# The Anti-Confirmation Bias Book Club **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 17, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990 "2018-02-17T14:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/1 "2018-02-17T14:25:32Z")
In this time of great polarization, where Republicans and Democrats mutually despise each other, I thought of a way for Liberals and Conservatives to reach across the aisle to each other. I call it the Anti-Confirmation Bias Book Club. Liberals deliberately seek out reading suggestions from conservatives, and conservatives will do the same from liberals. If you want to join this club, you will commit to reading at least one book that disagrees with you a month and then writing at a paragraph or two about your thoughts on the material. Did you change your mind about anything, or moderate your stance in any way? Is this a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/2 "2018-02-17T15:27:12Z")
I like the idea generically but it kind of requires that a person identify either as a Liberal or a Conservative. If forced to choose, I’d identify as a Liberal because of how I’ve voted most often, but I have plenty of ire for liberals (and leftists, progressives, social activists, revolutionaries, marginalized peoples pursuing social justice, etc) and some of their brain-dead reductionisticically simplistic ways of seeing the world, not just for the folks on the other side. Any way to get beyond the political binary on this? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/3 "2018-02-17T15:49:26Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Any way to get beyond the political binary on this? A more nuanced approach could involve the [Political Compass](https://www.politicalcompass.org/) Test, that has 4 Quadrants: Authoritarian Left, Authoritarian Right, Libertarian Left, Libertarian Right. Individuals can take the test, find out what quadrant they are in, and will make it their mission to read authors belonging to the other 3 quadrants. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken the test, but I’m somewhere in the Libertarian Left. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/4 "2018-02-17T15:52:46Z")
Me too, but even there I’m only mildly “left” while radically “libertarian” and would get crossways with someone who was emphatically “left” and only marginally “libertarian”. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/5 "2018-02-18T12:08:33Z")
If I had to suggest one book for those in the two Right Quadrants, it would be “The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger” by Richard Wilkinson and‎ Kate Pickett. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/6 "2018-02-19T01:06:08Z")
The problem is that I cannot commit to reading something that lies to me and all the conservative writing I am aware of seems to lie constantly. Yes, some conservatives have fallen off the bandwagon (David Frum, David Brooks, Ross Doutat) and don’t lie, but they haven’t explained why they used to swallow all the conservative BS before Trump came along. I do always read what they write incidentally, but I don’t think that fulfills the proposed mandate. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/7 "2018-02-19T01:33:27Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I like the idea generically but it kind of requires that a person identify either as a Liberal or a Conservative. If forced to choose, I’d identify as a Liberal because of how I’ve voted most often, but I have plenty of ire for liberals (and leftists, progressives, social activists, revolutionaries, marginalized peoples pursuing social justice, etc) and some of their brain-dead reductionisticically simplistic ways of seeing the world, not just for the folks on the other side. I feel the same way, but nonetheless I think **Blalron’s** proposal has merit as long as good books are nominated which everybody would benefit from reading, and everyone agrees each month to take on a book that is challenging to them personally. Some that I would nominate. **Conservative economics for liberals:** _[The Road to Serfdom](https://www.amazon.com/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/0226320618/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003281&sr=1-3&keywords=The+Road+to+Serfdom)_, by F.A. Hayek _[Capitalism and Freedom](https://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Freedom-Anniversary-Milton-Friedman/dp/0226264211/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003330&sr=1-1&keywords=Milton+Friedman)_ and _[Free to Choose](https://www.amazon.com/Free-Choose-Statement-Milton-Friedman/dp/0156334607/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003363&sr=1-3&keywords=Milton+Friedman)_, by Milton Friedman _[On the Wealth of Nations](https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=P.J.+O'Rourke+wealth+of+nations&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AP.J.+O'Rourke+wealth+of+nations)_, by P.J. O’Rourke. (I don’t recommend the actual _The Wealth of Nations_, as it’s 900 pages long and a bit unfocused. **Right-wing thinking in America today:** _[Liberty and Tyranny](https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Tyranny-Conservative-Mark-Levin/dp/1416562877/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003562&sr=1-4&keywords=Mark+Levin)_, by Mark Levin. _[America Alone](https://www.amazon.com/AMERICA-ALONE-End-World-Know/dp/1596985275/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003624&sr=1-3&keywords=Mark+Steyn)_, by Mark Steyn **Libertarian books for both Democrats and Republicans:** _[Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You do: The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in a Free Society](https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_12?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=ain%27t+nobody%27s+business+if+you+do&sprefix=Ain%27t+Nobody%2Cstripbooks%2C188&crid=2CYGTOFXKI8YB)_, by Peter McWilliams. _[The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money](https://www.amazon.com/Case-against-Education-System-Waste/dp/0691174652/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519003816&sr=1-1&keywords=Bryan+Caplan)_, by Bryan Caplan ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/8 "2018-02-19T01:45:49Z")
I would certainly read Milton Friedman, and I always had respect for William F. Buckley. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/9 "2018-02-19T01:55:06Z")
Is this a trick to make me read Ayn Rand? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/10 "2018-02-19T01:56:28Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > In this time of great polarization, where Republicans and Democrats mutually despise each other, I thought of a way for Liberals and Conservatives to reach across the aisle to each other. > > I call it the Anti-Confirmation Bias Book Club. Liberals deliberately seek out reading suggestions from conservatives, and conservatives will do the same from liberals. If you want to join this club, you will commit to reading at least one book that disagrees with you a month and then writing at a paragraph or two about your thoughts on the material. Did you change your mind about anything, or moderate your stance in any way? > > Is this a good idea? I think it’s a good idea. A book a month may be a bit much if folks are busy though. For the Democrats among us I’d recommend Thomas Sowell’s “Knowledge and Decisions.” ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/11 "2018-02-19T03:19:51Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The problem is that I cannot commit to reading something that lies to me and all the conservative writing I am aware of seems to lie constantly. Yes, some conservatives have fallen off the bandwagon (David Frum, David Brooks, Ross Doutat) and don’t lie, but they haven’t explained why they used to swallow all the conservative BS before Trump came along. I do always read what they write incidentally, but I don’t think that fulfills the proposed mandate. I believe you might not understand the point. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/12 "2018-02-19T04:35:03Z")
Is this about Democrats vs. Republicans, or liberals vs. conservatives? I ask because in the age of Trumpism, the two pairs don’t seem to have much in common. Hillary was a much stronger supporter of conservative economics than Trump is, for instance. I don’t need convincing about traditional conservative economics: I already agree. It’s Trumponomics that I’d like to see defended. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-anti-confirmation-bias-book-club/808990/13 "2018-02-19T04:54:03Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The problem is that I cannot commit to reading something that lies to me and all the conservative writing I am aware of seems to lie constantly. Yes, some conservatives have fallen off the bandwagon (David Frum, David Brooks, Ross Doutat) and don’t lie, but they haven’t explained why they used to swallow all the conservative BS before Trump came along. I do always read what they write incidentally, but I don’t think that fulfills the proposed mandate. Why do you think those 3 fell off the bandwagon? “Why” in the sense of “what is it about those individuals” and “what events drew them to”.