Well no, it doesn't require it. We are absolutely free to engage in critical thinking. "They" aren't stopping us, "we" just aren't doing it.ohio jones wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 12:48 pmIt certainly seems to encourage that, but does it really require it? I'd like to think there is some politician, somewhere, who actually engages in critical thinking and encourages others in that direction. Can't think of any good examples offhand, though.
One of the first things they teach you in a political science class is the difference between two definitions of politics:
1. The warfare between political factions trying to seek power.
2. Policies designed to provide peaceful ways to decide who governs, how they govern, how to deal with disputes, how to deal with poverty, how to defend the country against attack from outside, how to police the streets, etc.
It's almost impossible to do both in the same room. And #1 is always louder and more emotional, drowning out #2, unless there's some way to moderate the conversation. That's why there are rules in a courtroom or in Congress to govern who speaks when, what is out of line, etc. In a courtroom, at least, those rules work pretty well. In Congress, it depends a lot on a lot of things.