Can't We All Disagree More Constructively?

1. Moral Foundations Theory: The Six Pillars of Morality

Morality binds and blinds. It binds us into ideological teams that fight each other as though the fate of the world depended on our side winning each battle. It blinds us to the fact that each team is composed of good people who have something important to say.

The six moral foundations. Moral Foundations Theory proposes that human morality is built on six innate foundations:

1. Care/harm
2. Fairness/cheating
3. Liberty/oppression
4. Loyalty/betrayal
5. Authority/subversion
6. Sanctity/degradation

These foundations evolved to solve social problems and are the building blocks of moral matrices. Different cultures and political ideologies emphasize these foundations to varying degrees, leading to diverse moral systems and political views.

Morality's dual nature. Morality serves as both a unifying and divisive force in society. It binds people together within groups, creating cohesive moral communities. However, it also blinds people to the validity of other moral perspectives, leading to ideological conflicts and political polarization.

2. Genetics and Environment Shape Political Ideologies

Whether you end up on the right or the left of the political spectrum turns out to be just as heritable as most other traits: genetics explains between a third and a half of the variability among people on their political attitudes.

Nature and nurture. Political ideologies are not purely a result of rational choice or environmental influences. Genetic factors play a significant role in shaping our political leanings:

• Twin studies show that identical twins are more similar in political views than fraternal twins
• Specific genes related to neurotransmitter functioning (e.g., glutamate, serotonin, dopamine) have been linked to liberal or conservative tendencies

Developmental pathway. The journey from genes to political ideology involves three main steps:

1. Genes influence brain structure and function
2. These traits guide children along different developmental paths
3. People construct life narratives that align with their predispositions and experiences

Environmental factors, such as upbringing, education, and life experiences, interact with genetic predispositions to shape an individual's ultimate political orientation.

3. The Liberal Moral Matrix: Care and Liberty

Liberals are experts in care; they are better able to see the victims of existing social arrangements, and they continually push us to update those arrangements and invent new ones.

Foundations of liberalism. The liberal moral matrix primarily rests on two moral foundations:

1. Care/harm: High sensitivity to suffering and a desire to alleviate it
2. Liberty/oppression: Strong aversion to bullying and oppression

Liberals also value Fairness, but mainly in terms of equality rather than proportionality.

Liberal strengths. This moral configuration leads liberals to:

• Champion the rights of marginalized groups
• Push for social progress and reform
• Advocate for government intervention to solve societal problems
• Be more open to change and diversity

Liberals excel at identifying victims of existing social structures and proposing solutions to address injustice and inequality. Their focus on Care and Liberty drives them to continuously challenge and improve societal norms and institutions.

4. The Conservative Moral Matrix: All Six Foundations

Conservatives understand this point. Edmund Burke said it in 1790: "To be attached to the subdivision, to love the little platoon we belong to in society, is the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country, and to mankind."

Broad moral base. Conservatives utilize all six moral foundations relatively equally, giving them a more diverse moral toolkit:

• Care/harm
• Fairness/cheating (emphasizing proportionality)
• Liberty/oppression
• Loyalty/betrayal
• Authority/subversion
• Sanctity/degradation

Conservative strengths. This broader moral matrix allows conservatives to:

• Detect threats to moral capital that liberals might overlook
• Preserve valuable institutions and traditions
• Emphasize personal responsibility and meritocracy
• Maintain social order and cohesion

Conservatives are more attuned to the importance of moral capital – the resources that sustain a moral community. They resist changes that might damage crucial social institutions like family, religion, and national identity, which they see as providing moral exoskeletons for society.

5. Libertarians: Classical Liberals Focused on Liberty

Libertarians are the direct descendants of the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Enlightenment reformers who fought to free people and markets from the control of kings and clergy.

Liberty as sacred value. Libertarians prioritize individual freedom and free markets above all else. They share some commonalities with both liberals and conservatives:

• Like liberals: Value personal freedom in private matters (e.g., drug use, sexuality)
• Like conservatives: Advocate for economic freedom and limited government intervention

Unique characteristics. Research on libertarians reveals:

• Low scores on Care and other binding moral foundations
• High scores on Liberty and economic freedom
• Personality traits more similar to liberals (e.g., openness to experience)
• Strong faith in the power of free markets to solve problems

Libertarians view markets as miraculous systems that efficiently allocate resources and drive innovation. They warn against the unintended consequences of well-intentioned government interventions, arguing that they often lead to worse outcomes than free market solutions.

6. Social Conservatives: Preservers of Moral Capital

Preserving those institutions and traditions is their most sacred value.

Guardians of tradition. Social conservatives place high importance on preserving existing social institutions, traditions, and moral norms. They believe these structures provide essential moral scaffolding for society.

Key beliefs:

• Resistance to rapid social change
• Emphasis on traditional family values
• Support for religious institutions
• Strong sense of national identity and patriotism

Social conservatives argue that dismantling these structures too quickly or carelessly can lead to social decay, loss of moral capital, and unintended negative consequences. They serve as a counterbalance to rapid progressive reforms, urging caution and consideration of potential long-term effects on society's moral fabric.

7. The Importance of Moral Capital in Society

Moral capital refers to the resources that sustain a moral community.

Definition and components. Moral capital encompasses:

• Shared values and virtues
• Norms and practices
• Identities and institutions
• Technologies that support cooperation

Function in society. Moral capital serves several crucial roles:

• Suppresses selfishness and promotes cooperation
• Provides moral exoskeletons for individuals
• Facilitates trust and social cohesion
• Reduces transaction costs in social and economic interactions

High moral capital allows communities to function more efficiently and harmoniously. It creates an environment where individuals are more likely to behave ethically and cooperate for the common good, even in the absence of external enforcement.

8. The Dangers of Destroying Moral Capital

You can't help the bees by destroying the hive.

Unintended consequences. Well-intentioned efforts to help specific groups or solve social problems can inadvertently damage moral capital:

• Welfare programs weakening family structures
• Empowering students to sue schools, eroding authority
• Emphasizing cultural differences over shared values

Negative outcomes:

• Increased social atomization
• Erosion of trust and cooperation
• Higher rates of antisocial behavior
• Difficulty in solving collective action problems

When moral capital is depleted, society becomes less cohesive and more prone to conflict. Individuals may become more self-interested and less willing to sacrifice for the common good. This can create a downward spiral where attempts to solve problems lead to further erosion of the social fabric.

9. The Necessity of Both Liberal and Conservative Perspectives

Liberals and conservatives are like yin and yang—both are "necessary elements of a healthy state of political life," as John Stuart Mill put it.

Complementary strengths. Both liberal and conservative perspectives contribute valuable insights to society:

Liberals:

• Identify and advocate for victims of oppression
• Push for necessary social reforms
• Challenge outdated norms and institutions

Conservatives:

• Preserve valuable traditions and institutions
• Maintain social order and cohesion
• Detect threats to moral capital

Balancing act. A healthy society requires a constant tug-of-war between these perspectives:

• Liberals prevent stagnation and address injustices
• Conservatives ensure stability and preserve moral capital
• This tension drives social progress while maintaining social cohesion

The interplay between liberal and conservative ideas allows societies to adapt to changing circumstances while preserving valuable aspects of their cultural heritage and moral foundations.

10. The Problem of Political Polarization and Manichaeism

Our politics will become more civil when we find ways to change the procedures for electing politicians and the institutions and environments within which they interact.

Growing divide. Political polarization in the United States has increased dramatically since the 1990s:

• Ideological sorting of parties (liberal Democrats, conservative Republicans)
• Decrease in cross-party friendships and interactions
• Rise of partisan media ecosystems
• Increasing geographical segregation by political ideology

Manichaean thinking. This polarization has led to a Manichaean worldview in politics:

• Viewing the other side as evil rather than simply misguided
• Refusal to compromise or find common ground
• Demonization of political opponents

This black-and-white thinking makes constructive dialogue and bipartisan problem-solving increasingly difficult, threatening the functioning of democratic institutions.

11. Towards More Civil Politics: Understanding and Empathy

If you want to understand another group, follow the sacredness. As a first step, think about the six moral foundations, and try to figure out which one or two are carrying the most weight in a particular controversy.

Strategies for better understanding:

1. Identify the moral foundations underlying different positions
2. Recognize the validity of diverse moral matrices
3. Seek out friendly interactions with those who hold opposing views
4. Practice intellectual humility and openness to other perspectives

Structural changes: Improving political civility may require institutional reforms:

• Changing primary election systems
• Reforming campaign finance laws
• Encouraging politicians to build cross-party relationships

By fostering understanding and empathy across ideological divides, we can move from Manichaean conflict to more constructive yin-yang disagreement. This approach acknowledges that both sides often have valid concerns and insights, even if they prioritize different moral foundations.

Last updated: September 9, 2024