Someone else aside from Arnold Kling thinks Warriors and Worriers is a particularly good and insightful book.
I can't really summarize Joyce Benenson's findings. Genuinely novel insights need the space of a book to be explained. As I read the book, I was surprised that this book is not better known. The book was published in 2014, and I still didn't learn about it until now, although I'm one of the people most interested in the subject on this planet. Thank you Robin Hanson for writing about it.
Warriors and Worriers changed my perception of the world a bit, both on an intellectual and personal plan. First of all, I finally got the answer to why growing up female was such an unpleasant experience.
The review by Tove K is at her Wood From Eden newsletter blog.
Bear with me here - this is sociology, not politics.
About an hour ago, a woman came to my door campaigning for the candidate mentioned previously.
I welcomed her, expressed gratitude for someone who had a candidate they supported enough to move them to campaign door to door, and told her I was glad to be able to talk to someone about the evolution of her candidate's mailings.
There are many things we agree about in principle - the immigration crisis being the biggest thing, seconded by concern about China. But I was told that Putin is fighting Ukraine because they are doing all sorts of unspeakable things (the words for which have run and hid in the face of being typed on the page. Sigh), and he is right to do so. And I have now had someone tell me in person that God is working through DJT just as he did through David. And I have been told that Joe Biden said - on TV - that he supported one world government and that this would be the last election.
I say these things not disrespectfully but rather to share what she said.
I must say that she never let ... colorful... words get the better of her. But being silent on hearing that Putin has the moral high ground and Fauci invented AIDS and COVID is as difficult as not yelling when the pallet of anvils comes down on both feet. One day I hope I can do better.
But the conversation remained civil. We covered a lot of territory, anchored with explaining our understanding of God and the devil. We talked a long time, starting on the front patio and then retreating to the porch when it started raining. We shared a few laughs, and we parted cordially, agreeing to disagree. I pointed out that we don't know the people we quoted or discussed, and that the truest, realist thing (epistemologically speaking) was the fact that we were talking face to face with one another and we were treating each other respectfully. She agreed.
It was troubling but I find the fact it remained civil to be hopeful.
Thanks for listening.
The mail just came. The advertising for a Republican candidate for Congress has gone through a second interesting evolution.
The first round included support for "Trump's MAGA agenda."
The second removed all reference to Trump or MAGA.
The third has introduced a photo of the candidate standing with the former president, thumbs up. And promises to impeach President Biden and throw out the RINOS and liberals.
So much for hope.
There's a weathervane in there somewhere.