From comments:
Beck is right when he says that most people lack an underpinning of philosophy to support their arguments. The average American no longer understands what it means to argue from principle, to the point that when I make an argument explicitly based upon natural principles, I have to explain to people what I mean by “natural principles”. They regard the idea of principled argument with distrust because the language around it has been twisted away from plain meaning. – The Bastidge
From a piece in the Sacramento Bee from 2003, French puzzle over why the U.S. got so angry:
“What is a little disconcerting for the French is an American president who seems to be principled,” said Jean Duchesne, an English literature professor at Condorcet College in Paris. “The idea that politics should be based on principles is unimaginable because principles lead to ideology, and ideology is dangerous.”
Well, we’ve certainly corrected that issue! No wonder the EUropeans are happy!
At least with respect to our President. However, our population remains as unruly and unrulable (we hope) as ever.
I will have more to say on this subject, but I have got to go to work.