Konstantin Kisin writes for The Free Press about progressives getting their eyes opened by the actions of Hamas on Oct. 7. He explains by citing Thomas Sowell's 1987 book A Conflict of Visions. Hat tip to RealClearPolitics for the link.
In this now-classic, he offers a simple and powerful explanation of why people disagree about politics. We disagree about politics, Sowell argues, because we disagree about human nature. We see the world through one of two competing visions, each of which tells a radically different story about human nature.
Those with “unconstrained vision” think that humans are malleable and can be perfected. They believe that social ills and evils can be overcome through collective action that encourages humans to behave better. (snip) This worldview is the foundation of the progressive mindset.
By contrast, those who see the world through a “constrained vision” lens believe that human nature is a universal constant. No amount of social engineering can change the sober reality of human self-interest, or the fact that human empathy and social resources are necessarily scarce. (snip) This approach is the bedrock of the conservative worldview.
The preponderance of evidence shows the constrained vision of conservatives is the one which more accurately explains human behavior. Kisin has rediscovered the old adage that a conservative is a progressive who has been mugged by reality, hence the eye-opening he notes.
