Why 'Hearing Both Sides' Is Dangerous

How many times have you heard someone say "we need to hear both sides," or "we have to respect other opinions"? Probably a lot. But are all ideas really created equal, and should we go out of our way to provide a level playing field in the marketplace of ideas? Let's find out!

Check out my podcast, The Deprogram!

Why "Hearing Both Sides" Is Dangerous – Second Thought

New video every Friday!

Citations and Further Reading:

Polarization, picking a side, the marketplace of ideas

Letter From Birmingham Jail - MLK

Hate crime statistics

Racial resentment drives Trump voters

$900 million on climate change denial

Follow and Support Second Thought!
CashApp: $JTChapman

Watch More Second Thought:

About Second Thought:
Second Thought is a channel devoted to education and analysis of current events from a Leftist perspective. Welcome!

[SecondThought]

I beg some of you to watch the video before commenting. The title doesn’t suggest what you think it does. For those who actually watch first, much love as always, and I hope you enjoy 🥰

[MrARock]

The TLDR is that if one side says "2+2=6" and the other side says "2+2=4", that doesn't mean the correct answer must be in the middle, at 5. Some sides are just incorrect and can be ignored.

[Leopoldshark]

I think we should hear Third Thought's take on this before making any decisions.

[StevenM]

As a Swiss, to me what is dangerous is having only two sides. Plurality should mean more than just two parties facing each other, in most countries you have at least 3 big parties. In countries where democracy works best like Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, you may have up to 5 parties battling to win elections. It's not a coin toss anymore and people are held accountable for their actions and ideas.

[qiae]

It is also worth addressing the psychology around repetition, and the ways that concepts can be made to appear more real regardless of evidence if it is repeatedly heard by a person.

[ear]

The problem with Debate in America is that debates, at least at a political level, are not about finding the best idea and bringing forth evidence and reason to support what one politician thinks is the right idea; but who can shout their idea the loudest and make it sound the most popular among the public. Televised debates are more of a verbal wrestling match akin to a WWE ppv event than a frank exchange of ideas, and they are tailored this way because the end result is viewership for the television stations and channels. It's who can lie the best and make their ideas sound the best, rather than actually putting forth truth and evidence to support their ideas.

[watching]

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" -Aristotle

[diablo]

Listening to all sides is why I’m here in the first place

[ericthetuber]

When issues become insanely nuanced, always be on the look out for ways you could be wrong. Check, once in a while, even on the ideas that aren't insanely nuanced just to make sure you aren't thinking dogmatically

[gjvnq]

I find it interesting how the sentence "we must hear both sides" seems to be used to mean "we must give both sides an equal platform" instead of "we, who are judging or analysing a question, must hear both sides before reaching a conclusion but after that we should only give each side a platform proportional to their validity/truth".

[commanderazure]

I feel like half the comments here are about the MLK quote, but I really did love it. It's crazy just how few people realize that MLK wasn't a "moderate who wanted to hear both sides and only peacefully protest" but an anti-capitalist radical.

And the video was amazing, it might be something to show to my centrist dad

[erikkennedy]

You can't come to a compromise with someone who wants you utterly destroyed.

[SavageGreywolf]

A journalist once told me, if one person says it's raining and the other person says it's sunny, the journalist's job isn't to publish 'both sides'.

The journalist's job is to go outside and look up.

[PrettyPrincess]

I know this is about politics but I have to speak on this. I was a victim of SA and I was blackmailed by a guy friend at 21. When I called the police and reported this, the police told me “ boys will be boys “ and asked “ if it’s not a sex thing we did “. They also said they didn’t have any evidence and no proof that he blackmailed me since I withdrew the money from my bank myself. I also opened up to my mother about this and she started blaming me by asking why I invited him to my room ? Ironic she asked this when she herself didn’t protect me when I was m word by her boyfriend at 15. Her boyfriend at the time told me not to tell anyone and I was afraid my mother would choose him and kick me out. People claim they want to hear “ both sides “ but they never wanted to hear my side. I was automatically accused of lying and trying to “ set a brotha up “. Even though I was the victim, he was victimized while I was villainized even by the police.

[moonie]

I will never accept the notion that we should be afraid to listen to people who don't have a point. If they don't have a point, then why should we worry about hearing it?

[Queen_of_Coffee]

This is the approach I take to things like racism and LGBT issues. If a person tries to argue that white supremacists have a point or that LGBT people don’t deserve the same rights as their straight cisgender peers, they are just flat out wrong, and I’ve better shite to do than waste my time on them.

[seeneihtnin]

I used to be like “I hate Nazis but I’ll let them speak their mind…if they’re wrong, people will recognize it” then I realized that it only made them more popular

[jordanharrison]

A German friend of mine once told me her family had a saying: "One side says it isn't happening and the other side says it is happening. You shouldn't argue for both points, just look outside the window and you'll see the Nazis for yourself."






Seeing both sides isn't always logical, it's a convenient way to not take a stand, an excuse to do nothing in the face of struggle.

[skylerclyne]

For people who haven’t tried The Deprogram yet - I HIGHLY recommend you do so. I previously had only watched SecondThought so I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy the other hosts. After around two months of listening I’ve already gone and listened to the whole back catalogue. Hakim is measured and charming, Ygopnik is boisterous and ornery. It’s the first international podcast I’ve ever really loved.

[boiledelephant]

The first time somebody told me "the marketplace of ideas doesn't work" it was devastating. Because it was in the water supply, I'd never questioned it, but once provoked I couldn't stop noticing evidence of its failures.