An essay that came out on July 25, offering a critique of mindfulness, is creating quite the stir. I'll show how this follows a pattern I've seen.
Over the last few years, I've been reading about a wide range of topics, largely to inform a book I wrote on practical ways to address rising polarization. One thing I've noticed is that every issue I've looked at, even ones that seem very straightforward, turn out to be bitterly controversial once I get further into the details. Every. Single. Issue.
Academic debates grow personal. The scientific community seems surprisingly petty at times. The format I've read again and again is of seeking to discredit the other side without acknowledging when they've raised valid points. That is: It's one of near-total opposition that highlights places of disagreement. It lacks nuance and complexity and doesn't establish common ground before critiquing. This is the formula for polarization.
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