The Hidden Costs in the Free Market of Ideas

Most blogs, especially public policy blogs, seem to spin in place. So, wanting to succeed in genuinely making progress on common ground initiatives, I want to avoid the free market of ideas model in this venue.

Taking advantage of the privilege of my first posting on this site,
allow me to consider the too-often-unasked question of what we should
hope to accomplish in this space. Maybe there’s a metaphor in this for
how best to do common ground politics, but I leave that to your
discernment.

OK, so what should we hope to accomplish? Most on-line forums and blogs
fail, in my estimation, because they endeavor to organize themselves as
free markets of ideas, which is a worrisome model. Taking its
inspiration from economic markets, the model of the free market of
ideas imagines that success comes from pointed, self-interested
competition. In economic markets, proponents tell us that the free and
sharp clash of buyers and sellers generates what Adam Smith called
invisible hands that work to promote the most stable economic order,
the most rapid economic progress, the lowest sustainable prices, the
highest quality products, the quickest technological innovation, and in
general the happiest consumers and producers. However true such market
thinking is in the economic realm (and many have some doubts at the
moment), it does not seem that the market model works in regard to
ideas. The failure of most public interest blogs is indicative.

Both conservatives on the right and liberals on the left have long
criticized the free market of ideas model; and, they’re worth
considering here. Conservatives insist that the clashes of competition
do not generate order and light, but only cacophony and heat. Moreover,
they contend, that free markets of ideas do not protect previously
accepted agreements but instead constantly contest even the most
precious accepted truths. Those on the left claim that markets of ideas
do not yield progress but instead, by encouraging people to blow off
steam, actually work to undermine impetus for change.

These critiques explain why most blogs, especially public policy blogs,
seem to spin in place. So, wanting to succeed in genuinely making
progress on common ground initiatives, I want to avoid the free market
of ideas model in this venue. Clashes of pure red and pure blue are not
wanted. Really. Leave the ideology to ideologues and come to this site
with fresh thinking and an honest intention to work across the hoary
old battlelines of the culture wars. The decades long stalemate on a
host of culture war issues from abortion to same-sex marriage will not
be overcome with the tired old talking points. Progress demands getting
beyond mere clashing. This forum needs to show, through the success of
its discourse, how that might be possible.

I’m a university professor, trained in political science and
philosophy. I’m also a Roman Catholic who has no issues with the moral
and social teachings of my faith, but who also believes that the public
square is not about anyone’s religion. I’ve got ideals and vision, but
understand that effective politics is the practice of what’s possible.
Look to me for pragmatic and common ground considerations of
contemporary social and moral issues.