Why the Left Can't Learn...or How an unruly class treats substitute teachers

You may have heard educational concerns such as "No student left behind" or "Why Johnny can't read." I have a similar concern for the Left and express that as "Why the Left can't learn". I am trying to understand why many, if not most, people on the left cannot accept other views and learn something new. Not only do they not accept other views, their attitudes seem to be hate and disdain for anyone who doesn't agree with them.

At first, I was going to title this "Why the Left Hates the Right," and if you have debated someone from the left or watched television square-offs between the sides, I think that you understand why that title might be appropriate. But, let's not list offenses. Let it suffice that contentious communication is costly to individuals and to the nation. My interest, rather, is to understand people from the left and to determine why they act as they do. In short, why can't the left learn?

With that background, here are my observations on learning, and I humbly offer these to the left to help them--and, to the right to understand the left.

What does learning demand?

1. Learning demands that you listen rather than drown out others. Drowning out commencement speakers, disrupting the President's speech, and engaging in constant and annoying group chants makes it impossible for you to listen. I've heard it said that God gave us two ears but only one mouth, and that we should use them accordingly.
2. Learning demands that you debate issues rather than call people names. Saying "you're a lying moron" is not a good response in debates. Adding the F-word to that does not improve the response, and that gets you an F from me for your debate grade. Good debate requires good manners, and you can't learn if you treat the other side like an unruly class does a substitute teacher.
3. Learning demands that you break from the herd instincts that limit exploration of alternatives. Being in a herd is like being on a dog team--unless you're the leader, the view never changes. Try to be an individual rather than just group member expected to conform. Expand your frame of thinking.
4. Learning demands accepting and analyzing facts. Don't ignore facts. Also, check the facts, as too many people are willing to tell give you just enough information to get you on their side--the wrong side.
5. Learning demands honesty. When you lie, you may fool some but you have moved the discussion from the real issue to one of your credibility--resulting in no agreement. Honesty is also saying what is correct rather than what you think others want to hear or what is acceptable to a group with speech codes.
6. Learning demands civil discourse and does not require profanity. A good argument does not need supplementing with foul language.
7. Learning demands not jumping to conclusions. There is a reason that the term "knee-jerk liberal" came into use. Don't go there. Before you accuse or act: calm down, think rationally, gather all the facts, be analytical, and make a reasoned and informed decision. If you need more time, you have my permission to wait.
8. Learning demands courage. Have the courage to discuss all points of view, to allow others to express their views without judgment, and to avoid the political-correctness trap. Have the courage to say what you know despite what your "friends" think. It's okay to call mass murderers by the name terrorists rather than merely bomber.
9. Learning demands that you form or accept supportable conclusions rather than resort to emotional demands. That only works when my wife needs something fixed around the house.
10. Learning demands...a number ten. What? Well, there isn't a number ten. I'm leaving this for you to complete. This post is an attempt to understand and explain a problem. It is not a final report, and it can use your input. Can you explain the left and give a point to help in our communication with them? We welcome views from all sides!

Don't go there yet, but I have a Continuation Link at the bottom with additional information. First, there is a comment that I wrote to members of the left at a site in which they had gotten out of control in their attacks against individuals of the right. You can view it and guess how they responded. The second part contains links to articles and comments that others have made on this subject. It makes for interesting reading.

The subject of how a liberal thinks and learns is complex, and I'm going to look around and see if I can find someone trained in mental health issues to explain it more to me. (G.M.?) I said that this was about learning, and I'm trying to learn myself. In fact, I think that dealing with liberals has taught me a lot--especially patience. But, this is an intellectual pursuit and I'm not trying to bash anyone.

However, I'm so concerned about people on the left that I'm thinking about starting a new program--"No liberal left behind".

Additional information and reading material on this subject:

My offering to liberals after attacks on conservatives at another site:

To those who might identify with the following:

Apparently, your minds work differently and you come from different experiences than do I and many from the right. Your unwillingness or inability to understand or even acknowledge the possible validity of the concerns of the right doesn't mean that the right is usually wrong. That unwillingness or inability limits your growth, and your personal attacks limit more exchange of ideas from which you could benefit.

If you think that you have solved all the problems of life and the world in your minds and are certain that you will never have to change your minds or reassess your positions, then you are acting appropriately--except for the personal attacks which represent a character flaw rather than a position argument. On the other hand, if you believe that there is a possibility that someone else from a different viewpoint might be right, then it would be appropriate to listen and try to understand and acknowledge the possibility that others might have something to offer to the debate.

Diversity doesn't have to be only about race, gender, or culture. It can be about the different ways people think and to be accepting of differences to broaden perspectives and to move ahead. If you agree, then this could be a good forum for discussion. If you don't agree, then there are many other sites that accept only one-sided views from the left to which you can contribute unbridled.

This site has previously been an acceptable forum for exchanges of ideas. I would like to see it continue as such. Reasoned discussions and offerings of information further that. Verbal screaming and name-calling resemble an uncontrolled mob and do not further discourse.

You have to make a decision as to what you want this site to be, and the moderator has to make a decision as to how much he thinks is enough. Otherwise, some here, as others have in the past, will make that decision one-by-one until you end up with what you want rather than having a community of sharing.

Some people, like Jim Hitchcock, have called for reason. I am doing the same. Now, you have to choose how you want to conduct yourselves and if you want to join us--and, then, (now this is important) act accordingly. I have decided what is right and have made my choice. Can you or will you choose the correct course?

Woody

Links to articles and discussions on the left:

Dennis Prager at TownHall.com ... (from Tom McMahon)
Why Democrats will smear any conservative court nominee

First, Democrats believe that conservatives by definition are bad people. ...A second reason Democrats and others on the Left use smear as a political weapon is to avoid challenging ideas and intellectual argument.

Ann Coulter (via Right Wing News)
How To Talk To A Liberal (If You Must)
(Okay, I now know that Ann Coulter is offensive to liberals, but try to concentrate on her point rather than her style.)

If you can somehow force a liberal into a point-counterpoint argument, his retorts will bear no relation to what you've said.... In the famous liberal two-step, they leap from one idiotic point to the next, so you can never nail them. It's like arguing with someone with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Michael Novak
National Review Online
Hatred or Hope?
July 23, 2004

The Right tends to think that the Left is stupid � never learns, keeps repeating the same old errors. The Left is different. The Left tends to think that the Right is mean, narrow, selfish, evil (on top of being stupid).

Updated for Additions:

The Mudville Gazette
Left, Right, Post
July 17, 2005

Today's left subscribes to a rigid orthodoxy from which they can't veer. This may be the reason there is one big lefty blog and a few smaller ones scattered over the net. Read one and you've read them all. ...Individuals on the Right also often shut down opposing views, of course, but the spectrum of opinion on virtually every topic I can name seems broader across the Right. Perhaps that's because it's currently defined as anyone who doesn't adhere to the left's strict orthodoxy on every conceivable point.