How to Discuss Social Problems: Oversimplify, Distort, Distract
When social problems come up, the discussion often breezes right over causes to solutions. Why is the liberal plan doomed to fail? Why will free markets or God or personal responsibility fix the problem? But where do gun violence, child abuse, and drug addiction come from?
The answers presume the cause. Various liberal and conservative interests just tell us the problem comes from lack of faith, people who don’t want to exercise self-control or capitalism. If a lack of faith is the problem, then religion must be at least part of the answer. Religious conservatives go here sometimes. As the old evangelical radio commercial put it “What’s the answer to the 50% of marriages that end in the revolving door of divorce? Jesus.”
Oversimplify
The social world is complex. This truism doesn’t always register with pundits and politicians. This may be ignorance on their part, but maybe it isn’t. It really doesn’t matter if the consequences are the same. Oversimplifications boil down social problems to one or two things. People feel entitled to other peoples’ stuff. Some people are weak, so they fall into drug addiction. Some people are evil, and that’s why we have so many rapes and murders.
Those explanations come out in the media too. They all have serious problems. What is “weak” for example? How do you measure that? Has anyone measured that? Why is there so much gun violence? Because people decide to commit crimes with guns? Maybe not.
These oversimplifications might produce dangerous voting behavior. After all, if gun violence comes from people who choose to be violent, what role is there for social policy? Maybe we need to lock up more people. Maybe more citizens need to arm themselves.
Distort
Why do we need more welfare, conservatives ask? Welfare makes people dependent on the government. The government has to confiscate (note the emotionally charged language) money from working citizens, at gunpoint (not the emotionally charged language), and give it to people who don’t work. The liberals want to rob hard-working Americans to create a dependent class of parasites who are likely to vote for Democrats.
You can’t expect to see such crass and obvious distortion in most of the media. But, listen to talk radio or watch conservative political analysts opine and you might get that perspective on welfare.
Distract
A “straw man” and a “straw woman” buy a couple of red herrings at the market and take them home so they can make a nice fish dinner. This silly story illustrates both distortion and distraction because if you read it you probably stopped thinking about critical thinking.
You can distract the casual observer by talking about a parody of your opponent’s position. Liberals want more welfare, but analyzing this idea might look bad for your side. Don’t do it. Talk about government welfare wasting money, creating dependence on the government, and breaking up families. These problems take time away from an unhelpful discussion about the nation’s social safety net and how most Americans want it to be stronger. If you believe in small government and “personal responsibility” then you don’t want potential voters thinking about the benefits of increased welfare spending. You must distract people by talking about the costs, and minimizing the benefits if you can’t avoid talking about them.
Look for the Big Three
Any discussion of social problems at any level of society is going to run into distortion, distraction, or oversimplification. That this will happen is as certain as, well, whatever cliche about certainty you want. Mind your own thinking and watch the pundits. Make sure your opinions on social problems aren’t being formed by oversimplification, distraction, and distortion. If you do that, you’ll be a better voter and a better-informed citizen.
