A Long Time Ago, in a Blogosphere Far, Far Away…
A long time ago, in a blogosphere far, far away, a young(er) Joe Gandelman sent me an e-mail. He told me about the new site he’d just started, which would try to get past all the mindless partisanship out there and focus on intelligent analysis from all sides of the spectrum. I told Joe it was a great idea, but wasn’t sure it could really work. I’m extremely glad to say that I was thoroughly wrong. Joe has done amazing things with The Moderate Voice.
Back when I got that first e-mail from Joe, I was writing for Oxblog, the home of several Oxford graduate students in politics and international relations. I joined OxBlog a few months after it started up in April 2002. I became the site’s editor a few years later, and continued blogging there until March of last year, when I joined the foreign policy staff of John McCain for President and had to maintain radio silence with the outside world. Just a few weeks ago, I started blogging at Conventional Folly, the staff blog for Doublethink magazine.
When I told Joe I was blogging again, he graciously invited me to cross-post my work from Conventional Folly here at TMV. No question, it’s an honor. I have some strong opinions, but I’m ready to work with everyone who wants to bring a little more respectful, open-minded debate to the blogosphere. As you might’ve guessed, I’m a Republican, although when I graduated from college around ten years ago, I was a liberal Democrat. Back then, I was pretty confident that Republicans just didn’t get it. These days, I try to remind myself how easy it is to surround yourself with people and ideas that confirm what you already think you know. On top of that, I still remember how confident I was back then in my own objectivity and open-mindedness.
The lesson I’ve taken from this experience is that it is absolutely essential to engage in tough, loud, serious debate with the people who disagree with you about everything. An abstract commitment to being open-minded isn’t enough. In that spirit, I look forward to working with everyone here at TMV.
16 Responses to “A Long Time Ago, in a Blogosphere Far, Far Away…”
These days, I try to remind myself how easy it is to surround yourself with people and ideas that confirm what you already think you know.
Excellent and refreshing. I am a very conservative Republican that hangs out here for these very reasons. To be reminded that I do not have all the answers and there is much I do not know. Welcome aboard.
David – I was a HUGE fan of Oxblog back in the day. Glad to see you here.
[...] his site by having me cross-post some of my writing from Conventional Folly. Just now, I put up a short post introducing myself to the readers at TMV, so they know where I’m coming from. In it, I [...]
Welcome aboard!
“These days, I try to remind myself how easy it is to surround yourself with people and ideas that confirm what you already think you know.”
You hit the nail on the head, man. Now if I could just get everyone to understand that I'm the one who's right.
Welcome.
I disagree completely that it is bad to surround yourself with people who agree with you. Let's debate.
Useless irony brought to you by Pacatrue, needlessly spouting his own brand of odd humor since 2007.
Welcome, David, from a relatively new contributor.
How interesting to read your “confession,” “As you might’ve guessed, I’m a Republican, although when I graduated from college around ten years ago, I was a liberal Democrat.”
I say interesting because a long time ago–say 30 years or so– I was a gung-ho Conservative Republican…and look at me now, Mom.
We may not agree on a lot of things, but I do agree with you on ” how easy it is to surround yourself with people and ideas that confirm what you already think you know.”
I look forward to read and debate your posts
Dorian de Wind
Dorian – you're doing a reverse Churchill?
“Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.”
How about one who is exactly 30, like myself/
I can't believe ole Mr. Churchill left out such a huge “loophole”.
Um, exactly 30??
WTF? You claimed 3 days ago to be a Texas A&M graduate who served your country in the military for 20 years.
What is the truth about you?
If you have lied about your background and military service simple to win some points on this board, after I had pointed out my military service to you, you should be ashamed of yourself, and owe both myself and this board an apology for misrepresenting your experience and credentials.
I am a little disappointed AR that you can't recognize a little kidding, but especially disappointed and even offended for you to come back with such gross accusations about lying and mis representing myself.
Please check my bio, under TMV authors “Dorian de Wind.”
Nough said
It was odd humor, then. I didn't see the joke in there. Perhaps he hasn't seen your bio, or if he has, didn't know all the details. And it wouldn't be the first time I've seen someone give entirely different accounts of their life in separate postings. The Internet is horrible at transmitting jokes when they're not either well written satire or the emotion you wish to represent is clearly in context.
Anyway, welcome David. Also, some Republicans really don't get it…at least of the Congressional flavor. Then again, neither do the Congressional Democrats.
Dorian -
Sorry if I didn't catch you joke; perhaps an emoticon would have helped. As MM says, many people do misrepresent themselves online. I didn't even know there are bios available for review.
Sorry you are offended at my reaction, but not having anything else but your words to go on, it was not unreasonable to ask what the truth was, and wouldn't consider my reaction a 'gross accusation'. I did make allowance for some form of misunderstanding by starting my last sentence with 'If'.
Glad to know that in the end it was nothing more than a failure to communicate.
OK, AR. No problem. I may have over-reacted, too
Dorian
Cool Dorian. I understand. Luckily, I NEVER over-react!
OK, seeing your
I get it now. I am not used to this internet “shorthand”
Perhaps my comment should have been : “How about one who is exactly 30, like myself
”
Live and learn.