There's a difference, methinks, between an "averager" who tries to split the difference and reflexively ends up choosing some middle ground, each and every time; someone like Gurwinder who (if I'm interpreting his words correctly) might take varying, strong positions on topics that don't fit…
There's a difference, methinks, between an "averager" who tries to split the difference and reflexively ends up choosing some middle ground, each and every time; someone like Gurwinder who (if I'm interpreting his words correctly) might take varying, strong positions on topics that don't fit neatly into any tribal stance; and a Third Way.
I'm not entirely sure how to articulate the Third Way, except that there are some "wicked" problems like crime, gun violence, abortion, and poverty, where there will never be a 100% solution. All that's available is harm mitigation, and there are better and worse ways to approach that.
For instance, regarding abortion, there are programs that can help reduce its incidence. Those include providing better medical and financial support to women, to improve maternal health and outcomes and make it more feasible to keep and raise children. And improving contraception (particularly for males) to reduce unintended pregnancies.
Regarding gun violence, one key insight might be in recognizing that the two largest categories of gun deaths are suicides and young men killing one another, often in 'honor' cultures where maintaining 'face' and endless reprisals are a way of life. And tackling those head-on via programs like peer support among veterans to reduce suicides, and programs like Operation Ceasefire and its successors to reduce peer violence.
Also, I rarely run into any true "averagers," either in real life or on social media. Am wondering what experiences Gurwinder might have had that led him to come up with this category, and if there are some public figures that exemplify that approach? (And Jerad, I'd be interested in learning more about your own cognitive experiences of the world, as well!)
As someone broadly regarded as "centrist," I interact with a lot of other centrists., and I've noticed that many just start taking the middle-ground on every issue in lieu of thinking. I don't want to name names as I know most of them personally, but if you spend enough time following centrists, I think you'll eventually see a few averagers.
Category #5 is definitely the most interesting!
There's a difference, methinks, between an "averager" who tries to split the difference and reflexively ends up choosing some middle ground, each and every time; someone like Gurwinder who (if I'm interpreting his words correctly) might take varying, strong positions on topics that don't fit neatly into any tribal stance; and a Third Way.
I'm not entirely sure how to articulate the Third Way, except that there are some "wicked" problems like crime, gun violence, abortion, and poverty, where there will never be a 100% solution. All that's available is harm mitigation, and there are better and worse ways to approach that.
For instance, regarding abortion, there are programs that can help reduce its incidence. Those include providing better medical and financial support to women, to improve maternal health and outcomes and make it more feasible to keep and raise children. And improving contraception (particularly for males) to reduce unintended pregnancies.
Regarding gun violence, one key insight might be in recognizing that the two largest categories of gun deaths are suicides and young men killing one another, often in 'honor' cultures where maintaining 'face' and endless reprisals are a way of life. And tackling those head-on via programs like peer support among veterans to reduce suicides, and programs like Operation Ceasefire and its successors to reduce peer violence.
Also, I rarely run into any true "averagers," either in real life or on social media. Am wondering what experiences Gurwinder might have had that led him to come up with this category, and if there are some public figures that exemplify that approach? (And Jerad, I'd be interested in learning more about your own cognitive experiences of the world, as well!)
As someone broadly regarded as "centrist," I interact with a lot of other centrists., and I've noticed that many just start taking the middle-ground on every issue in lieu of thinking. I don't want to name names as I know most of them personally, but if you spend enough time following centrists, I think you'll eventually see a few averagers.