I make a conscious effort to look at and review many different points of view, even ones that I might disagree with. Being open minded is funny, sometimes you are enlightened by what you learn, other times it reinforces your own prejudices. Regardless, oftentimes getting others to appreciate your point of view has as much to do with how you state your case as it does what your point actually is.
Here's a good example of how to get someone to stop and think: On Wasatch Economics, Scott presents some counter-arguments against the objections raised about ethanol as a fuel source. I'm still not convinced that ethanol will provide a reasonable fuel alternative, but I'm willing to consider the validity of these issues.
On the other hand, here's how to turn people off and alienate them from your point: on the CCU Recorder student journalist Chris Demorro launches a polemic against the Toyota Prius, entitled "Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage." Some of the facts he throws around might even be true, but the breathless panic and towering indignation in his essay create such heavy handed rhetoric that it is hard to take it seriously. I'm no fan of limosine liberalism, or the sort of hypocritical pseudo-treehugging that the Prius (or the Academy Awards, for that matter) exemplifies, but Demorro's rant comes across as Preaching to the Choir, as opposed to attempting to gain consensus, especially amongst the undecided.
Friday, March 23, 2007
How to be persuasive, a study in two contrasts
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When it comes to controversial issues, I look for someone who has personal reasons for being balanced in their writing. In the area of climate change and the impact of the automobile there may be no one with a more balanced approach than veteran automotive journalist Patrick Bedard.
His balance comes from two of his passions - he understands and loves cars and he is also an engineer - if the numbers don't add up it doesn't make sense for him. A recent article of his on ethanol exhibits the three things in his approach that keep me subscribing to Car and Driver. He does his homework. He doesn't stridently defend his agenda. He can write.
If you insist on having high standards for the writers you read you'll probably get stuff worth reading from them.
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