Ideology Substituting for Evidence

I read an item on Facebook this morning, reposted by an acquaintance, that presented an interesting snapshot summary about one of the recipients (Esther Duflo) of the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences (Nobel Prize in Economics). The article was interesting, informative, and inspirational. A statement included in the summary of Duflo’s accomplishments, “ideology is a poor substitute for evidence,” struck me as particularly meaningful. It mirrors the concept embraced by another phrase I have used in time past: “beliefs cannot compete, legitimately, with facts.” Those statements can be useful tools in arguing against claims based entirely on opinions…but only when opposing viewpoints are held by rational people who value honesty.  There have been times when I would like to have used one or both of them as cudgels to beat some sense into intolerant dogmatists. But intolerant dogmatists do not respond well to ideas that conflict with their stubbornly unsupported partisan positions. Key to the effectiveness of such powerful cudgels are recipients’ acceptance of being proven wrong. I know how difficult it is for me—proudly tolerant and open-minded—to accept such challenges to my firmly-held perspectives. The problem is rooted, I think, in judging the legitimacy of evidence. In politics, both left and right tend to refuse to even consider the validity of evidence, insisting that evidence is simply propaganda disguised as fact.

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The few snippets I watched of last night’s Super Bowl halftime show impressed me. I had never before heard nor seen any of Bad Bunny‘s performances and did not know quite what to expect. I will admit that I was primed to be receptive to it, though, because of the outrage expressed by racists and their ilk. Even without that sympathetic preparatory base, though, I think I would have been just as appreciative of the musicians’ and dancers’ performance. Their energy and their embrace of the value and beauty of diversity was inspiring. The attitudes symbolized by the performances reflect the core values upon which we claims the USA was originally founded; whether those values will ever truly infiltrate the culture of this country remains to be seen. Given the developments, degradations, and deconstructions of the last few years, I am doubtful. As usual, I did not watch the Super Bowl game. I may have heard which team won, but it didn’t register, if I did.

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Winter has had its fling. Time to give Spring a lengthy opportunity to prove itself. The only times my hands and feet are comfortably warm are the times they spend in bed, under a heavy bedspread. I realize there will be moments in the not-too-distant future when I will curse the heat and threaten to quench the humidity with machinery that can suck the moisture out of the air. But, for now, I just complain about the icy brittleness of my fingers and toes and look forward to a time when comfort will prevail.

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The bright blue sky and quite cool temperatures ought to infuse me with enough energy to move around, if for no other reason than to generate a bit of warmth. But physically and mentally, I feel at a low ebb—which, too frequently, seems to have become “normal.” I suspect the extended period of construction-related disorder and the extended weather-related imprisonment may have something to do with it. Having several strangers, no matter how friendly and pleasant, in the house during the kitchen and bath remodels is a little stressful. As is to be expected, the sounds of their work and their voices fill the usually-quiet house with nerve-wracking noise. Expectations notwithstanding, I long for silence and privacy. The outcome of the work will be worth the discomfort. Already, the changes in the space are making a positive difference in the way I see this house. Change is appealing and appalling. Beckoning and bothersome. Seductive and spine-chilling.  I miss Soubhiyé…“the whisper of dawn, when the house is still in slumber, allowing one to savor the stillness before the day begins.”

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