You'Re Not as Crazy as I Thought (but You'Re Still Wrong)

This title digs deeply into the issues dividing liberals and conservatives, from abortion to gay marriage - revealing surprising common ground across the political divide. It shows that people of opposing viewpoints can learn to see beyond the polarizing sound bites fed to them by media and politicians. It demonstrates that citizens of any political persuasion can stick to their principles without demonizing opponents. Americans have been divided along political lines for so long that they have nearly forgotten how to talk to one another, much less how to listen. This is not likely to improve as long as differences between them continue to be cast in overly simplistic terms, such as "ignorance" vs. "enlightened awareness" or "morality" vs. "reprobate immorality." Such dichotomies ignore the fact that many citizens who disagree politically nonetheless share a desire to work for the larger good of society. Phil Neisser, a self-described "left-wing atheist," first met Jacob Hess, a social conservative, at the 2008 proceedings of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation. After discovering a shared commitment to cross-party dialogue, they embarked together on a yearlong attempt to practice what they preached. In this book they share the result by exploring the boundaries of core disagreements about morality, power, gender roles, sexuality, race, big government, big business, and big media. Each chapter revolves around an issue explored in depth through back-and-forth, lively question and response. This nuanced, iterative process was transformative for both authors, and could likewise serve as a valuable resource for anyone - liberal or conservative - who feels disillusioned by today's often shallow, demagogic public discourse.