Abortion and Motivation

ELEPHANT DIALOGUES

I'm joined for this episode by Haley Beckstrand to talk about abortion, and why it's so hard for us to understand one another's motivations. Motive Attribution Asymmetry is the idea that we assume our own ideology is based on love, while our opponent's ideology is based on hate. This makes conversation difficult, and it's easy to believe when politicians tell us all about their opponent's nefarious motives. But if we take the time to talk to our friends and family members, and ask them about their motivations and drives, we'll be better able to address tough subjects. Summary for this episode: Ask about, and then listen to, someone else's motivations. You might find that their underlying values are things you can agree on, even if we disagree on the specifics of reaching those goals.

Good News Links:
Haley - Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Bryson - Save The Storks

Further Reading:
Reducing Abortion Rates - Huffington Post
Jordan Peterson - Thoughts on Abortion
Arthur Brooks - "Love Your Enemies"

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