New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

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Shallow ideas weaken political discussions

As with every presidential race, there has been a lot of ranting going on. An unsolicited opinion lies around every corner, from Facebook to Twitter to the nice fellow who serves meatloaf at Downstein. But for all the words, nothing of substance is ever truly said.

The problem is two-headed. On one end, many people are uninformed in regards to the issues. A nasty trait of our society is that people are afraid of the three words “I don’t know.” Consequently, people listen to the news, friends and even Hollywood actors in an attempt to pass others’ thoughts as their own.

A more menacing problem is the dumbing down of complex social problems. Most issues are incredibly complicated with many pros and cons and possible solutions. Unfortunately, the general public oversimplifies issues to accommodate one right answer and one wrong answer. Paradoxically, everyone fervently claims that theirs and only theirs is the right solution.

Just yesterday, I saw that my 13-year-old cousin was publicly renouncing President Obama’s economic policy on Facebook. He’s only 13. He made no comment about the stimulus plan, no mention of the bailout; Obama’s plan was just plain ol’ bad.

Time and time again, I have heard opposing arguments wherein one candidate is an outright idiot with a terrible policy, and the other is the savior of the American people with a policy that will solve everyone’s problems and create an everlasting utopian society.

Even supremely educated individuals don’t possess enough knowledge to be certain of a policy’s outcome. Issues are complex, and we should treat them as such.

Is the Dream Act creating opportunity for those young individuals who have earned the right to call themselves Americans, or is it giving immigrants further incentive to illegally reside in our country? Does suspension of constitutional rights for foreign terrorist suspects spur too much anti-American sentiment, or are enhanced interrogation techniques vital to our national security? I don’t know the answers to these questions, and neither do you.

Anyone can fling around excerpts from something they read on AOL, but even with a couple meaty facts, we still can’t comprehend all the gears in motion. Most sides have a convincing argument in theory, but there are too many fluctuating factors for a snotty college student who took Intro to Economics to have a legitimate opinion on the matter.

When people inevitably reach a stalemate during a discussion, the mud-slinging begins. With regards to the recent election, I feel the need to clear up two things. First, neither candidate is stupid. Harvard Law degrees aren’t easy to come by. Second, neither candidate is evil. Both candidates want to better this country with their respective moral philosophies and economic dogmas. I love the passion my fellow Americans are displaying for their country via Facebook statuses. I just don’t love the uninformed, unapologetic, know-it-all manner in which many decide to say their opinions.

I do not mean to dissuade people from sharing opinions — contradicting perspectives are this country’s lifeblood. I simply ask you to make sure that your opinion is informed, avoid a black-and-white outlook and always remember that your opinion is just that: an opinion. Reserve the right to be wrong every now and then; you’ll be a better person for it.

As Socrates so elegantly put it, “In knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all.”

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Nov. 13 print edition. William Kartsonis is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected]

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