By George

Part of an Editorial I wrote for Pi Media, UCL’s student magazine.

A Call for Modesty: in Life, the Universe and Everything

This is an argument about intellectual modesty: the radical, almost awkward suggestion that you might not be right about everything all of the time. The cries ring out: “That’s just not American!” Maybe not, but should it be?

Intellectual modesty is essential for democracy to function. Without a baseline of mutual respect among citizens, the whole project starts to crumble. Of course, the hostility is understandable; if you’re a Democrat, it might feel as if the floor has fallen out from under you. Inflation is down, unemployment is low, and Biden has been plodding along quite reasonably, so what on Earth were voters thinking? How can there possibly be mutual respect when people are so stupid?

And if you’re a Republican, count your blessings: America has just evaded the devilish clutches of wokeism by a hair’s breadth. Perhaps flags will finally get a little less colourful, sticking to good ol’ red, white, and blue. Thank the Lord, for reason has prevailed. 

Whatever your view, you’re wrong, or at least not entirely right. And that’s okay. Democracy was never intended to be a battle of unwavering certainties, despite what X would have you believe. It’s supposed to be a conversation: messy, uncomfortable, and imperfect. 

Recognising this requires intellectual modesty: the humility to accept that the world is complex, policies involve trade-offs, and your opponents might have reached their terrible conclusions for reasons that, to them, make sense. This is hard, especially when their views seem abhorrent. But understanding the roots of those views, and the fears and frustrations which justify them, is the first step towards countering them effectively. 

Politics isn’t about facts, it’s about perspectives. It’s time to let go of the fantasy of objectivity, and consider a more modest proposal: less shouting, more listening. Less tribalism, more curiosity. It won’t solve inflation, the climate crisis, or the culture war overnight, but it will allow for genuine dialogue. It might even make democracy great again.