Things that polarise us (plus a bonus review of this week's 'Serial')

America just had mid-term elections. Living in the UK (and banned from voting for being gone too long), I'm out of the loop when it comes to American politics. But if I had to guess, I would say that there have probably been a lot of heated debates both online and in the 'real' world over hot button issues like guns, abortion, taxes and all that fun stuff. How exhausting it can be...

If you've found yourself in the midst of a political debate with a friend, coworker or relative, and thought to yourself, "Christ! How did I wind up here? Can I rewind? I'm in too deep!", then here's my advice:

1. Recognise that there's no such thing as a right opinion. OK, occasionally someone will have their facts wrong. If that's the case, you might just be able to convince them with some statistics. But the root of 99% of political arguments is IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES! There's not much you can do about that other than try to understand where they're coming from and agree to disagree.

2. Care a little bit less. Apathy is underrated. You don't have to completely hide your passion under a bushel, but try to calm the shize down a bit. My sister Anna once taught me that the person who cries in an argument always, always loses. Maybe you're not crying in these political debates with your cousin/neighbour/colleague but, trust me, it's obvious if you're getting emotional.

I came across this great infographic showing the typical divisions between the Left and the Right. Reading through it, it's clear that both sides form their opinions based on certain values. When you identify with a certain side on one issue, it's simply because you're prioritising one value over another (e.g. equality over fairness). But the point is, there is value on both sides.

Click to expand.
Image by David McCandless & Stefanie Posavec via InformationIsBeautiful.net

There's also a UK version of the infographic (tweaked slightly).

Serial Episode 7: Review 

SPOILER ALET, this review contains spoilers. 

Speaking of polarising, the latest episode of 'Serial' is dividing the podcast's fans into two camps. Based on what I've gleaned lurking on the Serial subreddit, it seems people either:

• LOVE the episode and appreciate the break in character/evidence related plot points in favour of a more 'big picture' narrative. They see it as a "breathe of fresh air."

• HATE the episode, feel like they've learned nothing new about the case and are annoyed there aren't more hard facts to investigate before next Thursday comes along. They see it as a "waste of time." 

My thoughts? Well, being the nuanced, emotionally mature intellectual that I am, the episode both excited and disappointed me. I'm in both camps. OF COURSE it was thrilling to hear that The Innocence Project is investigating Adnan's case. And OF COURSE it was unsatisfying to have no new insight into the details of the investigation.

If I had to lean closer toward one camp, I would go with the LOVE folks. After all, I feel dissatisfied after every episode, simply because I'm always left wanting more (and I suspect that won't change, even after the series is over). So I'm used to feeling this way. It's part of what makes Serial so great.

I change my mind on Adnan after every episode too. This week, he's innocent (DUH). But next week, I'm sure I'll have diagnosed him a textbook sociopath. You wouldn't want me on your jury, I can tell you that!

If you're a Serial fan and haven't yet delved into the deep Serial web, here are some good resources worth checking out:

• Serial subreddit — Where the Internet gathers to discuss Serial. Heck, even Beau Willimon, head writer of 'House of Cards', created an account to get in on the discussion (although his posts are longwinded, philosophical nonsense, sadly). 

• Slate's Serial Spoiler Specials — Yep, a podcast about a podcast. David Haglund, Katy Waldman and Mike Pesca discuss the latest episode, what they liked, what they didn't, the story's narrative arc, predictions, etc.

• Rabia Chandry's blog— The lawyer and friend of Adnan who first introduced Sarah Koenig to the case. She's obviously majorly Team Adnan, so that's worth keeping in mind. 

Later,
Margaret