#disagreement — Public Fediverse posts

A quotation from Abraham Fortas

Any departure from absolute regimentation may cause trouble. Any variation from the majority’s opinion may inspire fear. Any word spoken, in class, in the lunchroom, or on the campus, that deviates from the view of another person may start an argument or cause a disturbance. But our Constitution says we must take this risk, and our history says that it is this sort of hazardous freedom — this kind of openness — that is the basis of our national strength and of the independence and vigor of Americans who grow up and live in this relatively permissive, often disputatious, society.

Abraham Fortas (1910–1982) American academic, jurist, lawyer; US Supreme Court Justice (1965–69)
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503, 508 (1969) [majority opinion]

More about this quote: wist.info/fortas-abe/13226/

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A quotation from Madeleine L'Engle

We need to dare disturb the universe by not being manipulated or frightened by judgmental groups who assume the right to insist that if we do not agree with them, not only do we not understand but we are wrong. How dull the world would be if we all had to feel the same way about everything, if we all had to like the same books, dislike the same books.

Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007) American writer
Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

More about this quote: wist.info/lengle-madeleine/826…

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A couple decades ago it occurred to me that the dynamics of disagreement often tend toward polarization rather than toward unification at a higher level of understanding.

Further, it seemed (to me) that this might be analogous to the behavior of a feedback loop out of control and going to one or the other of its extreme rails.

And further, this seemed (to me) to be the behavior of a system finding its lowest energy/information state, associated with lack of requisite variety.

This behavior seemed (to me) generalizable in principle across systems based on electronics, mechanisms, …, human individuals, and groups.

At that time I was active in a forum of Very Smart People, and when I ventured this observation/opinion it received no interest or engagement.

I'm wondering whether now, twenty years later, with polarization in politics being grossly apparent, whether anyone reading this might be able to recommend some sources of more extensive thinking on the question of such a general principle…?

#agreement #disagreement #polarization #systemsTheory #controlTheory #systemsThinking #politics #leastEnergy #leastInformation #requisiteVariety