of their solutions.

Revolution Rarely Works out Well

Although the American Revolution worked out well, it is an outlier, not the rule. More often than not, revolution leads to chaos and a worse state of things. Tyranny of a dictator is, at the very least, predictable. However, mob rule and the chaos of revolutions like the Communist Revolution or French Revolution leaves a society in desperate need of order. And, this often comes from a strong-willed leader who generally leads back to the tyranny the revolt reacted to in the first place.

Talking Politics Virtuously

Man, is it hard to have a good political discussion. It seems like anytime we talk about politics either we talk past each other or it turns to shouting and name-calling. But, that doesn't have to be the case. There are ways of talking politics that can be productive. Doing this requires virtues of patience, prudence, and courage - as well as some tact and knowledge. So, if it's possible, how can it be done? Listen to find out.